If I didn’t know better I’d say that Portugal is deliberately making it hard on us. For our last day here she dished out some of the most splendid weather we’ve had on this already blue-sky trip. Then she landed us here in Sintra, city of kings, although I’ll take some responsibility for that since I planned the itinerary. 

Finally, there were today’s attractions. Whereas yesterday’s visit to the Pena Palace was a bit like being herded into a cattle car, this afternoon’s tour of the National Palace was deliciously free of crowds. 

And in the morning—ah!—there was Quinta da Regaleira, a villa on grounds that include a mossy green spiral staircase that I’d seen in photos and which lived up to its photogenic reputation—though after walking down it with two millennials we met on the way there, I’d say it requires the bold approach of holding one’s cameras over the void to snag the perfect shot (see above for a less-than-perfect one).