Sintra, Cape Roca and Azenas do Mar

Going to Sintra, you go to a real fairy tale, with its palaces, castles, incredible landscapes, unforgettable legends and views of the endless ocean. It is also a place of culture, art and great romantics who spent the best creative periods of their lives here, creating their literary and musical masterpieces. Inspiration comes from every step of the way. You will learn about ancient myths, Moorish legends, the passions of the Christian Reconquista and of course about Freemasonry, which makes this place so unique in the world.

The National Palace of Pena has been recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site and is one of the Seven Wonders of Portugal. It is one of the ten most beautiful palaces in the world! One of the most beautiful examples of the Romantic Renaissance of the XIX century in Portugal. Built on the site of the former monastery of the Order of St. Jerome by the Portuguese King Consort Ferdinand Saxe of Coburg-Gotha, it has a variety of architectural styles: neo-Gothic, neo-Manueline, neo-Islamic and neo-Renaissance. This palace is also unforgettable views that open from a height of 500 meters.

We will continue our tour at Regaleira Manor. Built in the early twentieth century, it sits in the middle of a forest filled with mysteries. The park and the estate are the result of achieving the mythological dreams of its owner, Carvalho Monteiro, combined with the talent of Italian architect-scenographer Luigi Manini. The imagination of these two unusual personalities gave rise to a mixture of Gothic, Manueline and Renaissance, and glorified national history, influenced by mythological and esoteric traditions. Everything here is built in typical Masonic traditions: the house itself with an alchemical laboratory, drinking water sources, underground grottoes, an initiation well resembling a tower that descends down, and much more.

We will walk through the traditionally narrow streets of the historical center of Sintra, where there are many local craft workshops and souvenir shops. We are sure that you will not be able to deny yourself the pleasure of trying the sweets of this region in Lord Byron’s favorite cafe.

For lunch on this day, perhaps you want to eat in a traditional restaurant, having tasted the best goat, or you prefer to savor seafood overlooking the ocean? We'll organize it!

Azenas do Mar is a small village that is one of the ten unique settlements on the rocks. It is located on the Atlantic coast and in the Sintra natural park area, surrounded by the natural beauty of the mountains and ocean. Discover this magical place on the rocky coast, where water mills stood, and visit the beach and the Atlantic basin.

Our next stop will be Cape Rock. This is the westernmost point of the continent of Eurasia, about which the sixteenth-century Portuguese poet Luis de Camoes said in his Lusiads: “the place where the land ends and the sea begins.” Being at an altitude of 140 meters above sea level, you can enjoy a privileged view of the large water and appreciate the vastness of the Atlantic Ocean.

From Cape Roca to Lisbon, the road is paved along the coast, past Guinshoo Beach. We will see an eternally thundering cliff, bearing the frightening name “The Devil’s Mouth”. You will learn the legend of the origin of this natural formation.

Then there are fashionable resorts Cascais and Esturil. In the second half of the nineteenth century, when summer swimming in the ocean became the entertainment of the upper class and aristocracy, Cascais turned into a very popular resort, which is still today. During the 2nd World War, these places became the refuge of various European royal families.