Climbing, hiking and magical Sintra - Portuguese adventure
Details
http://photos3.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/3/1/f/8/event_184512792.jpegI know we are just coming up to Christmas, but Easter is just round the corner, and if we want to get a good deal on the flights, the time is now!
What's in store this Easter:
We will be visiting Sintra Mountain Range which cultural landscape is classified by Unesco as a World Heritage Site (http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/723). We will do hiking and rock climbing.
We will see Lisbon on our way back.
Price: £185 early bird price, if paid in full before the end of January 2013. Details for payment are available following this link: http://www.adventureclub.biz/pages/Bank_account/ .
If paid after that time, the full price will be £225https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcR0G84NRG2tsriINCDMZbyFkh4XhmUlY8g5WcKJZxX887MuCzjeJA.
What's included:
Accomodation
Breakfasts
Transfer to Lisbon from the airport and back
Train to Sintra and back
Rock Climbing
Hiking
What's not included: flights, other meals than breakfasts.
Sintra:
The name Sintra derives from Cynthia, «Goddess of the Moon», who was worshipped here, on this small mountain range, by the Celts.
Sintra is greatly admired by the Portuguese people, since it is a freak of nature in that it possesses a climate and vegetation not common in Southern Europe.
Rich in history and tradition, Sintra with its romantic atmosphere has been lauded by many writers, painters and artists who have spread the fame of this «Glorious Eden» to every corner of the world (Sintra and its Farm Manors – Arturo D. Pereira, Felipa Espírito Santo Cardoso, Fernando Calado Correia).
Plan of the trip
29 March 2013
Arrive 13:55 At Lisbon airport
13:55 – 14:30 collecting luggage and going through cutoms
14:30 – 15:00 transfer to Lisbon (included)
15:00 – 17:00 going for some food and hanging out in Lisbon (food not included)
17:00 - 17:30 getting to Rossio station
17:38 – 18:17 transfer to sintra (included)
18:17 – 19:00 find the hostel and check in (there is a 30 minutes’ walk from the train station to the hostel)
19:00 – late food and drinks in sintra (not included)
30 March 2013
9am meeting at the hostel
9am – 9:30 transfer to the rocks (5km from Sintra) - included
9:30 – 12:30 climbing (included)
12:30 – 13:00 transfer back to Sintra (included)
13:00 – 15:00 lunch break (not included)
15:00 – 18:00 visiting Quinta da Regaleira (optional) - tickets according to Lonely Planet are €6 – not included
18:00 – 20:00 dinner in Sintra (not included)
20:00 till late drinks and free time (not included)
31 March 2013
10:30 – 16:00 hiking in Sintra (included, but entry tickets are optional and not included)
12:30 arrive at Convento de Capuchos and spend about 1 hour here having a picnic. Entry to the convent is not included in the price. Tickets according to Lonely Planet are €5.
12:30-13:30 picnic
13:30 – 15:00 walking to Pena palace and Castelo dos Mouros. We will spend 2 hours here entry tickets are not included.
15:00 – 17:00 free time at Castelo dos Mouros (tickets according to Lonely Planet are €6) and Palacio de Pena (tickets according to Lonely Planet are €6 for the gardens and €12 for gardens and Palace combined but you may not have enough time for doing it all.)
17:00 – 18:00 walking back to the village
18:00 – 18:05 picking up our bags
18:40 – 19:19 train to Lisbon (included)
19:19 – 20:00 finding hostel (Equity Point Lisboa) and check in
20:00 – 20:30 showers and getting ready for an evening out in town
20:30 – 21:30 dinner at Taberna do Chiado
21:30 – late drinks and maybe fado evening (one place I found is Nini, Rua Dom Francisco Manuel de Melo 36a, Lisboa, but we can ask for recommendations at the hostel)
01 April 2013
10:15 walking tour of Lisbon (included) + free time in Lisbon
13:00 – 15:00 lunch (location TBC)
15:00 – 17:45 free time in Lisbon
17:45 leaving hostel to travel to the airport
18:25 Airport check in etc.
Flight 20:25
Please note that to maximise the time there we are flying from Luton but coming back to Gatwick, so in your search on Easy Jet Webiste, please put in All London Airports.
Flights with Easy Jet (not included):
London Luton to Lisbonhttps://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQq8jprjx3OieCZD3gyfIHSGOnIv7Fta9xfNdhwiV_POvanfeUq
Dep Fri, 29 March 2013 11:10 Arr Fri, 29 March 2013 13:55 Flight 2365 1 Adult 1 x £103.49 Lisbon to London Gatwick
Dep Mon, 01 April 2013 20:25 Arr Mon, 01 April 2013 23:05 Flight 8720 1 Adult 1 x £48.49 Total: £151.98 I have already booked them, so please just do it!
https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcR1UcHpR1wCGL_EKyZ6OwpJhIxUVIV-WVzJOwOQLERmWAhAjsgEpAAs the price of this flight has now gone up, on the way there you have a couple of other options. TAP (Portuguese national airline) flies from Heathrow departing at 8:15am and getting in at 10:55am. Or departing at 12:10 London (LHR) and arriving at 14:50 Lisbon. If possible, please opt for the earlier version.
You could also take a later Easy Jet flight from London Gatwick to Lisbon, departing at 16:30 and arriving at 19:00, but you would have to make your own way to Sintra; or fly a day before and join us when we arrive on Friday. amit has already booked the flight for Thursday, so please get in touch with him if you choose this option and would like some company. Pleas enote however that if you decide to go there a day earlier you will have to make your own sleeping arrangements and accomodation for this night will not be included. Also I'm only getting there on Friday!
Accomodation in Sintra: Our hostel is sited in a property considered the oldest in Sintra, dated back to the 12st century, with 3,5 ha of luxurious gardens.
The Hostel is named Almáa which means “The Water” in Arabic due to the influence of the moors in this region and the fantastic natural spring water that supplies the house, the gardens and waters our home-grown organic vegetables. “Alma” also means soul in Portuguese.
Their beliefs in sustainability and in helping one another, made them manufacture their furniture with recycled materials done by http://www.almaasintrahostel.com/public/images/living_room.jpglocal artists with the help of third sector entities (charities, voluntary organizations and social enterprises), that are also their main suppliers.
10 minutes walking from town center, Almáa Sintra Hostel is a perfect place to be.
We have dorm with 3, 5 and 7 beds.
Free Services:
3,5 ha of luxurious gardens Linen included Access to computers http://www.almaasintrahostel.com/public/images/room.jpgWi-Fi /Free Internet Access to guide books and maps Luggage storage Natural spring water from the mountain Fully equipped kitchen Lounge area Security lockers in all rooms Iron/Ironing board Other Services:
Washing and drying machine for hire Towels hire Other Services by Appointment:
Nature Sketching Tours (new) Meditation and Yoga classes Personal development and other workshops Various therapies (acupuncture, traditional chinese medicine, shiatsu, astrology, etc) Hair dresser Cooking classes Surf classes
Climbing, hiking and magical Sintra - Portuguese adventure