What do you do when you want a peaceful cottage where you can escape the stresses of daily life? If you happen to be the king of Portugal, you renovate an old monastery into a romantic castle using bright colours and the ubiquitous glazed tiles (below).
This is what Ferdinand II (cousin of Prince Albert, above left) did in the first half of the 19th century in Sintra. Situated in a huge park reflecting the fashionable ’picturesque’ design style, the castle eschews all symmetry in favour of romantic towers, turrets, bastions and walls. The park also has a Moorish Castle, originally begun in the 8th century (above right).
All castles need a Great Hall, and this one is no exception – it was used for audiences and festivities (above). The royal family used the castle until the declaration of the republic in 1910, and since then it has been open to the public.
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