Cadaval to Cascais via Mafra Sintra and Pena Palaces
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RouteXpert Nick Carthew - (MRA Master)
Last edit: 23-12-2020
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Verdict
Duration
3h 49m
Mode of travel
Car or motorcycle
Distance
139.39 km
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RouteXpert Review The route starts from a very comfortable B&B in Cadaval and I have included a link below for this and the guest house at the end of this route.
Within 10 minutes of leaving you will enter the Serra de Montejunto National Park and climb to the summit at 666m. This is the highest natural viewpoint of the area and the views are amazing with lots of viewpoints for photo's.
You can visit the 13th century Chapel of Nossa Senhora das Neves (Our Lady of the Snows), and the ruins of the Royal Ice Factory, where in the 18th century the ice was collected in deep valleys, stored in tanks, and then taken to Lisbon to supply the Court and the cafés. The Chapel is now in ruins, but it provides a good insight into the way of life of the Dominican Friars in medieval convent life.
You will have a great view of ancient and modern windmills just after RP 5 as you leave the high ground and travel through delightful rural countryside as you make your way to a lunch stop at the city of Mafra.
There are many restaurants to choose lunch from while sitting opposite and admiring the Palácio Nacional de Mafra a world heritage site.
Wild-spending King Dom João V poured pots of Brazilian gold into this baroque palace, covering a mind-boggling 4 sq km and comprising a monastery and basilica. Begun in 1717 and finished by 1746 and built to honour the birth of King Dom João V's first child. But the king's reign coincided with Portuguese holdings in Brazil producing vast mineral wealth (gold), and this bonanza changed everything. The simple monastery became a lavish palace, with hundreds of monks in residence to care for the royal souls!
Two more palaces to visit after lunch, the first being Sintra Palace. The Palacio Nacional Sintra is the best-preserved medieval royal palace in Portugal and was a favourite with the Portuguese nobility. The minimalist Gothic exterior of the palace hides a wonder of decorative state rooms and the national palace is a highly recommended attraction while visiting Sintra. The palace’s long history has been intertwined with the fortunes of Portugal’s ruling nobility, who resided here from the early 15th through to the late 19th century making it Portugal’s most lived in royal palace. The Palacio Nacional de Sintra is situated right in the heart of Sintra and this lead the palace to be commonly referred to as the Palacio da Vila, the Town Palace. The most notable exterior feature are the two massive chimneys, which protrude from the kitchens which have become the icon of Sintra.
Pena Palace is next, the Palácio da Pena is one of the world’s most magnificent palaces, and this is why millions of tourists flock to Sintra each year. With the Pena Palace now being one of the most reconnaissable tourist attractions of Portugal, expect it to be incredibly busy during your visit, especially in the peak season. Parking for motorcycles nearby.
The route travels past each of these palaces and you can decide to turn off to visit them.
Onto the coast next and mainland Europe's most westerly point at Cabo da Roca. Around 150 metres above the sea, here you can have a panoramic view over the Serra de Sintra and the coast, which makes it worth the visit.
The route follows the coast now to the fishing village of Cascais and the Petunia Guest House which is just a few minutes walk from the beach and really good seafood restaurants.
I have awarded this route with 4 stars **** The roads are good (some are cobbled) the scenery is very good and the attractions are excellant.
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Changes may nevertheless have occurred due to changed circumstances, road diversions or seasonal closures. We therefore recommend checking each route before use.
Preferably use the route track in your navigation system. More information about the use of MyRoute-app can be found on the website under 'Community' or 'Academy'.
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Lissabon
About this region
Lisbon (; Portuguese: Lisboa [liʒˈβo.ɐ] (listen)) is the capital and the largest city of Portugal, with an estimated population of 544,851 within its administrative limits in an area of 100.05 km2. Lisbon's urban area extends beyond the city's administrative limits with a population of around 2.0 million people, being the 10th-most populous urban area in the European Union. About 2.9 million people live in the Lisbon metropolitan area, which represents approximately 27% of the country's population. It is mainland Europe's westernmost capital city and the only one along the Atlantic coast. Lisbon lies in the western Iberian Peninsula on the Atlantic Ocean and the River Tagus. The westernmost portions of its metro area, the Portuguese Riviera, form the westernmost point of Continental Europe, culminating at Cabo da Roca.
Lisbon is recognised as an alpha-level global city because of its importance in finance, commerce, media, entertainment, arts, international trade, education and tourism. Lisbon is one of two Portuguese cities (alongside Porto) to be recognised as a global city. It is one of the major economic centres on the continent, with a growing financial sector and one of the largest container ports on Europe's Atlantic coast. Additionally, Humberto Delgado Airport served 29 million passengers in 2018, being the busiest airport in Portugal, the 3rd busiest in the Iberian Peninsula and the 20th busiest in Europe. The motorway network and the high-speed rail system of Alfa Pendular links the main cities of Portugal to Lisbon. The city is the 9th-most-visited city in Southern Europe, after Istanbul, Rome, Barcelona, Milan, Athens, Venice, Madrid and Florence with 3,539,400 tourists in 2018. The Lisbon region has a higher GDP PPP per capita than any other region in Portugal. Its GDP amounts to US$96.3 billion and thus $32,434 per capita. The city occupies the 40th place of highest gross earnings in the world. Most of the headquarters of multinational corporations in Portugal are located in the Lisbon area. It is also the political centre of the country, as its seat of government and residence of the head of state.
Lisbon is one of the oldest cities in the world, and the second-oldest European capital city (after Athens), predating other modern European capitals by centuries. Julius Caesar made it a municipium called Felicitas Julia, adding to the name Olissipo. After the fall of the Roman Empire it was ruled by a series of Germanic tribes from the 5th century; later it was captured by the Moors in the 8th century. In 1147 Afonso Henriques conquered the city and since then it has been the political, economic and cultural center of Portugal.
Read more on Wikipedia
Lisbon is recognised as an alpha-level global city because of its importance in finance, commerce, media, entertainment, arts, international trade, education and tourism. Lisbon is one of two Portuguese cities (alongside Porto) to be recognised as a global city. It is one of the major economic centres on the continent, with a growing financial sector and one of the largest container ports on Europe's Atlantic coast. Additionally, Humberto Delgado Airport served 29 million passengers in 2018, being the busiest airport in Portugal, the 3rd busiest in the Iberian Peninsula and the 20th busiest in Europe. The motorway network and the high-speed rail system of Alfa Pendular links the main cities of Portugal to Lisbon. The city is the 9th-most-visited city in Southern Europe, after Istanbul, Rome, Barcelona, Milan, Athens, Venice, Madrid and Florence with 3,539,400 tourists in 2018. The Lisbon region has a higher GDP PPP per capita than any other region in Portugal. Its GDP amounts to US$96.3 billion and thus $32,434 per capita. The city occupies the 40th place of highest gross earnings in the world. Most of the headquarters of multinational corporations in Portugal are located in the Lisbon area. It is also the political centre of the country, as its seat of government and residence of the head of state.
Lisbon is one of the oldest cities in the world, and the second-oldest European capital city (after Athens), predating other modern European capitals by centuries. Julius Caesar made it a municipium called Felicitas Julia, adding to the name Olissipo. After the fall of the Roman Empire it was ruled by a series of Germanic tribes from the 5th century; later it was captured by the Moors in the 8th century. In 1147 Afonso Henriques conquered the city and since then it has been the political, economic and cultural center of Portugal.
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