The hotel was just outside of the town of Sintra, a historical town. It was a summer spot for kings, and there are palaces and everything that went with them. We had an afternoon off and decided to look around. All the attractions in the center of town were full of tourists, so we decided to go up the hill and look for one of the older castles.
The day was absolutely steamy. Apparently, the local climate is such that this happens all the time.
 |
Sintra town center -- sintra-ville. |
 |
House on the road. Some absolutely gorgeous houses in the area. |
 |
Another local house. Very Charles Addams. |
 |
Stream up the road. |
 |
The Castelo dos Mouros
An 8th-century castle, as forbidding as it looks. Lots of walls to run around on, and it must have been hugely unpleasant to be 5-foot-5 and wearing heavy armor. Better suited for wool - with all the steam you'd live wrinkle free. |
 |
Detail on one of the pillars.
As they say in the business world, you need to "manage expectations". |
 |
Panorama!
You usually build a castle on the high ground, which in peaceful times, is also great for tourists. Again, the day was so steamy that this is as close as we got to the view. |