Sintra & Cascais: From Castle to Ocean

The Biester Palace is one of Sintra's most surprising discoveries - discreet on the outside, fascinating on the inside. Built at the end of the 19th century, it was the refuge of Ernesto Biester, a curious and spiritual man who believed that architecture could hold hidden meanings. Every detail has something to say: stained glass windows that filter the light as if in a dream, staircases that are lost in shadows, symbols hidden in the walls. To visit the Biester is to immerse yourself in a secret chapter of Sintra: intimate, artistic and mysterious, as if the palace itself breathed stories yet to be told.

Monserrate Palace is an explosion of color and detail in the middle of the mountains. A place where the exotic meets the romantic, and where nature steals the show from architecture. Every arch, every stained glass window, every corridor seems to be lit from within. Surrounded by lush gardens with plants from all corners of the world, the palace blends Gothic, Indian and Moorish styles, creating an unlikely and perfect harmony. It was here that millionaire Francis Cook created his dream retreat, and you can understand why: Monserrate has a different, lively and inspiring energy. They say that even the wind blows with its own rhythm. This is Sintra at its most vibrant - unexpected, luminous and irresistible.

Praia do Guincho is a pure force of nature. The wind, the sea and the dunes create a landscape in constant movement - beautiful, untamed and full of energy. Here, the Atlantic shows its wildest side, with waves that challenge surfers and a horizon that seems infinite. But there is also silence and lightness: the sound of the wind cutting through the air, the smell of the sea, the golden glow of the sand in the late afternoon. It's a place of contrasts - between adrenaline and calm, freedom and contemplation. Guincho is more than a beach: it's a sensation. A piece of coastline where the world seems bigger, the air purer and life simpler.

*Meals, tastings and entrance fees to monuments not included.

A former refuge for kings and artists, it maintains a perfect balance between tradition and modernity. The streets of the historic center invite you to take a leisurely stroll - between stores, cafés and the sparkle of the bay, where boats remind you of the town's fishing origins. The Santa Marta Lighthouse, built in the 17th century on top of an old fortress, has a curious legend: it is said that its lighthouse keeper never left his post, even during the most severe storms, swearing that the light from the lighthouse was “the living soul of Cascais”. Today, the lighthouse is a museum and a symbol of the city, a meeting point between history and the skyline.

During the Second World War, it became a refuge for exiled kings, artists and spies - the atmosphere of intrigue that inspired Ian Fleming to create James Bond, after a stay at the iconic Casino Estoril, the largest in Europe. It is said that more than money was gambled at its tables: secrets, plans and alliances were exchanged there. Today, the elegant gardens, the seafront promenade to Cascais and the golden beaches retain the refined spirit of yesteryear. Between history, glamour and the sea, Estoril continues to be a place where past and present meet in style.

The trip ends when we return to the hotel, but there's a little piece of it left to take back with us - made up of memories and Portugal.

On this route, we have carefully included a surprise place chosen by us for this day.