Description of the attraction
The Sintra-Cascais Natural Park was created in March 1994, but since 1981 this area has been under state protection.
The park is one of thirteen natural parks that exist in Portugal and covers an area of approximately 145 square kilometers. The Serra de Sintra mountain range stretches through the park, the park stretches along the Atlantic coast, right up to Cabo do Roca (Cape Roca), which is considered the westernmost point of continental Europe. The park is located 25 km from Lisbon and is an extremely popular tourist destination. It is worth mentioning that the city of Sintra and its surroundings are included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
The park is divided into two different zones: the agricultural zone, which grows only fruit and produces grapes, and the coastal zone, which has beautiful sandy beaches, cliffs and dunes. The soil and climatic conditions of the park are favorable for the growth of oak, pine and eucalyptus trees, therefore there are a lot of them in the park area. Among the representatives of birds, you can see rare species of birds that are endangered: the falcon (peregrine falcon), eagle and eagle owl, living on the coastal slopes of the mountains, as well as watch the flights of hawks and gulls and dozens of other birds. Among the inhabitants of the park area there are salamanders, toads and mammals - foxes, moles and porcupines, wild rabbits, badgers and ermines.
It is also worth mentioning that the park is very often foggy, which gives the park a special uniqueness.
