QUINTA DA REGALEIRA
The Quinta da Regaleira sits just outside the old town centre of Sintra and is popular with day-trippers from Lisbon. MADABOUTSINTRA.COM is your indispensable guide to help your visit run smoothly. Check out our guides about what to see, where to go, where to sleep, where to eat and how to travel there. On this page too, you'll find several suggested tours designed to take the effort out of visiting local attractions.
Frequently referred to as the Paláçio da Regaleira, Quinta da Regaleira was built between 1904 and 1910, during the final days of Portugal's monarchy. It is on the site formerly belonging to the Barons of Regaleira, a family of wealthy merchants from Porto. António Augusto Carvalho Monteiro commissioned the Italian theatrical designer and architect Luigi Manini (1848-1936) to design the house. Manini had already proved his mastery of the adeptness of the Neo-Manueline, with the Palace Hotel do Buçaco.
The four-hectare estate, the palace and surrounding lush gardens, were transformed into a playground of mysticism, romance, wonder and magic. Found amongst the lakes, statues, caves and enigmatic constructions are hidden alchemical symbology, such as those evoked by the Freemasons, Templars and an esoteric medieval German ideology, Rosicrucianism. Since 2002, the house and estate are classified as a National Monument and preserved by the CulturSintra foundation.
QUINTA DA REGALEIRA GUIDED TOUR
ONLINE TICKET
With this guided tour ticket you can gain entry to the Quinta da Regaleira at your leisure and enjoy the benefits of a well-informed guide. Buy online before you arrive to avoid queues and have the convenience of the e-ticket on your phone…
Book with confidence with the FREE CANCELLATION option.
• Pena Park & Palace/Quinta da Regaleira Combination tickets available
• Kids under Six get in free, no ticket required
Opening Times
October to April, Daily: 09h30 - 18h00, (last admission at 17h00)
May to September, Daily: 09h30 - 20h00, (last admission at 19h00)
Lisbon Card: 20% discount (On the door)
Contact Details
Quinta da Regaleira, 2710-567 Sintra, Portugal.
38° 47' 45.5" N | 09° 23' 44.45" W | +351 219 106 650
geral@cultursintra.pt | Website
THE MAIN HOUSE OF QUINTA DA REGALEIRA
Quinta da Regaleira chapel and main building
The main façade of the house is quite a sight to behold, with its Gothic turrets, gargoyles, capitals, Manueline motifs and the octagonal panoramic terrace all contributing to its unique character. The palace comprises five floors; the ground floor, three upper floors, and a basement. The entrance is through the courtyard opposite the coffee shop by the middle gate. As you make your way through the entrance, you are immediately introduced to the grandeur of the site with the intricately designed porch crafted from the finest Coimbra limestone.
The first room you enter past the main portal is the brightly lit octangular Dining Room dominated by the huge ornate fireplace and a statue of a woodsman. The room's decoration carries a hunting theme, from the Venetian mosaic floor to the carvings on the ceiling.
Across the corridor is the Renaissance Hall, the former drawing room, where subtle references to Carvelho Monteiro and his wife Perpetua Auguste, are found within the decor. Look out for the chandeliers shaped like the Cross of the Order of Christ hanging from the ornate wooden ceiling. Also on the ground floor is the King's room, formally the billiards room, which contains portraits of the Portuguese monarchy. Running the length of the ground floor is the balcony.
Dinning room
The first floor contains the family bedrooms and dressing room. The Lusiad Room, which takes its name from Luís Vaz de Camões' epic poem on Portugal's voyages of discovery, is a vital part of the master suite. The Templar Church of Tomar and the Temple of the Mount in Jerusalem inspired the octagonal turret occupying the southern corner of the second floor. It served as Carvalho Monteiro's study. Also on this floor there are the staff bedrooms and storerooms. The neo-gothic tower on the northern corner of the third floor houses a private office with a stairway to a laboratory and access to rooftop terraces. In true "upstairs and downstairs" fashion, the basement levels are where the servant quarters, kitchen, scullery, ironing room, refectory and dumb waiter are located.
TOP TOURS
Quinta da Regaleira; Private Tour with Ticket
After departure from your hotel, we will make a pleasant private tour to the romantic village of Sintra. Quinta da Regaleira is one of the more amazing monuments. Situated near the historic centre of Sintra Village, with four hectares of lush gardens, lakes, caves and enigmatic buildings. After your unhurried visit, we will visit the westernmost point of the European continent, Cabo da Roca, a magnificent and wild place raised to 140 meters above its cliffs. Free time to visit this place, with bar, WC, and shop.
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Sintra Pena Palace and Quinta da Regalheira. Most complete tour!
