SINTRA - NEIGHBORHOODS

Sintra

Out of the 370,000 people who call the municipality of Sintra home, approximately 30,000 live in the three parishes of Sintra proper: Sao Maria e Miguel, Sao Martinho and Sao Pedro de Penaferrim. The most populous of the three parishes is Sao Pedro de Penaferrim, where 14,000 people live. This is also the parish where the Palace of Pena, the Chalet and Garden of the Countess of Edla, and the Castle of the Moors are located.

When you see references to the `historic quarter` or `Sintra-Vila`, people are referencing Sao Martinho. 6,000 people live in Sao Martinho, which is cozy and compact. The National Palace of Sintra, the Quinta da Regaleira, the Palace of Monserrate and Seteais Palace are all located within the boundaries of Sao Martinho. The main church in Sintra, the Igreja de Santa Maria, is located in its namesake parish, Santa Maria e Sao Miguel.

Colares

Colares is one of the parishes in Sintra municipality, and the entire parish boundaries sit inside the parameters of Sintra-Cascais Natural Park. Colares begins a few miles from the coast and stretches right to the Atlantic Ocean. Cabo da Roca, continental Europe`s westernmost point, is located in Colares, as are Praia da Adraga, Convent of the Capuchos, and Bear Beach.

Colares has a population of approximately 7,500, and it has a long history, stretching back to the time of the Romans. Colares is unique in that it is one of the few places in Portugal where vineyards grow directly on the sandy beaches. Three-quarters of the wine production in Colares consists of red wines.

Agualva e Mira Sintra, Agualva-Cacem, Queluz and Rio de Mouro

This region is considered an `urban sprawl` region in which people commute to work in Sintra, Lisbon, or in cities and towns around Lisbon. Nearly 200,000 people live in this area, which roughly coincides with the five miles southeast of Sintra. The National Palace of Queluz is probably the main attraction that tourists will be visiting in this area.

The main demographic in these cities and towns is middle-class, with many people living in high-rise apartments. Agualva-Cacem in particular is a thriving city which is home to two industrial parks, employing thousands of people in the surrounding area. Agualva-Cacem is the fifth-largest suburb of Lisbon, with over 80,000 residents.