Quinta da Regaleira is an extravagant mansion in Sintra but the real gem is the garden with secret passages, mythological symbols and a Knights of Templar initiation well. Along with other palaces in Sintra, it is one of the most popular attractions in Sintra. It is also a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Getting there:
The easiest way to get there is to take bus 435 and get down at Quinta da Regaleira (10 minutes ride from Sintra train station). Otherwise, it is about 20 minutes walk from Sintra train station.
Here's a bit of background of the estate: the land of Quinta da Regaleira originally belonged to the Viscountess of Regaleira, it was sold in 1892 to Carvalho Monteiro, a wealthy Brazilian-Portuguese businessman. With the assistance of Italian architect Luigi Manini, Monteiro let his imagination ran wild and recreate the 4-heactare estate. The construction began in 1904 and completed by 1910.
Since the garden is the real highlight of the estate, I decided to explore the garden first while the weather was nice.
The two initiation wells in the garden are not to be missed. These wells never served as water sources. They are more like inverted towers lined with stairs, inviting people to descend into a mysterious and unknown world. The larger one has a 27 meter spiral staircase with several small landings. The entrance to the Initiation Well is quite well hidden, only exposed by the line of tourists queuing up to wait for their turn to descend the well.
Take note that circulation inside the Initiation Well is in the descending direction. Baby stroller must be folded while descending the well. It was difficult to take good photos while descending the stairs. A staff kept ushering people to descend from the top which really spoilt the mood of embarking a mysterious adventure down the rabbit hole.
After descending the well, it leads to tunnels that connect to caves and other monuments around the park.
I was thrilled to discover hidden waterfalls once coming out from the tunnel. It felt a bit like a treasure hunt.
Other parts of the garden.
There is a small chapel in front of the mansion. The interior of the chapel is richly decorated with frescoes, stained glass windows and lavish stuccoes.
The mansion contains five floors. Circulation inside the mansion is in one direction only. In my opinion, it is less extravagant as compared to its facade. You may consider to skip it if time does not allowed.
There is a cafe besides the mansion if you want to rest your feet and have some refreshment. Quinta da Regaleira is a fascinating attraction to explore and should definitely be included in your itinerary to Sintra.
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