In the 19th century Sintra became the first centre of European Romantic architecture. Ferdinand II turned a ruined monastery into a castle where this new sensitivity was displayed in the use of Gothic, Egyptian, Moorish and Renaissance elements and in the creation of a park blending local and exotic species of trees.

Sintra is a UNESCO World Heritage site renowned for its 19th-century Romanticist architecture and its unique microclimate that keeps the area lush and misty even when Lisbon is scorched by the sun. It served for centuries as the summer retreat for the Portuguese monarchy and aristocracy, resulting in a dense concentration of palaces, estates, and mystical gardens. The most famous landmark is the Pena Palace, a vibrant, multi-colored castle that sits atop a hill and looks like something out of a fairy tale. Other highlights include the Quinta da Regaleira, famous for its "Initiation Well" and occult symbolism, and the Moorish Castle, which offers panoramic views of the Atlantic coastline. The town itself is tucked into the pine-covered hills of the Serra de Sintra, creating a dramatic landscape where man-made grandeur meets wild nature. Its "specialness" lies in this ethereal, almost supernatural atmosphere that has inspired writers like Lord Byron, who famously called it a "glorious Eden."