Day 3 History in Sintra & Belem

Last night being low key, i spent a lot of time just chilling and watching mr. and mrs. smith with some hostel friends.

Harry and I, being refreshed from a lack of partying, decided to be the ultimate tourists and hit a few must-sees in the surrounding areas. First up was another bus ride, this time to Sintra, where we went to see the Quinta da Regaleira, an incredible palacio and grounds. I managed to convince the ticket office I was a student, and paid on 4€!

The area was breathtaking, with grottos, stairs, towers, fountains and stone benches everywhere we looked. The chapel and house were also very cool, done in the renaissance style and with gothic accents.

Some highlights of the Quinta was the incredible 27 meter underground tower, and an insane rotating stone wall, as well as the ponds and intricate tunnel system in the park. After wandering for 2 hours, and a little in Sintra itself, we grabbed a coffee and the train headed to Belem.

Mansion at the Quinta da Regaleira

Belem is more of a modern area, being closer to Lisbon itself. The two main attractions here are the monuments and the pastries, pasteis de Belem, which are a sort of custardy tart. Clearly one of these was more interesting than the other for a gluten-free history student...

The Belem Tower is a large stone structure that was used to protect the Tagus estuary from pirate attacks and invasions. It's kind of cool in that you would have had to wade out into the water to get up the stairs that lead to the large structure.

The Monument to the Discoveries was erected in honor of the Portuguese discoveries and those who both patronized and undertook such journeys of reconaissance. Harry and I, being explorers ourselves, decided to add ourselves to the picture! There was a huge mosaic of the world, so I sat myself down in Kenya, my next big move. The compass associated with the map is a scary-similar image of my recent tattoo!

Having taken it easy last night, I think I'm going to make an effort to join some of the nightlife keeners and spend my last evening in Lisbon showing the town who's boss. Sangria, here I come! After a full day of walking and trains, I think I deserve it ;)!