The Palace of Queluz, built during the late 18th-century at the command of Pedro III, the husband of D. Maria I (1734-1816), is an exceptional example of Portuguese architecture.

As a former royal residence, the palace is a fine specimen of 18th-century Portuguese architecture, enriched with an extensive collection of decorative art, mostly belonging to the royal family. The palace’s rocaille style decoration, exemplified in the magnificent Throne Room, featuring walls lined with mirrors and exquisite carved gilded woodwork, is a notable highlight.

The palace’s gardens, adorned with fountains and ornamental ponds, showcase sparkling water spouting forth from mythological figures. The group of sculptures around the Neptune Basin is particularly impressive.

The magnificent Palácio da Pena exemplifies 19th-century Romantic revivalism in Portugal, and is a must-see for visitors to Sintra.

Perched atop the Monte da Pena, the palace occupies the site of an old monastery belonging to the Order of St. Jerome. Its creation was inspired by Dom Fernando of Saxe Coburg-Gotha, who married Queen Dona Maria II in 1836 and fell in love with Sintra. He purchased the convent and surrounding land to build a summer palace for the royal family.

The palace’s design incorporates Portuguese architectural and decorative elements in neo-Gothic, neo-Manueline, neo-Islamic, and neo-Renaissance styles. The king consort also created an extensive woodland park in the English style, featuring a diverse collection of exotic trees.

The palace’s interior retains its original royal decoration, including a stunning alabaster altarpiece attributed to Nicolau Chanterenne, one of the architects of Lisbon’s Mosteiro dos Jerónimos. The chapel’s walls are painted with a trompe l’oeil effect and decorated with azulejos.

Visitors can dine at a restaurant located in one of the palace’s wings, which boasts a terrace offering panoramic views of the Serra de Sintra and the coastline.

Quinta Regaleira, one of Sintra’s most mysterious attractions, is located very near to the town’s historic center.

The Palácio da Regaleira, surrounded by lush greenery, was constructed in the early 20th century by António Augusto Carvalho Monteiro (1848-1920), a millionaire who fulfilled one of his dreams with the help of architect Luigi Manini (1848-1936). The palace is a captivating discovery, with its Romantic revivalist style that imitates Gothic, Manueline, and Renaissance architectural and decorative forms, intermingled with mythical and esoteric symbolism.

The Chapel of the Holy Trinity, or Capela da Santíssima Trindade, is particularly noteworthy. Visitors may descend through a spiral staircase into the crypt to explore the impressive initiation well, which leads to a hidden lake in the middle of the gardens through a grotto at the bottom.

The Casa de Mateus palace, constructed in the first half of the 18th century and featuring the skilled hand of Nicolau Nasoni, is located on a vast estate and surrounded by stunning gardens. It is considered one of Portugal’s most exquisite examples of baroque civil architecture.

The interior of the palace boasts intricately carved wood ceilings, furniture from various periods, 17th and 18th century paintings, silverware, ceramics, and a noteworthy library housing an edition of the epic poem Os Lusíadas.

Owned by the Mateus Foundation, the palace has sponsored numerous cultural activities, particularly in music, literature, sculpture, and ceramics. Festivals, courses, seminars, and exhibitions are regularly organized by the foundation.