Palaces & Pathways of Sintra

As a solo female traveler, I appreciated the expert-level knowledge of my route, the detailed accuracy of my walking instructions, and the variety of experiences offered along the way. The personalized hospitality provided at all my accommodations put me at ease and the amazing food -- wow!  Such a wonderful and relaxing way to see a slice of Portugal!

Our Palaces and Pathways of Sintra walking holiday exceeded our expectations in every way. Inntravel came highly recommended from an acquaintance but the trip was even better than hoped. The Inntravel staff were friendly, knowledgeable and easy to deal with. Very easy to get hold of despite a five hour time difference, and very responsive and accommodating. The lodgings were all superb, and each was very different with a different character, but all very high quality in every way. The walking instructions were amazingly detailed and accurate, so we felt comfortable that we were always on the proper route, and the chosen routes offered variety, beauty and a very diverse number of lovely and historically interesting sites to stop and explore along the way. Of course, we were able to proceed at our own pace, but we found our walking pace to be a bit faster than the typical predicted time for each walk. That gave us plenty of time to explore when we found something interesting, and still get to our destination with plenty of time to relax before dinner. We really feel like we got to experience Portugal in a very intimate way during our tour. We are 100% sure that we will do additional Inntravel tours in the years to come, and will bring along friends. Thanks for organizing such a great vacation for us!

We loved the variety of accommodation and the helpfulness of our hosts. Sintra can get (and did) very wet in October on occasion. We would definitely recommend a waterproof cover for rucksacks for when it pours down. Weather ideal for walking most of the time though. 

We loved Portugal. Everyone was so friendly and the scenery was stunning. We will definitely be back and not leave it so long. 47 years since our first visit

I wouldn’t bother again with the most westerly point v v touristy. 1/2 km further and it is fantastic. Also Pena Palace in Sintra was a nightmare - shuffling round with literally hordes of people! The other Palaces were much more enjoyable to visit - especially the first one we came to on the outskirts of Sintra (sorry, name eludes me)

INNTRAVEL NOTE: The Pena Palace visit does benefit from being done early, and we recommend an early start. The Palace passed en-route to Sintra is the Monserrate Palace.

This walk covered every type of terrain and experience, from amazing west coast beaches and stormy seas, through stony headlands and valleys, to idyllic backwaters of small, typical villages, and on again to the grand palaces of Sintra!   Arriving in Sintra, the prospect of climbing to the great heights of the Moorish Castle and the Pena Palace seemed daunting, but there is a gradual climb and a pleasant return back to town, which enabled us to stand proudly on the highest point of the Moorish Castle and survey the wide area we had traversed the previous six days.   A great feeling of satisfaction!

Some stunning accommodation, each place with its own character, but all comfortable and welcoming.   Aasta's picnic, in its gingham bag, was a delight to eat, a voyage of discovery in itself!

A rewarding week, with mostly clear blue skies, and the many trees showing their first promise of Autumn colours.

Great trip. Very happy that we spent an extra day in Lisbon and in Sintra. All the walks were good, with the exception of the walk up to the chapel above the convent.

This is an excellent holiday. It takes in some beautiful scenery and some lovely places. It all ends on a high in Sintra, but even then the walk route manages to find a quieter route out from Pena Palace and back into the busy town of Sintra. The accommodation was varied and interesting, some quirky places with character and characters! Thoroughly recommend.

Found some of the ascents rather steep but managable if you take your time.  We don't bother too much if our timings don't match the notes, we just regard those as a guide.  I think that the Monastery at Pe da Serra is not really worth visiting.  Parts of it are under reconstruction, the cafe is closed (they may be building another one, not sure) and if you take the audio you have to leave your driving licence or similar as security!  The audio is only 3 Euros but it is very wordy and if you listened to it all, you'd be spending all day there.  

We found a nice Italian restaurant near Sintra called Toccante, it is fairly new and you do need a taxi to get there (about 6 euros each way) but we wanted a change of cuisine.  

The 4 course meal at Colina Flora was absolutely delicious and we would certainly recommend other Inntravellers try it.  In fact we liked the 'longtable, everyone eat together' meals at both this place and the Convent, we met fellow walkers, not all with Inntravel but all very pleasant and sociable.

