All of our European adventures over the years have included at least one day trip. The idea of heading out of a locale on a train to spend a few hours somewhere else has always had an element of romanticism for me. Maybe it is the train ride itself, or maybe it is just that quirk in my personality that is always craving seeing something more and something new. When we booked our fall trip to Portugal last year with Lisbon as the starting point, there was no doubt that one of our day trips would be to visit Sintra. We had seen it’s Disney-esque castle in photographs and on television a few times, and I wanted to experience it first hand.

Our plans went off without a hitch, including having a spectacular October morning for our visit. After arriving in Sintra, we hopped the first bus of the day up the steep and winding Sintra mountains so we could be among the first to arrive at the Palácio da Pena. Sometimes when you travel, the expectations outstrip the experience. Not the case here. The palace, in the morning light, was stunning.

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