Our last hurrah in Sintra was the perfect cherry on top of our magical visit: a trip to the Quinta da Regaleira, one big piece of art in the form of an estate.

Situated on the side of a hill, the estate’s grounds feature a set of winding paths and staircases through the landscape. The plant life somehow appears simultaneously wild and perfectly manicured. Around each corner you discover a new and amazing tower or fountain, grotto or waterfall, chapel or palace. Every view seems more beautiful than the last. It’s enchanting and beguiling, the kind of place you could play hide and seek and literally never be found.

Although we didn’t see many other kids and had to keep reminding ours to stay close to us and keep the noise down, it was the ideal tourist attraction for our crew. The kids explored secret passages through dark caves and grottoes, climbed narrow steps to the tops of towers, and descended the spiral staircase to the bottom of the 88-foot deep Initiation Well. I can only imagine the fun they’d have on this property with unbridled freedom.

By the time we entered the palace building and had a chance to read some information, everyone was tired and ready for lunch. (Do you see the common theme in our travels? We see so much and never have time to read more than the bare minimum – oh well!) We would love to find a good coffee table book about this estate, as it certainly deserves a book of its own. I’m not sure what we are looking for exists, but it certainly should!

Our Sintra expeditions brought us into contact with only a fraction of the sights. Our guidebook recommends a day or two in Sintra, but we could easily spend a few weeks exploring it all in greater detail. We would love to come back here again and can heartily recommend a visit.