Excellent and well researched holiday / lot of fun / challenging and stimluating with wide variation of places to see.

We would suggest you strongly recommend an extra night in Sintra to enable sightseeing to be less intense and therefore more enjoyable. We were able to therefore visit national museum and castle on one day then spend a very enjoyable day at Pena Palace and various sights within the extensive grounds.

There was a great variety of walking, from coastal paths, to wooded areas and visiting various palaces. The hotels were generally excellent, some a bit quirky but very good nonetheless. We would thoroughly recommend the holiday. Recommendation - On our last day we walked up to Pena Palace in Sintra and were met by an hour long queue to visit the inside of the palace. The slow queue continued throughout and in our opinion was a waste of time. Visiting the external galleries would have been sufficient for us. 

This is a beautiful area and we loved the variety of the walks, the wide far-reaching views, and the excellent choice of accommodation on this holiday. We were made to feel very welcome at all the hotels, and the hosts went out of their way to make us feel at home. Jonathan and Sharon [Convento de São Saturnino], and James and Aasta [Colina Flora] provided delicious picnics, and recommendations and lifts to restaurants. We particularly liked Adega Vadia in Colares, and the fish restaurant on Adraga Beach. We also had a very enjoyable evening eating with the other 8 guests in the dining room at São Saturnino.

On Day one, we negotiated an earlier pick up from Cascais, which worked well, and we enjoyed a late-ish lunch in the pretty Don Quixote garden.

On Day three, we enjoyed a great glass of wine at Flores de Cabo (recommended in the notes) knowing that we only had a further 400m to walk!

In Sintra, we took an early tuk-tuk up to the Pena Palace and managed to beat the crowds. 

In Lisbon, we would recommend Quermesse restaurant, just 300 metres from the hotel. 

Finally, Inntravel's background notes on the history of the area, and the food and drink were very comprehensive.

The only tip I would like to give is to arrive as early as possible at Pena Palace as queues can be very, very long.

A lovely holiday made all the more special by the hosts of the accommodation chosen by Inntravel. Would recommend this route to anyone interested in nature, palaces and peace.

We thoroughly enjoyed the holiday - the walks, beautiful scenery, sunshine (but not too hot!), food, wine and hospitality were all excellent - and we had a great tapas / fado experience organised by the Colina Flora. Overall we experienced a great balance of activities, sightseeing and relaxation. Will definitely be looking for another trip soon!

Colina Flores was very pretty, and helpful hosts. Go to Don Quixote as recommended in notes before going back to the convent - really nice bar with lovely views.

We enjoyed the walks everyday especially up to the peninha chapel. The views of the coast and countryside were breathtaking. Every day we learnt something new and walked to outstanding places both man made and natural. The Convento was a fascinating place to stay and swim. We appreciated the time and trouble James and Aasta took to take us out to dinner and provide marvellous breakfasts and packed lunches.

The Portuguese were very friendly and we particularly enjoyed the different types of walks - hill, coastal and forest. Many of the walks had wonderful wild flowers. The food was fantastic and the accommodation was exceptional.

Great sense of achievement at completing the walks. Such a variety of places to stay we always wondered what was coming next.

This was a very enjoyable holiday exploring the terrain, culture and food of this area of Portutugal. In particular  we loved the warm welcome and beauty of Pergola house and the quiet sanctuary of the Convento Sao Saturnino. The best breakfast ever was provided by Aasta at the Colina Flora guest house. We upgraded locally to a suite at the Lawrence hotel and would highly recommend this extra to other travellers as the difference in the quality of the room was vast.

[Palaces and Pathways of Sintra was] Our second holiday with Inntravel and again we thoroughly enjoyed it. Great hotels, lovely varied walks and excellent descriptions. May was a great time to see this area as there was an abundance of wild flowers and butterflies. The Lisbon City add on was well worthwhile and we also enjoyed an extra night in Cascais. There was a daily walking tour of Cascais from the railway station at 10.30 and plenty of shops/seafront/harbour to fill the rest of a day. Thanks again to all the staff at Inntravel for putting together such a memorable holiday. 

