Here comes today the second part of our first day at Sintra which started at Palacio da Pena (have you already seen the colorful palace?) and finished with a visit to Castelo dos Mouros and a very nice, long and refreshing walk through the mountain to the town center. However I must talk first a little bit about our hotel find which was a really lucky score: the Chalet Saudade.
Chalet Saudade is a restored old home that the owners (an American girl & Portuguese guy) converted into a darling Inn, the details and specially the staff makes it a really pleasant stay, so we totally recommend that you look them up if ever staying in Sintra. One of the big pluses of the Inn is that the same owners have a very very good café around the corner, where you are offered to choose between two large and yummy breakfast menus included with your Chalet Saudade stay. As it works independently you can equally have breakfast or lunch without staying at the Inn, in fact we had lunch there one of the days and the panini we had were delicious!
The common areas and the reception, where you could play some board games while drinking a complimentary Porto wine, not bad at all!
The breakfast menu included Pastéis de nata, a typical Portuguese puff & cream pastry. Nata in Spanish means whipped cream so it surprised me at first that it actually was similar to custard. My mom become obsessed, she even told me two days ago: “oh my god, I could eat right now 3 o 4 pastéis de nata by myself”, she definitely is missing them.
And after this short interlude (thanks for following along) we virtually come back to Castelo dos Mouros where the moors are the main attraction. We had a very windy afternoon and I have to admit that although I defeated my fear to heights by walking almost all the moors up, I did not fully complete it because the wind was making me unstable and this was just too much for my height phobia. Still, the views and the feeling made it up for me, so I would definitely climb it again if I ever have the chance to go to Sintra for a second time.
My nephew Samuel was a little wearied out at that time of the day after so much walking but his grandma bought him a rubber ball that cheered him up a lot.
Dani had to grab his hat tightly because it was on the edge of flying away forever a couple of times, oops!
Love their stare in this pictures, surely this kiddo loves his granny.
This is where the mountain trail finished and we headed to the town center walking this gorgeous stone streets.
This is one of the beautiful fountains we stumbled upon every day during our walks to the historical sites, gorgeous! We saw people with cars stopping by carrying like 20 empty bottles with them to take water home telling that the water on the fountains there were the finest.
And as a silly note to end this post, we were told that Castelo dos Mouros was called the “Great Wall of China” of Portugal. I’m not sure if that is even totally true, but makes me smile. Hope you enjoyed climbing up the moors with us. Next stop in our Sintra trip would be the last one, so don’t miss it!
** This post is part of our Sintra series **
I always do love your stories and photos of your adventures!
♥ for the Yoos! :)
Natas! I live in a big Portuguese neighborhood in Montreal and natas are one of my favourite treats from the local bakeries. They remind me of a sweeter version of Chinese egg tarts. Also, Castelo dos Mouros is making me very nostalgic for my trip to Spain as a teenager when we went to The Alhambra. So stunning. I think Europe is calling me back.
How fun to know that you live in a Portuguese neighborhood in Montreal, I will track natas down in Barcelona as well :) Oh! I also went to la Alhambra as a teenager (school trip) and always say I would love to go back with Dani, I definitely see the reference with the fountains and the mozarabic style.
My first thought was great wall of china! But then I had a very limited knowledge of the wall :P I am super scared of heights and even seeing the pictures gave my stomach a whirlwind – mega brave props to you Damaris! All your pictures look so super sweet and the pastries look crazy yummo :) I hope going back to work wasn’t too much of a downer!
hahahahahahaha, I like to think it is something similar (although shorter that’s for sure) ;) The first week going back to work was much worse than expected, oops, but hoping this week I will get used to :)
Ohhh, I’d love to go there one day. I’ve never actually heard of it before you guys started posting pictures from it. It looks mesmerizing in the views seem great! I love the picture with Samuel and his grandmother, it’s endearing!! Happy friday!
Aww! Happy that you liked Sintra :) Hope you had a great weekend!
OMG I’m as crazy as your mum about these pasteis de nata!!! I’m sure you know this, but just in case, in Eixample Esquerra, I think it’s carrer arago, there is La Casa De Portugal and they have them. The place is stunning and the paSteis are awesome, though I have never gone to Portugal so maybe they are not as good as in Lisboa or Sintra. Whatever, maybe it’s a good substitute for your mum! :))) Beautiful post, as usual! Willing to read your discoveries in Wales. Cheers
Thanks Pilar! :) We stumbled upon La Casa de Portugal last weekend; now knowing they have natas I’d definitely have to pay them a visit ;) Ooh! we are excited to share our adventures in Wales, your tips were spot on!
Sintra is <3
So are you! :)
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