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Palaces, Castles & Gardens of Sintra A week of Portuguese charm and splendour

intra, for centuries the summer residence of the Portuguese monarchy, nestles in the mountains between Lisbon and the

Atlantic Ocean at the western-most point in Europe. This beautiful landscape studded with palaces, castles and gardens is a UNESCO World Heritage area.

At a relaxing pace we will explore exquisite parks and soak up some warmth among sub-tropical foliage and flowers. We will visit extraordinary palaces decked with fine furnishings and artwork. Above all, we will have time to appreciate the whimsical buildings by which Sintra became the first centre of European romantic architecture in the 19th Century.

Some of the attractions we will be able to reach on foot, others we will have bus transfers or will take the train.

The quiet fascination of Sintra deserves a slower pace, time to sip the wine of European culture touched by the earlier hand of Islamic influence.

Palacio de Pena__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Proposed Daily Itinerary

ur itinerary is expected to follow the daily schedule outlined below but please bear in mind that the order of the days may be amended, or walks substituted, due to weather conditions or changes beyond our control.

Day 1 – On arrival at Lisbon Airport we will have a private transfer to Sintra (30 minutes) to Lawrence’s Hotel. Dinner will be taken at the hotel or local restaurant, allowing you to meet your fellow companions for the week.

Day 2 – We will have a relaxing day of meandering around the sights and sounds of the town of Sintra. We will spend the morning in the Palacio Nacional with time to explore the ancient narrow streets of Sintra’s Old Town. After lunch we will walk to the Quinta da Regaleira, a World Heritage Site, we will have time to explore the building and its gardens.

Day 3 – Today we visit one of the most famous palaces in Sintra the Palacio da Pena, with time to stand in awe of its magnificent facade and decor. After lunch we will walk to the Castelo dos Mouros via a scenic tour of the park, followed by a tour of the Castle walls.

Inside Quinta de Monserrate

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Day 4 – After breakfast we will have a private transfer to Praia Grande, where surfers ride the Atlantic rollers which are about to make first contact with the continent of Europe. Afterwards we will continue to the beach, with time for a coastal stroll. Nice and relaxed. After lunch we will head to Cabo do Roca for another coastal amble taking in the seascapes of the westernmost point of Europe.

Day 5 – Today we will head to Lisbon by train for the day. For part of the day we will be accompanied by a superb local guide who will inform us of the city’s Moorish, Jewish and Roman facets. We will have further time to explore the capital before returning to Sintra.

Day 6 – This morning we will have a private transfer to the Palacio Nacional de Queluz. Established in the eighteenth century, it is recognised as one of Portugal’s most luxurious palaces. It is also celebrated for the glory of its gardens; we will take our time strolling through these, enjoying its marvels. Perhaps we will be lucky enough to see Portugal’s famous dressage team giving a display! We will then transfer to Cascais where we will enjoy some free time soaking up the coastal scenery before transferring back to our hotel.

Quinta da Regaleira

Day 7 – We will take taxis to the rural part of Sintra for a visit to the historical Convent of the Capuchos, built in the rocks and boulders of Sintra Mountain. We will then enjoy a scenic walk to the Palacio da Monserrate. After lunch we will take a tour of the palace and its extensive parklands.

Day 8 – We say our goodbyes and head to Lisbon airport for our return flight back to the UK.

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Sintraintra has all the facilities you would expect and require. There are several grocery shops, a bank, post office and several

ATM’s. Sintra has plenty of bars to visit in the evening, though the hotel is a lovely place to relax in itself.

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Lawrence’s HotelRua Consiglieri Pedroso 38-40, 2710-550 Sintra+351 219 105 500/ geral@lawrenceshotel.com www.lawrenceshotel.com

he historic Lawrence’s Hotel is considered to be the oldest hotel in the Iberian Peninsula, built in 1764. It is a place which is

believed to have inspired poets and artists, some of which the hotel have named their bedrooms after, including William Beckford and Lord Byron, to name but two! It has a rustic charm which fits perfectly with the philosophy of this holiday.

Lawrence’s Hotel

Lawrence’s Hotel is idyllically situated on a cobbled street in the old town of Sintra, making it the perfect location from which to explore all the attractions. The Quinta da Regaleira is a short ten minute walk away and the Palacio Nacional is only around the corner.

Hotel Lounge

No one room is the same, but they all offer a unique and characterful area within which to relax.

The following en suite room options are available (supplements vary; some room types are limited and are subject to availability):

Twin suite with valley view and balconyTwin suite with valley view and no balconyTwin room with valley view and balconyTwin room with valley view and no balconyDouble room with street view and no balconySingle room with valley view and balconySingle room with valley view and no balcony

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Twin suites include a separate bedroom and seating area. The bathroom has a Jacuzzi bath.