One of the best Inntravel holidays we've done for varied walking and sights to see. The 'country house' atmosphere at the convent was particularly nice and we got on well with the rest of the guests. Reguleiria is a site not to be missed particularly the underground passages and grottoes.

Another winner from Inntravel. Excellent combination of varied accommodation, quiet walks, spectacular palaces and castles, dramatic coastline and a plethora of wildflowers making for a memorable holiday.

A really lovely holiday. The only downside was three days of rain and fog so we missed some views. However, the open fire at Convento de São Saturnino was lovely to sit in front of when we gave up and stayed in! We 'cheated' on the Sintra day and took a tuk-tuk up to the Pena Palace and beat the queues!! (We did subsequently do a lot of walking that day) but we recommend getting your entrance ticket in advance (also do the same for Belem Tower) and getting there early. And the tuk-tuk ride was an experience. You can also negotiate the fare!

Our plan for our first visit to Portugal consisted of two Inntravel trips with extra time in Lisbon and Porto. A week’s walk on the Palaces & Pathways of Sintra was followed by a week in the Valley of Gold. Traveling by rail between the two trips we stopped in Coimbra for an interesting tour of the town and campus. We loved both walking itineraries.

Palaces & Pathways of Sintra: We liked the varied walks and the seacoast proximity. We were especially impressed with the proprietors of Convento de Sao Saturnino and Colina Flora. They have worked so hard to create interesting and attractive inns, and to provide an enjoyable experience for their guests.

Valley of Gold: We loved the views, the quiet country lanes, farm roads, and the picturesque villages.  Again the overnight stays were very enjoyable.  The last stay at Casa Do Visconde de Chanceleiros was definitely a cut above, and deserves consideration for an extra night.

This was our sixth and seventh walk with Inntravel. We’ve said it before and we say it again “You Are Tops!” All arrangements and communications are trouble-free. All routes are carefully considered, interesting and delightful.

Each of the hotels was interesting and unique and we enjoyed staying in all of them. We are vegetarian and the food provided at Colina Flora was perfect for us - it was really tasty and freshly prepared. The unusual setting of Convento Saturnino was beautiful and the owners were very friendly. Whilst both the Pergola and Lawrences were more Portugese, they were so interesting in quite different ways and both were lovely places to stay. The walking was wonderful taking us to beautiful beaches, quiet forests, pretty villages and finally to the incredible palaces in Sintra. Although only 8 days the holiday felt so much longer as we did so much and saw so many interesting places. 

Another very enjoyable Inntravel holiday, with excellent hotels, beautiful coastal walks, amazing views and fabulous palaces that I never knew existed... and one I'd already love to do again. As a seasoned Inntraveller I take for granted that the travel arrangements, walking notes and background information will be spot on - and they were. This holiday was made all the more enjoyable by the four American Inntravellers who we met at the Convento. Special thanks to Jonathan from the Convento and James from Colina Flora for willingly providing additional taxi services for a member of our party - much appreciated. We added on a couple of days in Lisbon, but wished afterwards that we had scheduled the holiday to avoid being in Lisbon on a Monday when many key attractions are closed. 

A very satisfying holiday, every aspect went smoothly, the organisation worked really well. The walk was well researched to be interesting and rewarding. Sometimes challenging but never beyond our capabilities. The accommodation was brilliant; while being comfortable and with good food these were very interesting establishments and with a touch of eccentricity.

The day walk to visit Capuchos and Monserrate was the best.

Delightful countryside, varied, interesting and comfortable accommodation, comprehensive and accurate walking notes all combined to make this a superb holiday. I would strongly recommend it.

The variation in very good hotels and the variation in scenic monuments and scenery were fantastic.

The walk was sufficiently challenging in places to give a sense of achievement. Route notes were excellent, easy to read and accurate with interesting historical notes to accompany the directions. The accomodation was generally of a very high standard, and individually furnished. All had very comfortable beds, the people were welcoming, helpful and friendly.

