Sintra

Sintra is a town northwest of Lisbon, Portugal, and the capital of the sea-side concelho (municipality) of the same name. The village has a population of 24,640 in 3 freguesias (parishes), while the concelho population, at 363,749 in 20 freguesias, is the second most populous in Portugal.

A UNESCO World Heritage Site on account of its 19th century Romantic architecture, it is a major tourist attraction, with many day-trippers visiting from nearby Lisbon. Attractions include the Palácio da Pena (19th c.) and the Castelo dos Mouros (8th/9th c., reconstructed 19th c.) in the Serra de Sintra nature park, and the Palácio Nacional de Sintra (largely 15th/16th c.), in the village itself.

Other major cities in the municipality are Algueirão-Mem Martins with 65,546, Agualva-Cacém with 55,762, Rio de Mouro with 46,023, Massamá with 28,174, Queluz with 27,910 and Monte Abraão with 22,039. Sintra is unique in the concelhos of Portugal in having the municipality seat in a village, despite the number of larger cities in the municipality.

Major activities in the area are commerce and tourism. Tourists are drawn by the cultural heritage in the village itself, the nature park of Serra de Sintra, the coastal beaches in the municipality and Cabo da Roca, the westernmost point of mainland Europe, which lies 18 kilometres west of Sintra.

Some areas close to Lisbon are essentially residential suburbs already in conurbation with Amadora, Odivelas and Lisbon. Sintra's problems include major pendular movements to Lisbon, with terrible traffic during rush hour on the IC-19 road to Lisbon.

Parishes

Sintra has 20 civil parishes:

• Agualva
• Algueirão - Mem Martins
• Almargem do Bispo
• Belas
• Cacém
• Casal de Cambra
• Colares
• Massamá
• Mira-Sintra
• Monte Abraão
• Montelavar
• Pêro Pinheiro
• Queluz
• Rio de Mouro
• Santa Maria e São Miguel (Sintra)
• São João das Lampas
• São Marcos
• São Martinho
• São Pedro de Penaferrim
• Terrugem