Hotel Bedroom

Hotel Suite

The bedrooms and public rooms alike are full of character and what one could expect from such a historic building. We will enjoy a plentiful buffet breakfast at the hotel; dinners will be taken in the hotel and local restaurants. We don’t include lunches in the price of the holiday – normally these can be taken as a picnic or in a café.

Hotel Restaurant

After enjoyable days of walking around the palaces, castles and gardens of Sintra, there is no better way of ending the day than returning to the hotel and taking a seat in the tranquil courtyard

whilst enjoying an ice cold drink, or you may prefer to relax in one of the several lounges whilst reading a good book.

Hotel room facilities include:Television, hairdryer, air conditioning, telephone and safe.

WIFI is only available in certain allocated areas in the hotel.

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Local Sightseeingocal transport costs and entrance fees in conjunction with the programme illustrated in the daily itinerary are included in the

holiday cost.

We have a wonderful programme of walking, sightseeing and palace visits to keep you busy, along with plenty of opportunities to relax and enjoy your surroundings and hotel.

Please Note: that due to the geography of Sintra you should expect several of the walks, even just around the palace gardens, to be hilly and some may have steep ascents.

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Adagio Specialistsn Adagio Specialist will accompany you throughout the holiday. They are all experienced travellers with a love and knowledge

of the places you will visit. They are well-organised, pay great attention to detail and enjoy being with people. They are there to help make your holiday as enjoyable and stress free as possible.

Quinta & Parque de Monserrate_____________________________________________________

What to bringe recommend you bring the following items with you:

Walking boots with a good sole and waterproof uppers. A good pair of walking shoes is ok if you know you have strong ankles.

Waterproof jacket and trousers. It does rain sometimes! A sunhat, fleece hat and gloves… to cover all weather

eventualities. Sun cream. A litre water bottle. A picnic knife, fork and spoon, as required. A simple basic first aid kit. A daypack to hold all the above.

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Walking around Sintra

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Passports, Visas & Insuranceand other important information

lease make sure you are insured for guided walking up to 1000m. Please also take your European Health Insurance

Card (EHIC) with you - it will help in the event of an emergency. Please note that the EHIC has an expiry date and check that your card is still valid for the duration of your holiday.

You will need a full passport to visit Portugal. Passport, visa and health requirements can change at any time. It is your own responsibility to ensure that you inform yourself from a professionally qualified source on, and comply with, such requirements. Advice on vaccinations is available from your GP, or can be obtained from the Medical Advisory Services for Travellers Abroad (MASTA). In addition, general travel advice is available from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office at www.fco.gov.uk/travel.

Please also see our General Information booklet for more important information and advice regarding your holiday arrangements.

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Travel Informatione fly from London Heathrow to Lisbon and return with TAP. The flight takes about two hours and a half.

Details of your baggage allowance will be confirmed in your travel documents, sent to you approximately 10 days before departure.

We include a private transfer to Lawrence’s Hotel, which will take approximately 30 minutes.

During the week we’ll travel on foot, by road and train.

If you intend joining and leaving the party in Sintra, we assume, unless you have advised us otherwise, that you will meet and leave the party at our hotel. If this is not your intention, please let us know in writing at least 5 weeks before departure.

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Maps, Books and WebsitesThe Turinta Costa de Lisboa 1:128 000 scale map of the coastal area around Lisbon covers the whole area, and gives a good general overview. There are good smaller scale Carta Militar de Portugal 1:25 000 maps published by the Instituto Geografico de Exercito, but no one map covers the whole area. For anyone particularly interested in maps, more details of these maps can be found at www.igeoe.pt.

The Rough Guide to Portugal has several pages on Sintra and Lisbon and lots of other in-depth information about the country.

The Lisbon Tourist Office’s website is www.visitlisboa.com offers information on Lisbon, Sintra land to other towns and villages in the area.

Lawrence’s Hotel Courtyard

If you cannot find the maps or books locally we recommend:

The Map Shop15 High StreetUpton upon Severn, WorcsWR8 0HJEnglandTel: 01684 593 146 Fax: 01684 594 559

Website: www.themapshop.co.ukE-mail: themapshop@btinternet.com

If you key many of the local places mentioned in this holiday fact sheet into YouTube (www.youtube.com), you will find a vast array of spectacular footage of the area.

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Holiday Dates 2016Holiday: Places, Castles & Gardens of SintraTour Code: 52640

Departures on Friday for one week on:

20 May 17 Jun 16 Sep

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Booking and Further informationPlease call us on 01707 386700 or email us at info@adagio.co.uk

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Notes

This document issued: 10 September 2015