This was our first time in Portugal and our second Inntravel holiday. We thoroughly enjoyed everything! The walk notes were spot on and the routes very varied. The accommodation was excellent throughout and the hosts all very welcoming. My husband's gluten free diet was extremely well catered for. The coast was spectacular and Sintra was amazing. The fado evening recommended by James (at Colina Flora) was very enjoyable. 

Our highlights: the rock stacks at Ursa; the stay at the Convento where the communal eating arrangement led to great conversation; meeting up with fellow walkers; the varied landscape; the recommendations for coffee shops, eateries and ice cream parlour en route.

Highlights: Wine tasting in Cascais, Tapas and Fado in Cascais, Pasteis de Belem, the Elevadors,  Coat of Arms room in National Museum in Sintra, Monseratte Villa - video of son of 'caretaker', clams in garlic bouillon at small restaurant in Lisbon, taxi ride up to the door of Solar Do Castelo [Lisbon add-on].

This is my 18th Inntravel Holiday (and I would not have made 18 if they were not excellent). I think my colleagues who since they joined intend to come back for more. We are, of course, getting on - some now in their late 70s. It is difficult to give a highlight. Perhaps the first day's walk was the least enjoyable

Having just returned from two walks in Portugal, Palaces and Pathways of Sintra and The Valley of Gold, I think perhaps the greatest highlight was to be able to interact with the Portuguese people in a variety of settings. Whereas in some locales a foreign visitor is often reminded that they are often on the verge of trespassing on (superior) local cultural norms, in Portugal it seems the visitor can do no wrong and people are absolutely delighted in anyone's interest in things Portuguese.  

The Sintra walk begins along the coast, climbing up to the Serra Sintra above Cabo Roca, and then proceeding more or less along the ridge to the historic summer palace retreat of the Portuguese royalty in the town of Sintra itself. It provides a wonderful mix of historic towns and spectacular coastal scenery. It begins in the late 19th and early 20th century seaside resort town of Cascais which reached its heyday when the unfortunate last king of Portugal, King Carlos, made it the home base for his marine biology studies making it for a while the ultimate seaside destination in the country. The boutique hotel in Cascais is set in a family mansion from the post royalist era, but invokes its spirit in its exuberant tilework and period decor, particularly in the public rooms. The walk begins at Cabo Raso, where the coast makes its right-angle bend to the north and follows the rockbound coast punctuated by a series of small and large sandy beaches north towards the headland of Cabo Roca eventually leading to the Convento de Sao Saturnino set in a small valley about a mile above the lighthouse. The "Convento" is a wonderful warren of buildings, some dating back to medieval times, which was used by monks primarily as a mill. The owners father has collected antiques from all over the Portuguese empire, so that the numerous niches and ledges are filled with his treasures. Cabo Roca lighthouse, which advertises itself as the westernmost structure on the European continent, is set on a spectacular clifftop, but unsurprisingly it attracts multiple tour buses and selfie sticks. The good news is that only a few hundred yards away in either direction, the crowds dwindle to almost nothing and the spectacular coast of cliffs and sandy coves is all but deserted until the Praia Adraga which is a large beach set between rocky headlands very popular with Portuguese and foreign visitors. From the coast the route works its way under the main Sintra ridge in the national park largely through forests with frequent vistas to the north and occasionally to the south back to Cascais, Estoril, and in the distance to Lisbon. A fascinating stop is at the Convento dos Capuchos, an austere Franciscan monastery of 12 cells built into the granite hillside, which was inhabited until the 19th century.  The final two days are spent around Sintra, exploring the extravagant palaces and gardens built up around the original summer palace in the town itself.  Most of the palaces and gardens are 19th century confections of the romantic era, a perfect foil to the austerity of the Convento dos Capuchos. Appropriately the last two nights are spent at Lawrence’s Hotel, where Lord Byron and other luminaries spent many summers.    

