Instead of the golden sands of the Algarve, CHRIS HIGHAM opted for a villa holiday in 'old' Portugal - and discovered the hidden kingdom of Sintra with its Atlantic breakers.

THINK of Portugal and and you'll almost certainly picture the Algarve, where mile upon mile of coastline is punctuated by whitewashed, tile-hung houses for rent.

Think again.

Further north, near the capital Lisbon, is a smattering of homes where there's the dual options of a beach holiday on the impressively long stretch of Atlantic coastline and a cultural heritage to match the best that France, Spain and Italy have to offer.

Hardly a top ten resort for British holidaymakers today, the spectacular series of green and wooded ravines that make up Sintra were, however, well known to Brits in the 19th century when this world heritage site awoke the passions of Lord Byron.

We stayed just outside Sintra near the hilltop village of Colares, in Villa Isabel de Aragao, a real home-from-home, set in a pine forest.

Full of family treasures, carefully placed by the local family who still own it, and set in a large, well-groomed garden, the villa lies between the sea and Sintra.

Largely un-changed in 200 years, Sintra has a fantastic collection of palaces and gardens, built by the European nobility who made the town their summer escape from the city.

Dominating the town centre is the Royal Palace with two huge conical chimneys that can be seen from miles around.

Most bizarre is the Disneyesque Pena Palace, painted in clashing reds, pinks and yellows with an orgy of turrets, arches and ramparts, looking not unlike a giant elaborately iced cake.

The majority of people who visit do so for the beautiful walks through lush gardens and wild countryside, each walk linking palace to palace.

And then of course there's Montserrate. Until recently sliding towards ruin, it is overgrown and untidy where Regaleira and Pena are beautifully coiffed, but its gardens are one of Sintra's treasures.

Conceived by an 18th century Englishman as a real-life Garden of Eden, plants were imported from around the globe and thrived in Sintra's moist climate.

The Portuguese government is now restoring the palace and the gardens are already responding. In years to come Montserrate may well prove to be Sintra's crowning glory.