Palacio Seteais (Seteais Palace), Sintra (must see)

In the late 18th century, Daniel Gildemeester, the Dutch consul in Sintra, was a tenant of Portuguese Prime Minister, Sebastião Mello, Marquis of Pombal. Daniel wanted a mansion of his own. He chose land on a hill with great views and fruit trees. He hired neoclassical architect Jose da Costa e Silva and built the Seteais Palace.

There are several derivations given for the name "Seteais." An old manuscript in the Sintra library says the word Seteais is from land called "Centeais", land growing rye, "Centeio" in Portuguese. In 1797 Daniel's widow sold the palace to Diogo Coutinho, 5th Marquis of Marialva.

Diogo used architect Jose again to expand the palace in 1802. It became a U-shaped building. The former consul's house was now one of the wings. The cornices of the facade were adorned with busts and garlands and other neoclassical motifs. The two wings were connected by a neoclassical arch honoring John VI and Princess Carlota Joaquina.

The arch honoring the royal couple was designed by architect Francisco Real Garcia. The walls and some rooms had frescoes of rare vegetation and mythical figures by French painter Jean Pillement. The State of Portugal acquired the palace and estate lands in 1946. It was remade in 1954 as the luxury hotel Tivoli Palacio de Seteais.