The Valley of Gold walk provided a rather different experience, beginning in the busy city of Porto with the walk itself making a long loop to the north of the Douro from the town of Pinhao, about two thirds of the way up the river towards the Spanish border. Porto is a fascinating city that I wish I had had more time to explore, and I think it would be worthwhile to spend at least two nights there to really appreciate it. The Hotel Pestana Vintage Porto has one of the best sites in the city set directly on the waterfront at the centre of the old town directly across from Vila Nova de Gaia where the traditional port wineries are located. The walking notes were very useful in enabling one to see the important visitor sites of the city efficiently, but unfortunately with my particular travel schedule I didn't have enough time to do them justice.
The walk above Pinhao was a wonderful contrast to the urban busy-ness of Porto, winding through the spectacularly terraced vineyards above the river valley through small towns and villages, some of them prosperous, and some of them nearly empty and fading away. The four lodgings provided a nice series of contrasts: The first was in a vineyard farmhouse overlooking the Douro; the second was in a pousada in the former Manor of an English wine baron in the picturesque small town of Alijo; the third was in a restored 16th century manor house, the site if the first potato planting in Portugal; and the grand finale was a restored nobleman's house once again on a hillside above the Douro. As we were walking through one of the little towns, a wonderful aroma was wafting out an open door, an elderly Portuguese gentleman asked us inside to see his home winery in a basement. They were shovelling grapes into a hand press, which drained into an open trough and thence to an open fermenting barrel via some plastic tubing. He asked us in Portuguese and then in broken French with many gestures to sample the finished product, which he siphoned out of a dusty barrel. He said it was thirty years old! Needless to say, it was really good, particularly since we each had two glasses filled to overflowing. It was a true "only in Portugal" experience.

Having been on two previous Inntravel walks, I have come to take for granted that the mechanics of the trip would work seamlessly. The travel and luggage transfers went without a hitch. The walk notes are the best I have used, and far more precise than others I have tried to follow. The lodgings have been consistently good, interesting, and varied, giving a real feel for the cuisine and culture of the local area. Obviously, I am a happy customer, and I am already planning my next trips.  

This was a memorable holiday, full of highlights. We would thoroughly recommend it, including the Lisbon add,on to anyone.

Another excellent Inntravel holiday. This was our first trip to Portugal and we would definitely return. Highlights were definitely the Hotel Britannia in Lisbon (beautiful hotel and great service) and Colina Flora in Pe De Serra. James and Aasta were amazing hosts and their guesthouse is a haven of peace and calm. James was excellent at recommending restaurants in the area and will drop you off and pick you up.  We would particularly recommend Sisudo in Almocageme. We enjoyed our time in Sintra and the evenings were particularly nice when the crowds were gone. We would recommend the restaurant Incomum which is not far from the station.  

INNTRAVEL NOTE: These customers added on a 2-night stay in Lisbon at the Hotel Britania, before doing the Palaces & Pathways of Sintra walking holiday.

Pergola House was so enchanting and the Convent at San Saturnino a real gem. Both very unusual and enjoyable hotels. The staff at all the hotels, Pergola House, Convent de Sao Saturnino and Colina Flora were so helpful, friendly and attentive. The food was of an excellent standard at the forementioned hotels and the home-made personal touches at Colina Flora was very welcomed and appreciated.

We couldn’t have been happier with this holiday. We have done lots with you but this will go down as one of our favourites. All the hosts were excellent and super-welcoming, accommodation great and the walking was varied and beautiful with plenty of interest to see on the way.

Palaces and Pathways of Sintra consisted of lovely walks through a variety of scenery and which always ended in top class accommodation. The Convento de Sao Saturnino was a spectacular place to stay and definitely worth the long walk down, and consequently UP the following mornings. The Don Quixote bar above Sao Saturnino is a super place to stop for great views, sustenance and ambience! 

On the Waterfront provided a contrast and all three cities, although completely different were fascinating. One of the many highlights was the Nucleo da Guitarra e do Fado de Coimbra which is housed in the Torre Alto, part of the city walls and is dedicated to fado music in Coimbra and the Portuguese guitar that accompanies it. However our favourite city was Porto which we feel is greatly under-rated and where we could have wandered happily for days!  

INNTRAVEL NOTE: These customers combined our Palaces & Pathways of Sintra walking holiday and our On the Waterfront Slow motion journey.

