Almaa

Sintra


Sustainably minded Almaa is an idyllic spot to recharge, with a quirky design scheme (featuring recycled furniture) and an attractive setting. The surrounding 3.5 hectares of lush grounds have walking paths and an old spring-fed reservoir for swimming. It's not without imperfections (a little mould-proof paint would work wonders) but as the name in Portuguese suggests, it has soul.

More recent add-ons include an activity room for yoga, meditation, qigong and other spiritual practices. It's a 10-minute walk from the village centre.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Sintra attractions

1. Quinta da Regaleira

0.14 MILES

This magical villa and gardens is a neo-Manueline extravaganza, dreamed up by Italian opera-set designer, Luigi Manini, under the orders of Brazilian…

2. Palácio Nacional de Sintra

0.43 MILES

The star of Sintra-Vila is this palace, with its iconic twin conical chimneys and lavish, whimsical interior, which is a mix of Moorish and Manueline…

3. Castelo dos Mouros

0.63 MILES

Soaring 412m above sea level, this mist-enshrouded ruined castle looms high above the surrounding forest. When the clouds peel away, the vistas over…

4. Museu Anjos Teixeira

0.63 MILES

Set in a former watermill, this small museum displays works by the father-and-son duo of Anjos Teixeira – two of Portugal’s greatest sculptors. Most of…

5. Palácio Nacional da Pena

0.81 MILES

Rising from a thickly wooded peak and often enshrouded in swirling mist, Palácio Nacional da Pena is a wacky confection of onion domes, Moorish keyhole…

6. Parque da Pena

0.87 MILES

Nearly topped by King Ferdinand II's whimsical Palácio Nacional da Pena (only Cruz Alta, at 529m, is higher), these romantic gardens are filled with…

7. Museu das Artes de Sintra

0.98 MILES

This museum features a small and manageable collection of contemporary and modern art, around 80% of which is dedicated to local works. The permanent…

8. Palácio & Parque de Monserrate

1.38 MILES

At the centre of a lush, 30-hectare park, a manicured lawn sweeps up to this whimsical, Moorish-Gothic-Indian palácio, the 19th-century romantic folly of…