Sintra is a city of palaces and historic monument. Moreover, this fairy-tale Portuguese city is listed in the World Heritage. In the past, it was known as the Hills of the Moon and its beauty had inspired Byron's poems. If you are planning a holiday in Lisbon I reckon that you should dedicate at least one day - two is better if you are not in a rush- to visit this city. There are a lot of things to see and most of them are Wolrd Heritage sites.

Palacio da Pena

Taking a bus from the centre of Sintra you can reach the hills of Sintra in few minutes. Here immersed in the green of the forest of  the Pena Park is located this romantic palace. It was the result of the creative mind of King Ferdinand II and it represents the greatest manifestation of 19th Portuguese Romanticism.  

Once you walk inside the park you can admire the palace from all perspectives. It looks so unreal and magical probably because of the structure and the colours which remind me of Disneyland. Furthermore, the palace is UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the Seven Wonders of Portugal.

The entrance fee is 14€ for adults and provides access to the park,  the palace terraces and the state rooms. It is not cheap but it totally worth it, since I think it's the most beautiful attraction in Sintra. An idea could be to visit just a couple of palace and then have a tour in the city.

Palacio da Pena interiors

Palacio da Pena interiors

Palacio da Pena interiors

Quinta da Regaleira

It is another stunning palace in Sintra, which is also World Heritage listed. It is situated in the historic centre and it was built at the beginning of the 20th century by a Brazilian coffee tycoon. 

The gothic residence is divided into five floors and it is surrounded by beautiful and massive gardens with lakes, fountains and caves. The grounds, which cover 4 hectares are the real attraction of Quinta da Regaleira with hidden tunnels and mystic ideologies inspired by the owner. 

The entrance fee is 6 euro for adults and takes into account the house and the grounds. 

Sintra’s National Palace

It was Portugal's longest-serving royal palace until the end of the monarchy in 1910. It is located in the centre of the town and it' became its symbol. 

I did not get into it because I have decided to prioritise a visit to Palacio da Pena and Quinta da Regaleira since I had not enough time to see everything. However, if you have the time it is a must seen as the interiors are really beautiful and well decorated. 

The entrance fee is 9€.

Park and Palace of Monserrate 

The palace of Monserrate is one of the most romantic Portuguese masterpieces and it is located around 3.5 Km from the centre of  Sintra, but you can get a bus from Sintra train station. The architecture of the palace was inspired by Gothic, Indian Arabic and Morish influence. Furthermore, it is surrounded by an amazing 30 hectares park with Japanese and Mexican gardens. 

The entrance fee is 6.50€ during the low season and 8€ in the high season. 

Moors Castle

The Royal Mile Tavern
I will suggest having dinner in this typical and cosy pub situated on the Royal Mile. When I went there I ordered a chicken roll filled with haggis and roasted vegetables. It was the first time I tried haggis and unexpectedly I really like it, it's  really tasty. At the beginning, I was a little bit doubtful since I knew what is made of but I'm leaving in Scotland now so it was mandatory to try it. A friend of mine tried the typical fish and chips and  another one the grilled salmon fillet with roasted vegetable. The portions were large and tasty. It is a nice place also for simply grab a beer after dinner, but especially in the weekend it is really crowded so it's better to book in advance and more or less is the same in all pub in Edinburgh.
127 High St, EH1 1SG, Old Town - Edinburgh 

Fish and chips

Grilled salmon with mash potatoes and vegetables

Chicken Roll filled with haggis and mash potatoes and vegetables

The Doric
This is definitely my favourite place in Edinburgh so far. It is a restaurant/bistro/bar located in the Old Town just on the other side of the bridge on the main road and it is Edinburgh's oldest gastropub dating back to the 18th century.

Inside of the restaurant

Inside of the restaurant

Quinoa with grilled halloumi cheese, sweet potatoes,pumpkin and ratatouille

Haggis, neeps and tatties

The Advocate
Located in the Old Town, the Advocate is a typical Scottish pub with live music and an informal atmosphere.  The menu offers a wide choice of pub food like burgers and fries, fish and chips, baked potatoes and haggis pie. I have ordered the Sunday Roast and it was fine but nothing special actually. Instead, I have tried the burgers and the steak from my friends and they were really tasty.  Moreover, we order a portion of nachos with melted cheese to share which was excellent.
Another positive aspect of this place is the price which is really cheap. There are different deals with burgers and fries or other dishes and a beer for less than 8 pounds.

Eteaket - Tea Room
Maybe you don't know that in Scotland "It's T time"refers to is Tennets time. Anyway in Edinburgh there are a lot of tea rooms where 5pm tea is served. Eteaket is a tea room in the New Town situated in a crosspiece of Princess Street. It's a nice place where you can choose from different types of tea such as green black or herbal tea accompanied by a slice of cake or a scone with jam and butter. When you order a cup of tea they give you an hourglass and as soon as the time is finished you should pull out the tea filter or otherwise the taste became too strong. It's also a tea shop where it is possible to buy some tea.
41 Frederick St, Edinburgh EH2 1EP

Tea time

Cramond Island

Just half an hour by bus from the city centre of Edinburgh it stands a little particular island. Taking the bus number 41 from George Street  it is possible to reach Cramond Village. There is not much to see in the village an inn, a kirk and just a couple of pubs and ice cream shops. 
It is a really nice place for having a relaxing walk around when the sun is shining and there is no wind. Maybe the best season to visit it is during summer or springtime when the temperature is not so low but anyway, it is totally worth it to go there even if is cold and windy because nature around and the landscape are breathtaking. 
Cramond Island is one of the several islands in the Firth of Forth in eastern Scotland and the island is accessible only throw a 1,5 Km long paved path, which connects the island to the mainland. It is transitable only with the low tie so it is fundamental to check tie forecast on the internet before going and then look at the time on the board at the beginning of the path to see how much time do you have to cross the tidal causeway and come back without risk to get stuck there.
It is such an unusual and fascinating  place that you can not compare to another and it is a nice opportunity to escape from the hustle and the bustle of the city and where to spend half a day or more just going around the island and on the mainland. 


National Museum of Scotland
After visiting Cramond Island an idea for the afternoon could be a visit to the National Museum of Scotland. It is a really big museum which has seven different levels divided by topics  such as science, art, Scotland, the natural world and others. It will take around three hours to see each part but of course is up to you what to see and how much time to spend inside. It is a variegated and interesting museum, moreover the entrance is completely free.

Inside the museum

Air travel section

 On the7th floor, there is an open terrace from where you can enjoy a beautiful view on the city.

View from the terrace

View from the terrace

The first time I approached Scotland was during a study holiday in Edinburgh around 9 years ago. I remembered it as a beautiful city but after being there again a couple of weekends ago I felt completely in love with it. There are many things to see but you can have a first insight in two days.