Fodor's Expert Review Parque e Palácio Nacional da Pena

The biggest draw in Sintra, this Disney-like castle is a glorious conglomeration of turrets and domes awash in pastels. In 1503 the Monastery of Nossa Senhora da Pena was constructed here, but it was badly damaged by the devastating earthquake that struck Lisbon in 1755. The monastery remained active in the ruined building, but it was abandoned when religious orders were expelled from Portugal in 1834. In 1836, the ruins were purchased by Maria II's consort, Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. Inspired by the Bavarian castles of his homeland, Ferdinand commissioned a German mineralist and mining engineer, Baron Eschwege, to build the castle of his fantasies, in styles that range from Arabian to Portuguese Gothic. Work was finished around 1860, by which time he was Fernando II. The surrounding park is filled with trees and flowers, as well as hidden temples, grottoes, and the Valley of the Lakes, where black swans sit regally. Portugal's last monarchs used the Pena Palace as a summer home, the last of whom—Queen Amélia—went into exile in England after the Republic was proclaimed on October 5, 1910. Inside is an ostentatious and often bizarre collection of European furniture, ornaments, and paintings. Placards explain each room. Visitors can walk along high castle walls, peek into turrets, and finally reward themselves with a drink and a snack at one of two on-site cafés. A path beyond an enormous statue (thought to be Ferdinand II himself, forever guarding the park and the palace) on a nearby crag leads to the Cruz Alta, a 16th-century stone cross 1,782 feet above sea level, with stupendous views.