Right here in the middle of the Historical Center
No need to take a bus or drive or walk long distances.... Sometimes another day in the car queues or crowded busses do not seem like an attracive choice of things to do. Here are some of my suggestions for a day spent in the town center, walking distance from Casa do Valle.
Once I already blogged about the Museum of Natural History, in town, worth seeing, and interesting to all ages.
Now - The National Palace is the center of Sintra! One of the most visited monuments in all of Portugal, it is easily forgotten by the tourists as it is so close! Its cone-shaped twin chimneys are an exlibris of Sintra - and its tiles (azulejos) are the largest national collection. A summer house of the Queen Mother Maria Pia until the end of the Monarchy (1910), it now belongs to the state and is a host to many concerts, state lunches and exhibitions. Closed on Wednesdays, free entries on Sunday mornings!
The Toy Museum -Started as a private collection of tin soldiers of João Arbués Mo
reira. It is a fantastic show in 4 stories, with girls' toys and boys' toys; wooden toys, tin toys, plastic toys; building toys, decorative toys and interactive toys...... You name it! The special exhibition until the end of summer is Transportation - boats, trains, cars..... some from private collections on lend here. You can walk through the museum in 45 minutes - but don't be surprised if you end up spending hours! There is a gift shop and a café on the ground floor.
The Anjos Teixeira Sculpture Museum - in Volta de Duche, down in the green part, next to the large parking place; there are bronze pieces, plaster studies, drawings, mock-ups and other work done by Pedro Anjos Teixeira and his father Artur Anjos Teixeira. The museum is located in a building that used to be an old rock-mill. Closed on Mondays.
The Liberty Park (Parque da Liberdade) - also in Volta de Duche. The entrance of the park is half way between the Historical Center and the City Hall, where there used to be a public bath house (hence the name of the street, Volta de Duche). The park opened in 1937 and was one of the first of its kind with tennis courts and later rollerskating rinks. Even now between May and October you can either bring your own skates or rent some and skate away! You can also find a virtual Japanese theater recreating the relation of Portugal and Japan. At the end of the park that is closer to the Historical Center there are picnic tables and a snack-shop. You can bring your own lunch or buy some and eat outside watching the views and people passing by.
The Children's play park, opposite the Toy Museum is also a nice stop for the families with small children: slides, swings, climbing bars, play-kitchen..... will keep the smaller on
es busy for awhile. Well kept, cleaned and safe! (The foto was taken in the winter..)
And of course there is a lot shopping in town, and nice little restaurants - and the horses and carriages leave from the center.
Once I already blogged about the Museum of Natural History, in town, worth seeing, and interesting to all ages.
Now - The National Palace is the center of Sintra! One of the most visited monuments in all of Portugal, it is easily forgotten by the tourists as it is so close! Its cone-shaped twin chimneys are an exlibris of Sintra - and its tiles (azulejos) are the largest national collection. A summer house of the Queen Mother Maria Pia until the end of the Monarchy (1910), it now belongs to the state and is a host to many concerts, state lunches and exhibitions. Closed on Wednesdays, free entries on Sunday mornings!
The Toy Museum -Started as a private collection of tin soldiers of João Arbués Mo
reira. It is a fantastic show in 4 stories, with girls' toys and boys' toys; wooden toys, tin toys, plastic toys; building toys, decorative toys and interactive toys...... You name it! The special exhibition until the end of summer is Transportation - boats, trains, cars..... some from private collections on lend here. You can walk through the museum in 45 minutes - but don't be surprised if you end up spending hours! There is a gift shop and a café on the ground floor.The Anjos Teixeira Sculpture Museum - in Volta de Duche, down in the green part, next to the large parking place; there are bronze pieces, plaster studies, drawings, mock-ups and other work done by Pedro Anjos Teixeira and his father Artur Anjos Teixeira. The museum is located in a building that used to be an old rock-mill. Closed on Mondays.
The Liberty Park (Parque da Liberdade) - also in Volta de Duche. The entrance of the park is half way between the Historical Center and the City Hall, where there used to be a public bath house (hence the name of the street, Volta de Duche). The park opened in 1937 and was one of the first of its kind with tennis courts and later rollerskating rinks. Even now between May and October you can either bring your own skates or rent some and skate away! You can also find a virtual Japanese theater recreating the relation of Portugal and Japan. At the end of the park that is closer to the Historical Center there are picnic tables and a snack-shop. You can bring your own lunch or buy some and eat outside watching the views and people passing by.
The Children's play park, opposite the Toy Museum is also a nice stop for the families with small children: slides, swings, climbing bars, play-kitchen..... will keep the smaller on
es busy for awhile. Well kept, cleaned and safe! (The foto was taken in the winter..)And of course there is a lot shopping in town, and nice little restaurants - and the horses and carriages leave from the center.
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