Portugal. In Sintra at the sumptuous Seteais Palace

To stay at the Valverde Sintra Palácio de Seteais is to be transported by the time machine into the festivities of the Portuguese royal court. Here, in fact, tritons, sirens and mythological figures that Jean Baptiste Pillement, an artist who lived between 1728-1808 and was coveted by the major courts of his time, painted on the walls in the bedrooms and reception rooms make their timely appearance, creating an elegant botanical setting. After all, the owner Daniel Gildemeister, a wealthy businessman and Dutch consul in Portugal, wanted just such a dreamlike abode as the Quinta da Alegria Palace, the structure's original name. He was not able to enjoy it much, as he died just six years later, but it certainly went better for D. Diogo Vito, Marquis of Marialva, who doubled the size of the building, added the triumphal arch to join the two wings and organised fabulous parties, capable of attracting the most titled continental aristocracy to Sintra. Around 1955, the Lusitanian architect Raul Lino was responsible for the reconversion of the 18th-century spaces to make them ideal for housing the Hotel Palácio de Seteais. The garden labyrinth where the marquis hid his servants so that by repeating his voice they would deceive guests as to the real power of the echo is still an attractive botanical attraction today. Many are the beauties of Sintra as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, starting with the National Palace of Pena, flanked by the fascinating Moresco Castle. Then descend to the Convent of the Capuchins, the Palace and Park of Monserrate, visit the Chalet and Garden of the Countess of Edla, discover the Palace of Biester, and the nearby Quinta da Regaleira. And of course, the following day, take the opportunity for an on-the-road trip along the coast, until you reach the iconic Cabo da Roca and perhaps already enjoy a swim in the frothy waters of the Atlantic Ocean.