This Gothic palace is a must-visit landmark visiting Sintra and has to be our favorite palace. The opulent palace has spectacular gardens with a surrealistic initiation well and ornate follies.
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This Gothic palace is a must-visit landmark visiting Sintra and has to be our favorite palace. The opulent palace has spectacular gardens with a surrealistic initiation well and ornate follies.
Quinta da Regaleira was designed & built in the late 1800s. Initially, the property belonged to the Viscondessa da Regaleira but was acquired and enlarged by António Augusto Carvalho Monteiro. Together with the virtuosity of the Italian architect Luigi Manini, the culture and creativity of these two personalities resulted in an eclectic-revivalist architectural ensemble, with a particular focus on the Manueline, Renaissance, Medieval and Classical styles. It is also one of the many UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Portugal.
•Adults: 10€
•Kids (age 6 - 17): 5€.
•October - March 10:00 am - 06:30 pm
•April - September 10:00 am - 07:30 pm
•The last Entrance is an hour before closing.
This is one of the most popular stops in Sintra. Therefore, the best time to come is early morning or before closing.
You can easily spend 3-4 hours here. It's a large complex with so much to see and do there.
Best to buy tickets online so you won't need to wait in line. This is a popular place in Sintra and the lines can get long and there is no shade while you wait in line.
There is no parking at Quinta except on side streets, usually taken. You could take a taxi, bus, or tuk-tuk or walk to Quinta. It is a 1-mile walk from Sintra Train Station.
•Palace Exterior
•Palace Interior
•The Garden Complex
•The Initiation Well - being the most popular spot
•Tunnels in the Garden
•The Chapel
About the well:
The Initiation Well is an 8-foot-deep spiral staircase that descends into underground tunnels. The stone staircase is hollow in the center with a compass-patterned floor at the bottom. The well was never built to serve as a water resource and was never used as a well, it was actually built for secret ceremonial purposes. It is believed that the spacing of these landings, as well as the number of steps in between, are linked to Tarot mysticism and Masonic principles.
Location:
The Initiation Well is on the other side of the main house and near the edge of the estate. Once you enter the estate, you'll make a right and climb up a hill to get there.
How to access:
You can only enter from above, not from the tunnels below.
Entrance and Rules:
The well is so popular that there is a spot to queue at the top and a staff member manages traffic flow. There is a “no stopping” rule on the way down.
Our tips:
When we arrived at Quinta da Regaleira around 4 pm, we had to wait in the queue to enter the well. Once we entered, we made our way down slowly with hundreds of people, which took away from the magic.
There is no entrance to the park an hour before closing, which means the crowds thin out, and that's when we decided to go back to the well. We were surprised to find the place deserted.
If you can't make it here early morning for opening, don't worry just go an hour before they close.