Call Me Rita

We arrived in Sintra with no plan, just curiosity and a train ticket from Lisbon. As we stepped into the chaos of buses and tuk-tuks waiting to scoop up tourists, one unassuming man was standing nearby: Miguel. No logo, no hustle, just genuine Portuguese. We introduced ourselves: Pam, Tomás, Ricardo, Juliá. Miguel nodded approvingly at the Portuguese names, so I quickly re-introduced myself as Pamella. He shook his head and said, “We’ll call you Rita.” And in that moment, I knew it was going to be a great day.

Sintra isn’t a place you can truly capture in a single day. So, Miguel gave us three options: the closest site, the most popular one, or the most beautiful. We chose beauty, of course. For 50€ each, Miguel became our guide and storyteller, driving us through the lush hills of Sintra, waiting patiently as we wandered through the romantic gardens and palace of Monserrate, then taking us out to Cabo da Roca — the westernmost point of mainland Europe — and finally down to the sun-soaked seaside town of Cascais.

I’m not going to lie: I felt a little impatient when we stopped almost immediately at Miradouro da Vigia. But as I stepped out and looked around, I realized why Miguel insisted on the stop. He wanted us to truly see what was growing around us, to slow down, to take in the famous sites from afar, to hear their stories. He told us what was original and what had been rebuilt. He told us that originally everything was the same gray stone, but over the years it had been repainted bright colors.

After Miradouro da Vigia, Miguel took us to Fonte da Sabuga, a spring where locals still come to fill their bottles with fresh water. He asked us what was not original about this fountain. You guessed it! Its color is not original.

We got our first glimpse of Pena Palace back at the miradouro. Throughout the day, we saw it from a variety of angles. Sometimes just the yellow side, sometimes only the red towers, and sometimes the full burst of colors all at once. Miguel explained that the red section is older, part of the original monastery-turned-palace, while the yellow section was added later during King Ferdinand’s romantic redesign.

We drove past the National Palace of Sintra, its twin chimneys standing proudly over the town. Miguel told us this was the oldest surviving royal palace in Portugal, once a summer retreat for kings escaping the Lisbon heat. Its mix of Gothic, Moorish, and Manueline styles makes it feel like a living timeline of Portuguese history.

Miguel pulled over to give us a peek at Palácio Biester, sharing that The Ninth Gate was filmed there. As he pointed out the mansion and the lake, he sketched out the movie’s plot for us and maybe slipped in a few spoilers.

Somewhere along the way, Miguel brought us to a quaint little spot to try a local pastry. It was a sweet break, and after all the winding roads that had brought us there, I finally understood why he’d joked at the start of our journey that the nearest bathroom was “a year away.”

By now, we thought Miguel was truly charmed as he always managed to wedge his car into spots that maybe didn’t always look like spots. We joked that he had a special parking pass. We were treated to up close experiences and the stop outside Quinta da Regaleira was no exception.

Monserrate

And now, for the beautiful part: Monserrate! Miguel made sure we got our tickets and gave us a few tips: skip the rose garden since it wasn’t the right season, and don’t miss the Roman ruins tucked away in the grounds.

Because Miguel emphasized that we not miss the Roman Ruins we took a picture of something clearly not the roman ruins. He nodded when we excitedly showed him the picture. Not getting the surprised reaction, he must have thought we were stupid. Of course we didn’t miss it.

The palace was built in the mid-19th century as a summer residence for Francis Cook, an English millionaire and art collector who was later titled Viscount of Monserrate. The palace blends Gothic, Moorish, and Indian influences. It is full of ornate arches, delicate latticework, and dramatic column. The gardens were designed as a global museum of plants, with over 3,000 species from all around the world — Mexican agaves, giant Australian tree ferns, and more.

Cue the Wind

The next part of our trip was the windy part. Miguel took us out to Cabo da Roca — the westernmost point of mainland Europe. It was so windy that taking pictures became a full-on juggling act: trying to keep my hair out of my face, holding my dress down to avoid any unexpected show, and turning away from mini sandstorms whipping past. And yet, according to Miguel, this wasn’t even considered a particularly windy day.

By hour six with Miguel, he whisked us down the coast to Cascais, a sunny, easygoing finale to our winding adventure. We said our goodbyes and headed to get a very very late lunch. The wind was not giving up here either. We ate in what felt like a wind tunnel and at one point a plastic chair from a cafe was carried off. We quickly looked around Cascais the beach and the shopping streets. One train and metro ride took our exhausted bodies back to Lisbon.

Protect Sintra

The lush, almost jungle-like landscape of Sintra makes it feel like you’ve stepped into another world, where palaces peek out from a sea of green.

But even in this fairytale setting, you see signs from locals reminding you it’s not all magic: Sintra ≠ Disneyland and Traffic Jam in Paradise — a gentle (or not-so-gentle) nudge that this beautiful place is also a real town, not just a backdrop for tourists. As a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Sintra is under special protection and there are efforts to shift the focus from rushed day trips to slower, longer stays that support local businesses and ease the daily crowds.

I’m glad Miguel had us choose just one place to truly visit. With so many palaces and gardens tempting you at every turn, it’s easy to rush and try to check them all off a list. But focusing on one — really wandering, noticing the small details, letting the atmosphere sink in — felt so much more meaningful.