Portugal: The Coastal Road to Sintra, Cascais and Cabo Da Roca
My plan was to spend some time at the Basque country in Spain and have a relaxing stay at the luxurious Hotel Riscal in Bilbao after my Camino De Santiago walk. But unable to exchange my hotel points, I changed my travel plans and booked a flight to Lisbon, Portugal. Luckily I was able to use my hotel points at the Sheraton Hotel and SPA. My first day in Lisbon was literally spent relaxing, getting a massage and facial at the hotel/SPA. The following day, I decided to explore the city. I walked through Alfama, the oldest section of Lisbon, and visited a museum, historical landmarks, and the World Heritage sites of ' Monastery of the Hieronymites and Tower of Belém '. Lisbon has very similar topography as San Francisco. A lengthy bus ride the following day, took me along the coast of Sintra, Cascais, Estoril and Cabo De Roca. In Sintra, the highlight was the Pena Palace, the greatest example of romantic architecture in Portugal, built in 19th century upon a hillt...