Parque da Pena, Park in Sintra, Portugal
Parque da Pena is a large forested park surrounding the Pena Palace on the hills of Sintra, Portugal. Its paths wind through dense woodland past boulders, small lakes, and viewpoints that open up over the surrounding hills and coast.
Ferdinand II, who became king consort in 1836, acquired the estate and began transforming the hills around the former Hieronymite monastery into a landscaped park. Planting began in the 1840s under the German gardener Baron von Eschwege, who used the granite boulders and springs of the Serra de Sintra as a framework. Exotic species from the Americas, Asia and Oceania were set among native oaks and stone pines.
The Chalet da Condessa d'Edla was built in the 1860s by Ferdinand II and his second wife Elise Hensler, the Countess of Edla, as a retreat in the park. Its walls are faced with cork bark and its balconies carry wooden fretwork. Nearby, the Feteira da Condessa is a fern-filled hollow with small streams and ponds.
The park is very large and sturdy footwear is recommended, as many paths are steep or rocky. Those with more time can take the longer walking route, which covers considerably more ground than the shorter loop and can take a few hours to complete.
Although the palace sits high on a rock, it can barely be seen from within the park because the trees block the view. The best place to spot it is at Alto do Chá, a windy hill at the edge of the park where the trees open up and the full shape of the palace comes into view.
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