Hello Everyone!
Many travelers are suprised at the amazing landscape and vast array of things to do and see in the Sintra Natural Park. There is the stunning, dramatic coastline with towering cliffs and white sandy beaches. The forest is magical and wonderful for walking/biking year round. There are romantic historic cities such as Sintra and Cascais and the amazing city of Lisbon close by. There are art and music festivals year round. The surfing and golf is world class. And the opportunity to play tennis, horse back riding, yoga, rock climbing, paragliding, segway tours, kyacking etc is abundant.
There are the special little, quaint villages and hamlets not yet in the guidebooks. Pe da Serra is such a beautiful small hamlet. With a few beautiful manor houses, farms and two refurbished ancient wineries and a green country guesthouse www.colinaflora.com
Pe da Serra means Foot of the Mountain and is tucked on a hillside at the base of the forested hills overlooking the Atlantic. It is 1.5 km above the quaint village of Almoçgeme. Flores do Cabo, in one of the wineries, an especially beautiful space, www.floresdocabo.pt is a gallery, artistic flower shop, event center for vegetarian cooking classes, spiritual retreat, weddings etc, artists studios, and soon to be, an organic gourmet shop and cafe. It is a delight to come to Flores do Cabo, one of my most favorite shops/galleries in Portugal. Next door. in another old winery, is the antique shop of Françoise Baudry. A wonderful space filled with incredibly beautiful pieces, fabrics, soaps and jewlery. Françoise is a transplanted Belgium lady who has the most exquisite taste and serves delicious tea to savor while enjoying the ambiance of her shop.
For exciting adventures which begin in Pe da Serra, the folks of www.guinchtours.net offer mountian biking tours, hiking,kyacking, sightseeing and ATV excursions through the beautiful hills and up and down the mountains and along the breathtaking coastline. They have half day, whole day, mix and match tours with lunch at a typical portuguese restaurant usually included. These tours are very affordable and the guides are super friendly and speak perfect English. The tours go off the beaten track, so participants experience the area´s many special places.
