Day 1 – After arriving the previous evening, we visit Sintra’s two great palaces – Pena Palace, the 19th C romantic creation of King Ferdinand and Queen Maria and the Sintra National Palace dating from the 15th C
Day 2 – City tour and visit to Belem, Lisbon – bit wet in the morning but then lovely sunshine
Church of the Mosteiro dos Jeronimos
Day 3 – Palace of the Marqueses do Fronteira, Alfama and optional visit to the National Tile Museum
Monkey Business
From a walk in the centre – views from the Elevador de Santa Justa (left, dating from 1901) to the Tagus estuary and up to the Castelo de Sao Jorge
Views from the Praca do Comercio (left) over the Tagus and to the 25 April suspension bridge
Below – Ceremony to mark Anzac Day – 26 April – in Largo do Carmo (left)
Day 4 – a day out south of the Tagus to Sesimbra, Setubal and Palmela and the Arrabida Nature Reserve
Sesimbra – the old church with more wonderful tiles (above) and the group looking at the view from the churchard (below) down to the town and harbour
Fortified by a leisurely lunch in Setubal, we go on to the hill town of Palmela, its ancient castle and panoramic views – and of course a chuch with more beautiful tiles
Dinner on our last night
Day 5 – A stop at the Edward VII Park and then a visit to the fabulous Museu Calouste Gulbenkian to see its many treasures before getting the plane home
The Gulbenkian has a world class collection, beautifully presented, from Greek, Roman and Egyptian through Islamic, Chinese and Japanese textiles and ceramics to Old Masters, Impressionists and pre-Raphaelite paintings, Rodin and other scultpures, Lalique glass and jewellery.
The Islamic collection at the Gulbenkian is especially strong, as is the Lalique, examples below
A lovely John Singer Sargent below
Just time for some lunch at the museum café with a hungry guest
