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The recently reopened tram ride from Sintra to Praia das Maças is a not to miss thing to do if you are visiting Sintra. Don’t know about other countries but in Portugal is, certainly, the only one that can take you from a mountain range with green and lust vegetation and wonderful palaces with the most exotic architecture you will find in Portugal, on a 45 minute ride downhill to a magnificent beach with soft sand and the touristic atmosphere you expect to find on your vacation. Seafood restaurants, surfers, tourists from all over the world and a beach bar will provide all the action for a perfect day at Praia das Maças. Normal ticket costs 2€, senior pay half ticket and children under 6 travel free.

Click here for the summer schedule.

More about the Sintra’s Tram soon.

Continue reading »]]> When D. Afonso Henriques, Portugal’s first King, took from the Moors this lovely seaside village planted, Sesimbra lived from agriculture and the centre of town was just the castle. Today, the houses almost touch the sea and fishing and tourism are the activities that engage its more than 45 000 inhabitants.
Be sure to visit the Castle of Sesimbra that after conquest, recon quest and many centuries remains at the top of the stately village. Inside, several ruins and the Church of Our Lady of the Castle are points of interest. If you want to know more, there is in place a documentation centre with all the information about the county and access to the Internet.
In Sesimbra the practice of the fishing craft continues and the fishermen can be seen at the marginal fixing the fishing nets. Those who like line fishing will find excellent conditions, either at the beaches or at the top of the cliffs. The laziest, do not forget to go to the dock, see the arrival of the trawlers full of fish in bright colours under the watchful eye of the seagulls.
Filled with fresh fish are also the good restaurants in the area. It is recommended the Cataplana, seafood and whole grilled fish, including the famous swordfish from Sesimbra.
Beaches abound. You can choose the Bay of Sesimbra, in the village centre, where the sea is calm and perfect for swimming or for those with small children. If you prefer the more extensive beach, stroll the dunes and the sea more daring, than your beach is Meco ranging from near Cape Espichel until the Lagoa de Albufeira. Besides these, there are other beaches, little visited and inaccessible, but a real paradise. The best way to get there is asking the locals for places like the beach of Foz, Mijona or the Ribeiro Cavalo.
If you enjoy other outdoor activities, there are pedestrian hiking routes or in vehicles all-terrain to places like Cape Espichel where you can see footprints and other traces of dinosaurs with millions of years and several endemic species of fauna and flora. You can also visit the Shrine of Our Lady of the Cape and Memory Chapel, build on the stunning cliffs of the cape. From here the view is spectacular over the bay of Costa de Caparica; and a glimpse at the mystical and grandiose mountains of Arrábida and Sintra.
Experience the Pearl of the Riviera and enjoy!

Accomodation

Moving Around

Dive Centers

Continue reading »]]> Lisbon is fashion!
It is one of the most beautiful and interesting capitals in the world.
It is today a great city, both traditional and European, which supports its past but, looks to the future.
Built on seven hills, Lisbon early realized the great importance of the Tagus and the proximity of the sea. Its ships and caravels departed for Discovery. Now the largest Oceanarium in Europe honours the Oceans, in Parque das Nações, where the Expo98 took place.
On the right bank of the River Tagus, Lisbon is a legendary city with over 20 centuries of history.
After the earthquake of 1755, Pombal Downtown was rebuilt in classical style, but many of the medieval quarters remain, with fascinating shops, restaurants and cafes.
The exceptional light of Lisbon, which has inspired writers, photographers and filmmakers, and the polychrome of the tiles on the façades give it a peculiar atmosphere.
On foot, by tram, boat or walking along the river or even on the metro, a veritable underground museum of contemporary Portuguese art, all means are good to discover the cultural diversity that Lisbon has to offer.
Its secular architecture, scattered through the streets sometimes extremely narrow, up and down the hills overlooking the river, marks the borders between the many historic districts filled with traditions.
Culturally, managed to keep the Lisbon recognition of a past as a maritime city, open to the world through the discovery, with museums, monuments and traditions to certify it, and a present marked by a new door open to the world of the XXI century, with contemporary museums, renowned cultural events and experiences of a cosmopolitan city. Be sure to visit the Tower of Belem, the Jeronimos Monastery and the Castle of S. Jorge.
Lisbon is a privileged capital, on the edge of one of the most beautiful estuaries in Europe. The observation of flamingos and other birds can also be a fascinating experience.
Just take the train and travel side by side with the Tagus estuary, to be surprised by the succession of sandy beaches so close to the Capital.
At the end of the line are the beaches of Estoril and Cascais, where you get the Sintra-Cascais Natural Park. At the westernmost point of mainland Europe, Cabo da Roca is one of the most spectacular places in the park. Its vertical cliffs amount to about one hundred meters above the ocean, providing magnificent landscapes.
But it is the mountain, covered with lush vegetation that dominates the landscape and gives rise to the microclimate that makes this park such a special place. The smells are fresh and varied, transforming a simple walking tour of the Serra de Sintra into an unforgettable experience. In Serra de Sintra, the town of Sintra retains a remarkable architectural legacy, harmonized with nature which has led UNESCO to classify it as a World Heritage Site.