Atlas Obscura on Slate is a blog about the world’s hidden wonders. Like us on Facebook and Tumblr, or follow us on Twitter. Given free rein to design a palace in Portugal in 1904, a cashed-up, ...

When Portuguese coffee merchant Carvalho Monteiro acquired an estate to convert into his country home in Sintra in 1892, taking time off for vacationing wasn’t the first thing on his mind. During the ...

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... Eccentric millionaire Antonio Augusto Carvalho Monteiro would have gotten a good laugh. We’re exploring the mystical grounds of his romantic Quinta da ...

At the heart of Sintra's Quinta da Regaleira, a breath-taking initiation well celebrates Portugal's unique historical connection to the mysterious Knights Templar. Near the manicured gardens and ...

Uncover the mystical allure of Quinta da Regaleira, Portugal, with its magical architecture and gardens.

There are two mysterious wells that are said to have been built for Masonic rituals on the Quinta da Regaleira estate in Sintra, Portugal. The Initiation Well is 88 feet deep, and offers brave ...