Convento Dos Capuchos

The Convento dos Capuchos, officially the Convento de Santa Cruz da Serra de Sintra, is one of the most unusual monasteries in Portugal, and its message could hardly be further from that of the palaces that give Sintra its reputation. It was founded in 1560 by a nobleman, Dom Álvaro de Castro, for a small community of Franciscan friars of the strict Capuchin reform, who lived in deliberate poverty. The place was built to disappear into the landscape, among the huge granite boulders that cover the western slopes of the Serra de Sintra.

The buildings are tiny. The friars used the boulders themselves as walls, roofs, and floors, fitting rooms between the rocks, and the doorways are so low that visitors need to stoop. Cork, a cheap local material, lines the walls and ceilings of the cells and doors, which gave insulation against the damp and the cold. The small chapel, the refectory with a stone table, the kitchen, and the cells, each barely large enough for one person, give an impression of a life of almost total simplicity. Water from a nearby spring was channelled into the complex, and a cloister of rough stone gives a quiet courtyard. Small hermitages scattered in the woods allowed individual friars to retreat for prayer.

The setting adds to the atmosphere. The convent lies in dense, damp woodland of oak, cork, ferns, and moss, and in misty weather the boulders and trees seem to glow green. The forest is cool even in summer, and the only sounds are birds and water. The convent was abandoned in 1834, when religious orders were dissolved in Portugal, and later became part of a nearby estate, so that the buildings gradually fell into disrepair before being restored for visitors.

It is less crowded than the major palaces, and the contrast with Pena, with its colour and fantasy, is striking. The path through the convent is narrow and uneven, with steps and low ceilings, so it requires care, and is not easy for people with limited mobility. Wear shoes with grip and bring a light jacket, because the forest is damp and cool. The convent is about a fifteen-minute drive from the town centre, and visiting arrangements and prices vary, so check before you go.

It suits history readers, walkers, and anyone interested in religious life and simplicity.