As you know, we booked an extra night in Cascais at the start of the holiday. This proved to be well worth-while because it gave us an opportunity to explore and enjoy this resort. We would recommend this to anyone contemplating this holiday.

We especially loved the walking along the coastline (once we got past Guincho Beach) and in the amazing forests. The palaces were spectacular, and while a couple were a bit crowded, it wasn't oppressive. Lots of steep walking, but worth every step! We loved our holiday and can't wait the chance to do another Inntravel walking holiday. We recommend your company frequently. Thank you!

IMPRESSIONS OF THE PATHWAYS TO SINTRA

Yellows and purples – daisies and echiums lining the open forest paths of the Sintra Hills; pinks and whites – cistus and thrift speckling the clifftops with green-blue seas scintillating below; reds and blues – roses and lavender in the gardens we passed; brilliant orange – feral nasturtiums cascading over roadside banks in the villages.  Open maquis vegetation by the ocean and across the sand dunes, the varied greens of forest trees on the hills inland.

This was a varied and fascinating series of walks passing from the wild Atlantic to enclosed forest glades, from narrow paths snaking up and down hillsides to extensive views over sea and hills.  Every now and again the views included the Pena Palace at Sintra, a hilltop marvel built by King Ferdinand, cousin of both Victoria and Albert but with a much more flamboyant taste in architecture – frankly, his creation is monstrous, painted externally in a gaudy clash of red, yellow and blue-grey, with motifs drawn indiscriminately from the building traditions of both Portugal and elsewhere.  It is set in extensive wooded parkland at the far end of which is the chalet Ferdinand built for his second wife.  It is much more modest, and could have been attractive had he not faced all the external woodwork with cork resulting in an ungainly warty appearance.

Pena is not the only palace to visit.  Monserrate is a “modest” country home surrounded by glorious gardens.  Regaleira is a comfortable villa set in a fantasy park.  Sintra National Palace is much older, a rambling warren of halls and courtyards where Portuguese kings lived from the 1300s to the 1600s; the old kitchen has no ceiling, being roofed instead just by two enormous chimneys to funnel the heat and smoke away.  The Castle of the Moors is older still but little more than a ruined castle with wonderful views.  We booked an extra day and went by train to Queluz, the Portuguese kings’ 18th-century palace, an elegant baroque home with formal gardens and shady walks.  Perhaps so many palaces in four days was too much, but each is different and we enjoyed learning the different aspects of the country’s past.

Such intense physical and cultural activity requires sustenance which the Inntravel hotels provided in abundance.  At São Saturnino the Nepalese chef imparted an oriental texture to the dinner; at Colina Flora the vegetarian food was delicious; at other places the restaurants served Portuguese specialities from sea and farm, and all accompanied by excellent wines, some local from Sintra and Colares, others from the Alentejo region.  You should sample them for yourselves.

Highlights were the coastal walking, the views and the wildflowers. We were often in sight of the sea, which was exactly what we wanted. The days in Sintra were in complete contrast with the palaces and the gardens and made a pleasant change. 

This is a delightful trip, really well balanced between coast and inland walking. The accommodation is contrasting in type and all very good. We particularly enjoyed: the garden at Pergola House, room 5 at the Convento, Camelia room at Colina Flora (very private, great for the pool) and our upgrade at Lawrence's Hotel to the suite (a beautiful experience). We ate dinner at Lawrence's as well on our second night and found it excellent. 

We didn't have the best luck with weather in Sintra. Definitely not worth going up to the Moorish Castle and Pena Palace in low cloud and a howling gale! Highlights for me were the amazing wildflowers that seemed to line our walking routes pretty much all the way and the relaxing atmosphere in cafes and restaurants. We added a couple of nights in Lisbon, which was great fun. We'd recommend our hotel thoroughly - the Memmo Alfama. Our first time in Portugal, we want to return!

My husband and I did 2 Inntravel walks in Portugal in June 2018 - Manor Houses of the Minho and Palaces & Pathways of Sintra. 

On both walks the accommodation, food and walking was fantastic. The luggage transfers went smoothly. I would recommend both these walks to anyone wishing to undertake a supported walk in Portugal. 

