This is the Quinto da Regaleria, at one time the manor house of one of the big kids of Portugal. It was designed by an opera-set designer in the early 20th century and the exterior is extravagant in a world where extravagance is de rigor. The manor is undergoing restoration, but we sneaked inside and looked around. Good digs, but nothing to write home about. The real gems of this setup are the grounds and out-buildings.
The gardens are outstanding, with meandering paths throughout and surrounded by a stone wall of over two meters. There is a small chapel, a clay tennis court, fountains, alcoves, ponds, water-falls (though dry now in the national drought) and one item that has to be unique. It is an inverted tower. A giant hole in the ground with a spiral staircase going down of the same stone workmanship as the big sites. The bottom ends in a series of caves that let out into the lower parts of the grounds. Awesome.
