Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
DON'T MISS
A SURREAL MANSION & GARDENS
Exploring the Quinta da Regaleira OFFLINE MAP GOOGLE MAP ( www.regaleira.pt; Rua Barbosa du Bocage;
adult/child €6/3; 10am-8pm) is like delving into another world. This neo-Manueline extravaganza was
dreamed up by Italian opera-set designer Luigi Manini under the orders of Brazilian coffee tycoon, António Car-
valho Monteiro, aka Monteiro dos Milhões (Moneybags Monteiro). Enter the villa to begin the surreal journey,
with ferociously carved fireplaces, frescos and Venetian-glass mosaics. Keep an eye out for mythological and
Knights Templar symbols.
The playful gardens are fun to explore - footpaths wriggle through the dense foliage to follies, fountains, grot-
toes, lakes and underground caverns. All routes seem to eventually end at the revolving stone door leading to the
initiation well, Poço Iniciáto , plunging down some 30m. You walk down the nine-tiered spiral (three by three -
three being the magic number) to mysterious hollowed-out underground galleries, lit by fairy lights.
Search WWH ::




Custom Search