An amazing and challenging experience, the scenery and the abundance of wild flowers everywhere. The weather was mixed with some rain and occasional sun but to be honest it made for good walking condition. I have no sense of direction but the walking notes were excellent. We will definitely do another now we have the confidence.

The wildflowers, particularly on the first day, were just stunning.

The trip fully met, even exceeded, our expectations. All accommodations were excellent; the hosts were all gracious and helpful; and all transfers were handled without any slip ups. As to the hiking notes and maps: We relied almost exclusively on the notes. For the most part they were clear and accurate. There were a couple of occasions wherein expected signage or landmarks were no longer there on the trail. And, a few times, while perhaps it was our own inability to track, the estimated distances between points seemed to be a bit off. Having said that, we successfully completed all legs of the journey pretty much within the time estimates. More important, the routes were varied and gave us a wonderful sense of the region; and the sites we visited were all interesting. Also, we met a number of other Inntravel hikers and we enjoyed comparing notes and sharing experiences. Lastly, despite the fact that I fell and broke my wrist on the third day of our trip (ENTIRELY my fault) we finished that day's trek; was skillfully tended to by the docs at Cascais hospital; and continued to complete our journey to the end. In all, we thoroughly enjoyed our trip and would whole-heartedly recommend Inntravel and this particular hike to anyone who asked.

Arriving at Convento Sao Saturnino on a beautiful evening was very special. Having looked down on it from above, we were intrigued to explore the house and gardens when we got there. We were given a beautiful room with balcony and sea view.

Starting at Cabo de Roca and walking up the spectacular coast was a memorable highlight.

Sintra is bonkers! Outrageous but stunning palaces in the middle of nowhere! We loved it and Lawrence's Hotel makes a perfect base to explore.

A recommendation for dinner in Sintra: After our day at the Pena Palace and Moorish castle and all the walking involved, we wanted to eat close to the hotel. We had been at Tulhas the night before (v good), but just 70 paces from Lawrence's front door, we spotted the Casa do Vinho Sintra, a guest house and wine bar. It offers a fixed price menu (€14.75 for 3 courses and a glass of wine). Everything was delicious, even though the choice is limited to two items for each course. The owner was most obliging and freindly and insisted we try a complimentary glass of port as a nightcap. We would recommend this alternative if you do not want to walk all the way to the station area.

Once again a perfectly executed trip by Inntravel !  We have come to the conclusion that walking vacations with Inntravel are the perfect European holiday.  They lead us far from the hordes of tourists and lead us deep into the wonder of the country.  Never could we have arranged such wonderful trips on our own. 

Highlights: Wonderful walking in boulder strewn forests and Monserrate Palace.

We had very good meals at Sisudo in Almoçageme - excellent service and delicious food. Much more than a 'simple eatery'.

In Sintra we had fantastic meals at A Raposa (other side of town to hotel) and at Romaria de Baco (next to Tulhas, near Tourist Office). Both small so you need to book.

We had no idea about this corner of Portugal before we booked this holiday so it was a total surprise and joy to be able to see it up close. From the wonderful array of flora, the fantastic views and changing scenery mixed with the genuine hospitality of the Portuguese who are the lovliest of people. The icing on the cake - the fabulous Palaces of Sintra - like fairy tale castles in the clouds.  

Tips:

In Sintra, to maximise time at the palaces which are all worth visiting, take a tuk tuk, (€5 each) if not down then up for sure - it's quite a tiring and full last day and there's lots to see and do and with ever increasing numbers it can get very busy and crowded which slow you down...

Restaurants:

Colina Flora - Adraga Beach - thank you for recommending, we ate there at lunch and then went back for dinner - excellent (but pricey depending on what you have...) The tapas restaurant (James knows name)

Sintra - We tried Incomum, but we found it very lacking - it was very busy so service was erratic and trying to be a Michelin-style restaurant but way off the mark... we tried their tasting menu with wines to match which was not outrageously priced, the wines were lovely but the food did not deliver except one dish (out of 5)... big shame. We do, however, recommend Apeadeiro which is a local neighbourhood 'no frills' type place - very authentic... and right next to Incomum...

