Lugar do Pôr-do-Sol

There are splendid views of the Atlantic Ocean from various observation points in the pretty resort of Santa Cruz (10 minutes’ drive), including the Torre de Santa Cruz and the Miradouro da Praia da Formosa, overlooking the beach of the same name. Bars and seafood restaurants line the cobbled streets of the town centre. Sintra (55 minutes) is famed for the National Palace of Pena, a dazzlingly colourful and architecturally eclectic structure that rises on a wooded hill just out of town. Check out its delicate Manueline Cloister, decorated with tiles, and lose yourself within the lush park. When in Lisbon (one hour), be sure to ride on at least one of the several funiculars that link the various parts of the city. After a stop on the vast Praça do Comércio square, on the river Tagus, head to the neighbourhood of Belém to marvel at the huge Monument to the Discoveries, visit the Manueline Jerónimos Monastery and stock up on custard tarts from the historic Pastéis de Belém patisserie.