Annual Congress Lisbon, Portugal 24-26 October 2012
Thursday 25 - Partner Day, Medieval Lisbon City Tour
Alfama - Lisbon's most emblematic quarter and one of the most rewarding for walkers and photographers thanks to its medieval alleys and outstanding views. The highlights of this visit include the following:
• A walk through this old-fashioned residential neighbourhood is now a step back in time. It is a village within a city still made up of narrow streets, tiny squares, churches, and whitewashed houses with wrought-iron balconies adorned with pots of flowers, drying laundry, and caged birds.
• Saint George's Castle which can be seen from almost everywhere in the city. Its oldest parts date from the 6th century, when it was fortified by the Romans, Visigoths, and eventually the Moors. It served as a, Moorish royal residence until Portugal's first king, Afonso Henriques, captured it in 1147 with the help of northern European crusaders on their way to the Holy Land. It was then dedicated to St. George, the patron saint of England, commemorating the Anglo- Portuguese pact dating from 1371.
Saturday 27 - Tourist Day for all, Sintra
Sintra - its mystical hills dotted with fairy-tale palaces and extravagant villas have bewitched visitors for centuries. The Romans made it a place of cult moon worshiping and named it ‘Cynthia’ after the goddess of the moon. They were followed by the Moors who also fell in love with the lush vegetation and built a hilltop castle, a palace, and several fountains around the town. Later it became the summer residence of the Portuguese royal family and attracted a number of wealthy aristocrats who built huge mansions and villas.
It is indeed an extraordinary place with a surreal mixture of history and fantasy, protected by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. Its fairy-tale palaces, incredible vistas, and notable museum collections make it a ‘must see’ for many visitors to Lisbon.
The highlights of this visit include the following:
• The most famous building in Sintra is Pena Palace. Built in the 1840s, it is one of Europe's most fantastic palaces, often compared to Neuschwanstein and the other mock-medieval castles of Ludwig of Bavaria in Germany, although it was actually built more than two decades before those. It includes a drawbridge, a conglomeration of turrets, ramparts, and domes, and a gargoyle above a Neo- Manueline arch, all washed in an array of pastel shades. The extravagant interior is decorated in late Victorian and Edwardian furnishings, rich ornaments, paintings, and priceless porcelain preserved just as the royal family left them. Other highlights include the spacious ballroom, the marvellous ‘Arab Room’, and an impressive 16th-century chapel altarpiece. Surrounding the palace is the mystical Pena Park, filled with a variety of trees and exotic plants from the former colonies of the Portuguese empire, ponds, fountains, and black swans.
Lunch at LAWRENCE’S in Sintra.
The National Coach Museum ‘Museu Nacional dos Coches’ hosts an exceptional collection of ceremonial vehicles from the Royal family, dating from 17th Century to late 19th Century.
The exhibition is considered the most remarkable collection of this kind in the world. Visitors can follow the journey of the carriage from its humble origins of animal pulled transport through its evolution to the exquisite and elaborate royal carriages amongst which diners will enjoy an unforgettable meal.
The Museum is located in the old Royal Riding Arena of Belém Palace and is one of the most visited museums in Portugal.
ITINERARY 09:30 depart hotel (Lisbon) 10:20 approx arrival Pena Palace
guided visit usually lasts 60-90 minutes (depending on group) usually group will be given some free time for photos / a little wander on their own – guide will set a meet up point and time
12:20 transfer back down to Sintra town and free time for a little wander
13:15 lunch (Lawrence’s can be walked to/from central town square)
14:45 depart Sintra 15:30 arrival back at hotel
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LUBE MAGAZINE No .111 OCTOBER 2012
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