The story goes that these were the words uttered by Joao I to his queen when he was caught “dallying” with one of the ladies-in-waiting; “in honour”, or in modern parlance, “I’m blameless”…The Pal?o da Pena is a veritable m?nge of architectural styles and is considered by some too gaudy to be seen up close. The painted magpies on the ceiling each hold a manuscript on which the words “por bem” are inscribed. The old town is filled with fairly small, specialised museums but the must-see sites are Sintra’s two palaces. The Pal?o Nacional, the old royal palace, stands plumb in the centre of town, while the Pal?o da Pena looks down over the town from the mountain top.The Pal?o Nacional has Moorish origins, although subsequent architectural influences include Renaissance and Manueline (named after Manuel I).

It was equally popular with the Romantic poets in the early 19th century. Lord Byron was so charmed during his stay in 1809 that he wrote, in Childe Harold: “Lo! Cintra’s glorious intervenes in variegated maze of mount and glen.” Its popularity has continued into the present day and in 1995 it was declared a Unesco World Heritage Site.
The town itself is quite small, and is divided into four parts; the old town, two modern additions (where most of the transport links are) and the picturesque Sao Pedro de Penaferrim, with its antique shops and restaurants. They called the rolling landscape the “Mountains of the Moon”. The early Iberians, followed by the Romans and then the Moors, were all enchanted by the aura of mystery surrounding the area.

A trip to the town of Sintra is an essential part of any visit to Lisbon. Do you have any tips or suggestions for family accommodation and public transport, which would allow us to see the country over a fortnight, taking in Legoland and Copenhagen?
Richard P Wallace, NorwichA First things first. Unless you are travelling long-distance (say, Esbjerg to Copenhagen, which costs DKr534 (£45) per adult return) you do not need to reserve a seat in advance; in this case reservations can be made a day in advance at the departure station. Even then, your destinations will be somewhat limited.There is no rail pass that will give you unlimited travel on the rail system and pre-booking will not, in most cases, save much money. One excellent aspect of travelling by rail in Denmark, however, is that for every paying adult, two children (up to 12) go free, and children aged between 12 and 16 travel on a 50 per cent discount. For online journey planning, timetables and ticket prices, visit the website or contact the Danish Tourist Board on 020-7259 5959 or see .Transport passes are available in cities such as Odense and Copenhagen; for example, the Copenhagen Card entitles you to unlimited transport by bus and train within the greater Copenhagen area, along with free admission to 70 museums and attractions. Particularly striking is the Ljubljana door, made in 1996 and cast in bronze with the figures of six bishops and archbishops.

It commemorates the suffering of the church in Slovenia under communism, and was dedicated by the Pope. The restaurant is pleasantly decorated, but in the summer it is much more enjoyable to sit in the garden, whiling away the afternoon with food and a bottle of wine. The menu concentrates on grilled meats, as well as a variety of vegetable and cheese starters. Hidden away in it at Cesta na Roznik 18 is Pod Roznikom (00 386 1 251 3446), which opens at 11am. Tivoli Park is a pleasant green spot not far from the centre of the city, reached through a subway at the end of Cankarjeva cesta. As well as plenty of open space, it has a zoo and a couple of museums.