Royal Palaces of Sintra and Mafra, Portugal - UNESCO World Heritage Site

 Place: Royal Palaces of Sintra and Mafra, Portugal

Weather: A mix of clouds and sun in the morning giving way to cloudy skies and light rain in afternoon, 55/66F

Route: From Lisbon 29 km on A37.

Significance: Both of these palaces, 25 km apart, are UNESCO World Heritage Sites on their own. Mafra was built in the early 18th century and Sintra in the middle 19th century.  Mafra is Italian Baroque in design, whereas Sintra is a fantastical mixture of Gothic, Egyptian, Moorish, and Renaissance.

Websites: Sintra, Mafra.

Images:

Royal Palace of Sintra (from whc.unesco.org)

Royal Palace of Mafra (from whc.unesco.org)