The gardens at Quinta de Regaleira are truly magical and unlike any castle gardens you will ever visit. You really would be forgiven for believing you may see fairies and elves if you crept in there at night, it has an exotic yet ethereal atmosphere and the beauty of the flora is a joy to behold.
The palace was built at the turn of the 20th century in a forested area of the old quarter in Sintra. The gardens are crammed with all manner of folly type buildings, hidden tunnels and obvious symbolism, there is a secret to discover around every corner.
You need to spend at least an hour or two in the 10 acre gardens, to really absorb that fairytale feeling, particularly off peak when it’s quieter, early morning mid week is ideal. The Initiation well with its links to the Knights Templar, is of great interest, not only due to the fact you can walk to the foot of it, but to the secret tunnels that run from it the length of the gardens. Grottos, lakes, fountains, fern and lichen lined grove’s make this garden Unesco world heritage listed and a must see on any trip to Sintra.
If you fancy a day tour to Sintra to visit the breathtaking gardens, check out our tour section.
