On our way out of Lisbon we stopped in Sintra, the former summer playground of the Portuguese Royalty. We opted to explore the Castelo dos Mouros (Moorish Castle) in an attempt to avoid the sweltering heat and annoying crowds.
Built around the 10th century by Muslims who lived on the Iberian Peninsula, the castle served as a control tower for the Atlantic coast. In 1147, during the conquest of Lisbon, the castle came under Christian control and then was abandoned completely in the 1490s. Archaeological research indicates that this site was occupied as early as the 5th century BC! Graves were still being unearthed as late as November 2011!
The views from the walls and towers of the castle are amazing! Despite the hot, hazy day, it seemed like we could see forever!
After Sintra we opted to cool down at the beach! The air temps might have been sizzling…but the water was arctic! I felt like I was at the Jersey Shore! Burrrrr!
