For a magical autumn escape you don’t have to travel across the world. In fact, there’s a gorgeous destination that looks like it’s been plucked from the pages of a fairytale just three hours from the UK.

Even better, the temperature in this magical land is nowhere near as cold as the UK. In October, the weather sits around 20C on average and upwards of 18C in November. This paradise is Sintra in Portugal, and experts at Travel Republic say this destination is increasing a boom of interest with a 126% surge in Google searches in the last month. With its enchanting palaces, hidden gardens, and foggy hills, Sintra looks like a magical escape from reality.

A jewel in the crown of the amazing region is Palácio da Pena. This is the National Palace of Pena which is perched in the hills above Sintra. Its bold red and yellow walls date back to the 12th century when it was constructed for the Royal Monastery of Our Lady of Pena.

It was destroyed in an earthquake and later rebuilt to its current majesty. The Palace of Pena was classified as a National Monument in 1910 and was also classified by UNESCO as a World Heritage site in 1995.

There’s also the stunning renaissance castle of Quinta da Regaleira which has hidden tunnels as well as secret staircases and a truly magnificent garden.

This garden is also packed full of surprises such as grottoes, lakes and incredible landscaping. It’s easy to get lost here and that’s exactly what it invites you to do. 

The city of Sintra is just half an hour from Lisbon and it makes the perfect day trip — however, if you want to get the best out of this magical place, then definitely try and stay overnight.

There’s so much to explore and so much to see that to see that the longer you can take the better.