Take a break from the busy streets of Lisbon and head into the Sintra mountains for a day of exploring cultural and natural landmarks. With a small group, enjoy guided tours of Pena Palace and Quinta da Regaleira and a walking tour of the town centre. Then, head to the coast to see the views from Roca Cape before taking a stroll through the fishing village of Cascais. Visit a UNESCO World Heritage Site–Sintra’s centre. Learn about Portugal’s rich history and culture. Enjoy round-trip transfers from your Lisbon hotel. A small group means more attention from your guide.
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Quinta da Regaleira and wine tasting - All Inclusive
Come and enjoy our Quinta da Regaleira and Wine Tasting tour in Sintra! Come visit with us the highest exponent of the mystical aura of the mountains, down the famous Initiation Well. After lunch in Colares, it is time to enjoy a magnificent wine tasting of the region that will conquer your palate. We will then board the charming tram that departs from Praia das Macas to bring you back to Sintra to enjoy the regional sweets. Finally, we will take you to your hotel by the Cascais road so you can enjoy the beautiful breathtaking scenery.
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THE GARDENS AT QUINTA DA REGALEIRA
The themes of the garden are mystical and esoteric. They cover different epochs with such influences as Virgil, Dante, Templars, the Order of Christ and Freemasonry. A walk through the garden and its various monuments, fountains, caves, tunnels and towers is a metaphysical quest or initiation into the mysteries of the cosmos or perhaps, just a playground to suit Monteiro's whim… I'll let you decide.
Map of the Quinta da Regaleira grounds © Delahay&Co
COMBINATION DEALS
Save even more money with these popular combination tickets. Book with confidence with the FREE CANCELLATION option.
1
The Chapel
In front of the main house is the loverly chapel built in a Neo-Manueline style from pure white stone. Inside there is a mix of Christian and occultist imagery. Images of Mary and Christ sit alongside subtle Templar and Freemason symbology. The floor contains representations of the Portuguese armillary sphere and the Order of Christ cross, surrounded by pentagrams. A stained glass window depictions Dom Fuas Roupinho hunting a reindeer over a cliff. Beneath the crypt is an entrance to a subterranean passage leading to the basement of the main house.
2
Promenade of the Gods
At the lower end of the garden is the Promenade of the Gods, an avenue lined with replica statues of various classical gods and goddesses such as Orpheus, Venus, Hermes, Flora, Ceres, Pam, Volcan and Dionysus.
Dionysus is an important figure in Freemasonry. There are references to her throughout the estate. The avenue ends at the Pisões Loggia, an alternative entrance into the grounds with a statue of a lion.
3
Portal of the Guardians
One of the many water features is the curious Portal of the Guardians, which stands at one end of a courtyard. This long curved structure is flanked on each end by two towers with a central pavilion.
The centrepiece of the structure is an arch with a statue of two reptilian creatures holding a large seashell. The Portal of the Guardians is a hidden entrance to a tunnel leading to the Initiation Well.
4
The Initiation Well
Not really a well, but an inverted tower that descends/ascends 27 metres (88 ft) with a spiral staircase winding its way around the perimeter and playing tricks on the senses. The true purpose of the well, and its intriguing name, is unknown. Tantalising clues can be found within its symbolism. At the base, the pattern on the floor is a compass overlaying a Templar Cross, thought to be Monteiro's coat of arms. The staircase contains nine platforms reminiscent of the nine circles from the Divine Comedy by Dante, the nine levels of Purgatory and the nine skies which constitute Paradise.
5
The Unfinished Well
A second smaller "well" is found nearby, a tunnel that links the two. Known as the Unfinished Well, it contains a series of straight staircases that join the ringed platforms, the spacing in-between which and the number of steps is said to have special Masonic significance. The Unfinished Well is much darker, damp, more claustrophobic, and exudes an unnerving eeriness.
B. Greenhouse. This temple of Flora is a reflection of Carvalho Monteiro's fondness for botany. The panel of tiles on the façade depicts a group of priestesses conducting a fertility rite.
E. Arts Workshop. Originally, this was the servants quarters, a workshop and a generator which powered the whole estate. Now a venue for music rehearsals, art workshops and exhibitions.
F. Chimaeras' Court. This terrace is now used for the seating area of the café.
G. Pisões Loggia. An ornately decorated loggia in the Neo-Manueline style lined with azulejo tiles which were used as an alternative entrance to the estate.
H. Balnearium Fountain. Located between the lion statue and the Gruta do Labirinto, the Balnearium Fountain sadly has seen better days. In between the two windows, the central arch contains a mosaic depicting two herons.
I. Fountain of Regaleira. Also known as the Fountain of Abundance, this ornate fountain is decorated in an Arabesque mosaic.
J. Regaleira Tower. A fairy tail turret with amazing views of the Sintra mountain and the Moorish Castle above.
