Today, we left with the intention of going to the beach but ended up taking a very welcome detour. Taking the bus in Sintra we discovered there was the Mouros Castle and Pena Palace to explore so of course we had to go!
Castelo dos Mouros
Castle of the Moors (Portuguese: Castelo dos Mouros) is a hilltop medieval castle. We couldn't afford to see both Pena Palace and Moros Castle, but we were able to walk a little ways up to the entrance where they collect tickets. The path was paved in dark slick stones and you had to be cautious not to slip. All around it was so lush and green, it was like a scene right out of Lord of the Rings. Moss and ferns covered all the surfaces and the trees shaded us from way up above. A cool breeze swept through giving us respite from the increasingly hot temperatures of the day.
Towards the end I spotted a small lookout point with a skull and crossbones! I thought that was super interesting to find in such an old place. Sometimes with more common motifs, you forget they have been used hundreds of years ago.
