Before you say anything, let us just explain why late-October is a perfect time to book your vacation in Portugal. First of all, if you book in time, you might get plane tickets discounts – if you wait too long, actually, you might not find tickets left at all, which will be an issue… Secondly, the choice of lodgings can be time-sensitive and other services, such as Lisbon airport transfers or Portugal tours can be booked in advance for more advantageous prices.

What we are trying to say is that today is just as good a day as any to book your Portugal trip during Christmas and/ or the New Year’s Eve. Now that we have covered this, let’s visit Sintra for a quick preview of what you are in for, provided you plan your vacation there.

Sintra is the setting for a fairytale. Nested between the Sintra Mountains and the vast natural confines of the Sintra-Cascais Natural Park, the city is scattered with estates and retreats, medieval castles and tourist attractions.

The most emblematic symbol of Sintra is the UNESCO-recognized 19th-century Romantic royal castle Pena National Palace. Perched on a tall hill, the castle is visible even from Lisbon. Built on the medieval ruins of a chapel, the castle was commissioned by King consort Ferdinand II and the construction lasted from 1842 until 1854. It is one of the greatest worldwide samples of Romantic architecture.

Sintra also offers beautiful plazas, the Old Town and the medieval Castle of the Moors to admire and to spend a truly enchanted Christmas and to welcome the coming of the New Year.