Did you ever see the movie The Ninth Gate with Johnny Depp? If not, have a look at it then, because it will give you the vibe of what it is to visit the Quinta da Regaleira in Sintra (it’s featured in the movie). Sometimes I actually mix up the images from that movie with the “Masked Ball” tune of Eyes Wide Shut. I know it’s not the first time I reference that music,  but I really like that tune when it comes to spiritual and mystical stuff. That’s because the Quinta da Regaleira influences that type of image, it prespires mysticism. After all, putting some historic reference in,  it was bought by  Carvalho Monteiro in the late 1800’s and he was fond of egnimatic stuff. So when Italian architect Luigi Manini designed the place, he came up with these buildings hiding symbols that evoke themes such as alchemy, Masonry, the  Knights Templar, and the Rosicrucians - all things that Carvalho Monteiro fancied a lot. Therefore, some say the owner was part of a cult, and he used to hold some type of  rituals, mostly in the tunnel labyrinth that surrounds the property. He needed a hobby and there was no Facebook back then. Although the whole cult part is not entirely true, it is a well known rumor and it helps your imagination to think likewise when visiting the place.

Palácio da Regaleira

The Quinta da Regaleira is located a scarce 5 minute walk from the Sintra historical center. That means getting there is quite easy since all touristic routes from Lisbon head to Sintra, and once in Sintra, everyone knows the place in case you need to ask for directions. In my opinion, it doesn’t matter if it’s a sunny day or a rainy day to visit. I actually visited it in many occasions with different weather conditions, and weather tends to influence the vision you create of the place. So it’s up to you which one you will have. But I must add that the garden is best seen on a sunny day, as the light brings out the color better of course.

Patamar dos Deuses

The  entrance to the place is around €4 and it gives you access to everything within the property. There are some reductions for residents, elderly and children, which will be properly shown. There is a toilet before you reach the ticket booth but if you need to go wee-wee, I would suggest to go at the cafe or at the ones once inside. The toilets outside are not that well kept. Once you get your ticket you will also get a map, so you can check which way you want to go first. My suggestion is to leave the palace for last, which is just by the entrance, and start with the path at your left that leads to a garden full of statues.

Gruta do Labirinto

That garden is called the “Patamar dos Deuses”, roughly translated into “Path of the Gods”, and it has a series of statues representing the Greek pantheon. At the end of the path there is a small lake, where you will find the first set of tunnels. This one is not connected to the others, going only around that lake, but it’s a good start to have an idea what they are about. Remember to bring some light, a cell phone will do, because it will be very dark inside and your eyes won’t be quick enough to adapt on a sunny day. And watch your head!

Lago da Cascata

Then head up towards either the “Fonte da Abundância” or the “Torre da Regaleira”. It’s up to you, just take in consideration that if you take a tunnel in “Gruta do Oriente” or “Lago da Cascata” you might end up in one of the wells and not see what is above ground, so for now, maybe I would restrain myself from going into the tunnels, unless you have loads of time to spend. Do surface sightseeing and save the wells for last. For example, head all the way to the “Gruta da Virgem”, which seems to be forgotten sometimes since is way up in a corner, and then go to the “Poço Iniciático” . The “Poço Iniciático”, roughly translated to “Initiation Well”, might be the main attraction due to it’s huge amount of photos on the web. It is also known because Portuguese Fado singer Mariza filmed her music video for Cavaleiro Monge inside of it. Well, the whole video is in Quinta da Regaleira, but the memorable part is inside the well. Yeah, the video concept is that Mariza fell in the well and is singing to get Lassie’s attention.

Portal dos Guardiães

The “Poço Iniciático” is a must-see. It is supposed to represent the connection between Heaven and Earth, where you go down the path to darkness, to follow the tunnels and come out into the light. Like a journey of self-discovery, soul cleansing, etc. Interpret as you want. Since these tunnels are the ones that people will go for the most, some of them have lighted paths. Just in case you didn’t have any light to try the other ones, don’t worry because you can do these by following the yellow light road. Go down the stairs, take some photos on the way, look up and say goodbye to your past life as you enter Mother Earth’s womb to be born again into a new world. Kind of like tumbling down the rabbit hole like in the Matrix but without machines… oh, and the new world you’re re-born into (spoiler alert)… it’s still the same.

Poço Iniciático

By now you have seen most of the outdoor things, so let’s go for the buildings. There is a little chapel close to the palace, also worth seeing, and then there’s the palace. Last time I was there, there was some roof fixing going on, so it was only possible to see one floor. Even one floor can take some time if, like me, you will check the details like door knobs, figures on the ceiling or on the wall, photos, etc.. Everything is full of symbolism, and it’s up to you to figure them out. If you don’t get a guided tour, the map comes with some information, and there are some signs inside the palace as well.

Torre da Regaleira

At the end of your visit, if it wasn’t enough the first time around, you can have another walk around the beautiful gardens. Otherwise, there is a cafe by the palace where you can have a drink while sitting on the terrace. Quinta da Regaleira is a really nice place to visit, but don’t overspend your day there because there are so many other things worth a visit in Sintra (which will be subjects for future posts too). It’s also worth mentioning that sometimes they have showings in the property, concerts mainly, but the capacity is limited. Check in advance if there is anything going on in order to plan adequately and/or buy tickets. The whole atmosphere of the property must create a unique event, so if there is an opportunity to go for an activity, do so.

Quinta da Regaleira,
2710-567 Sintra
Portugal
Phone: +351 219106656
Email: regaleira@mail.telepac.pt

Official Website

Map of Location – Google Maps

Quinta da Regaleira – Wikipedia

Quinta da Regaleira – Flickr