We loved our holiday in Portugal and combined Lisbon, Palaces & Pathways of Sintra, and finally Porto (3 nights) & the Douro Valley (3 nights). If you have two weeks to spare this was a perfect combination. Based on our previous walking trip in Catalonia, where we started with the a night in Girona, I would recommend starting (not ending) a walking trip with a city tour.

We loved Lisbon, even though we had some very wet weather. Solar do Castelo, with its rather noisy peacocks, was in an ideal location for visiting the castle early in the morning. Beware the queues are very long by mid-morning but it is worth it for the fabulous views of the city. We followed the Alfama tour the night we arrived and ate sardines at one of the little restaurants opposite the Fado museum. On the second night we ate at Chapito - very good grilled octopus and fish - but you need to book if you want a table with a view. We made good use of all the public transport, especially when it rained, and bought two travel cards each (Viva Viagem), one to add the 24-hour travel pass - covers lifts/funiculars, buses, metros & trams - for 6.30 eur plus another to top up with cash for the trains - we used this for Lisbon-Belem, Lisbon-Cascais, and Sintra-Lisbon.

The walking in the Sintra area was very good and there were in fact eight of us from Inntravel doing the same trip which was very enjoyable when we occasionally met up en route and in the evenings. The walks themselves were well designed but unfortunately the walking instructions themselves are a few years old. I understand that they are currently being updated.

In Cascais we ate at Tasca da Vila and were served an excellent grilled seabass for two followed by my first taste of the delicious almond pudding/cake 'toucinho do ceu'. On our route to Colina Flora, we found that the restaurant at Adraga Beach was nearly booked up by the time we arrived (before it opened). We managed to get a table and had another good meal of grilled seabass but others were turned away. There is a cafe next door however. The tapas restaurant Adega Vadia in Colares was great fun with an eclectic decor and unique dishes. In Sintra we ate at Dom Pipas, a bit of a trek from the hotel - we had meat
dishes which were fine but we heard that the 'fish rice' was very good. We particularly liked Tulhas the next night - lovely octopus with prawns.

We took the train from Sintra to Porto, via Lisbon, but unfortunately Porto was very, very crowded. On our first night we couldn't get into any of the suggested restaurants. The second night we managed a reservation at Ribeira Square - some very good tapas with excellent service. Both Fish Fixe and Postigo do Carvao were fully booked throughout our stay and most places were doing sittings at 7pm & 9pm. I would advise booking before you arrive. We did visit the famous bookshop Lello and Irmao but didn't think it was worth the hassle - we booked online and then waited for an hour in a queue to get in - the tickets didn't seem to be timed. There was a separate queue for tickets if you hadn't booked. The port tasting at Grahams was excellent and I would definitely recommend it.

Chanceleiros was fabulous and the best of our 7 hotels - we stayed 3 nights. The evening meals were excellent and we requested a salad lunch on our last full day so that we could finally spend a day doing nothing but relaxing.

Monserrate was fabulous, all the buildings in Sintra were worth visiting, Pena Palace very busy, queued to get in, so might be better to go early. Should think the coastal day would have been wonderful but we had cloudy weather on several days and didn’t get the views!

This was our second holiday with Inntravel. The walks were reasonably arduous (Portugal is built on hills) but plenty of time was allowed. The walking instructions were simple to use, and each day was distinctive with regard to the different terrain encountered. The choice of accommodation was particularly pleasing, and considerable care is clearly taken in finding such interesting overnight stays.

Met and exceeded all expectations, a great experience. Our first Inntravel holiday and we will be back.

We loved the variety of the scenery and the different accommodations.

Overall this is a wonderful way to explore this part of Portugal - the spectacular coastline with its crashing Atlantic rollers, the lush green of the vegetation further inland and the colour and diversity of the flora and fauna of Springtime. Exploring Sintra with its Moorish castle and magnificently preserved and restored palaces and gardens was a revelation - all so different from the holiday resorts of the Algarve. We loved the quirky hotels, eating with the locals in the restaurants and cafes and meeting other walkers on our way. Highly recommended.