High on charm, beauty, and history -- highlight of the trip

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A small, charming town in the lush, hilly coastal area where the royal family would spend summers away from hot Lisbon.  You can tour the royal summer palace here (although kinda disappointing) and then do a lot of hiking if you're into that kind of thing.  You can walk up a huge tree-covered mountain to get to the old Moorish castle, which affords incredible views of the surrounding area.  The castle was a highlight, as it's open to anyone to climb around as you please, allowing the imagination to run wild, picturing knights and torches and battles and thrilling victories.  The sheer natural beauty of this area is worth the visit alone, with tons of trees, wild flowers, vines, scenic vistas -- you name it.