May 6, 2022 - Sintra Exploring - Return to Cycle-OPOLIS (Tour 22) - 2022 🇵🇹

May 6, 2022

May 6, 2022 - Sintra Exploring

Castle, Palace and Town walk - for 10 km

Hotel - Hotel Sintra Jardim, Tv. dos Avelares 12, 2710-506 Sintra

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What a comfy sleep. I was able to leave the balcony open a crack and had the sound of breezes then silence. The busy town goes quiet once the tourists head back to Lisbon.

When I peeked out I could hardly see because of the dense fog covering everything. I got a few photos, but it wasn't until I went out to explore the gardens that I was able to get some photos in the mist. Breathtaking beautiful and smelled so sweet and fresh.

Misty morning at Hotel Sintra Jardim, so out to capture the images before breakfast. -- Sintra, Portugal

The breakfast room had quite a few guests in it and I enjoyed a nice spread of goodies including, of course, one of the oft-mentioned local oranges. As tasty as ever.

I wanted to get out and about before the crowds arrived (being a Friday I anticipated even more). First off, I headed up the mountain to the Castle of the Moors where there might have been a handful of visitors at that point. I wandered the grounds then climbed up to the main towers which had great views across the valeys, but not to the Atlantic as there was still fog in the valleys and completely over the ocean. It was beautiful. I took many photos!

The long climb up the stone walkways to the Castle of the Moors. -- Sintra, Portugal

Tower and walls of the Castle of the Moors. -- Sintra, Portugal

Looking from the walls of the Castle of the Moors down to the Palace of Sintra. -- Sintra, Portugal

On the adjacent mountain top to the Castle of the Moors is Pena Palace. -- Sintra, Portugal

I spent a few hours ntaking all those pics and enjoying the views then wandered over to the adjacent mountain to the gates of Pena Palace, but the lines there were huge. Nope, I said, and walked down the road then winding stone staircases until I emerged at the gate of my guesthouse. This was perfect. I dropped off my sweater as now it was hot out and headed down the hills and paths to the town centre.

I was getting hungry so headed to the restaurant beside the municipal building where, again, like five years ago, it was empty but for me, the server and the owner. Soon that changed.

Sintra municipal building beside which is the restaurant where I stopped for lunch of cod cooked in olive oil with potatoes, olives and garlic. -- Sintra, Portugal

Happily full, I went back to the area around the Sintra Palace and just sat and enjoyed the day a bit then with it getting even hotter out, I headed back to my guesthouse.

There were a number of beach loungers set up around the pool, so I pulled one under the shade of a palm tree to read the first Inspector Gamache novel until I started falling asleep (it had been a hard day, you know!). So after a hard day's work I came back to my room to read a bit, doze a bit and go over my maps for tomorrow's ride and to decide whether or not I would go to Cabo da Roca. I have at least planned out the route from here to be the same as in 2003, it will be once I get to the coastal road to decide what next as I head to Estoril.

After many hours of wandering I returned to the guesthouse to get out of the sun for the hottest part of the day. I rolled a beach lounger from the poolside over to the shade of a palm to read a Louise Penny novel. -- Sintra, Portugal

Today's ride: 11 km (7 miles)
Total: 514 km (319 miles)

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