Sintra is named after the mountainous range that stretches away behind the town – but it's the Palácio da Pena, the region's most famous landmark, that brings flocks of visitors each year. 

Its pastel fairy-tale rampart is a concoction of architectural delights that tower over the lower town and the whole region is a World Heritage site, incorporating the historic town and surrounding parkland. Pena Park also houses the Queen's Garden, filled with plant species from all over the world, while the Sintra Cascais National Park is home to some of Portugal's most unspoilt wildernesses.

Queluz National Palace, Sintra

The town itself is pure charm with its National Palace, Moorish castle and Capuchos convent, as well as the Iberian Peninsula's oldest hotel that was once a retreat of Lord Byron.