Perched atop a hill overlooking the city of Sintra, Pena Palace is one of Portugal’s most iconic national monuments, and would be a romantic setting to celebrate Portugal’s National Day today. The June 10 holiday commemorates the death of Luís de Camões, a literary icon in Portugal who is revered for his adventurous spirit. It’s said the one-eyed poet (he lost the other eye in a fight) saved his most famous work—titled "Os Lusíadas"—from destruction during a shipwreck by holding the manuscript above water while he swam with one arm.
© Andre Vicente Goncalves/Alamy
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