Sintra: Collecting Stories of Ceramics in the romantic hills outside Lisbon

INSPIRATION | CABANA TRAVEL | WORLD OF CABANA

For centuries Sintra has been a refuge for kings, poets and collectors, its palaces and sacred mountains described by Lord Byron as "Glorious Eden" and a meeting point between myth and history. In the newly opened Albuquerque Foundation, Renato de Albuquerque’s six-decade passion for ceramics finds a home in these romantic hills just outside Lisbon. Housing more than 2,600 pieces of Chinese export porcelain – from early Portuguese commissions to contemporary interventions – the Foundation tells a story of trade, diplomacy and craft that spans continents and centuries.

BY NINA GODINHO | CABANA TRAVEL | 2 OCTOBER 2025

The Albuquerque Foundation, Sintra, Portugal

They say three of anything makes a collection. Renato de Albuquerque has long since surpassed this. Over six decades, he has amassed more than 2,600 pieces of Chinese export porcelain, including some of the earliest Portuguese commissions from the 16th century. Today, these works are housed in the newly opened Albuquerque Foundation, set among the romantic hills of Sintra, which for centuries was the favored retreat and hunting ground of Portuguese nobility, just outside Lisbon.

“Collecting has been a passion of mine since the 1960’s, almost a ‘malady’ as it is often described,” says Renato. “In the beginning my interest was for 19th and 20th century Brazilian art, but soon after, coinciding with a period of intensive travel, my interests widened. I started acquiring other works of art including Meissen porcelain, my first ever acquisitions of ceramics, a material that has been central to my collecting ever since.”

The Albuquerque Collection is now considered one of the world’s most prestigious private holdings of Ming and Qing Export and Imperial Taste porcelain. Many pieces have been loaned to institutions such as The Met, New York, and London’s V&A. Rare ‘First Orders’ - early Chinese commissions for European clients painted with European iconography, trace the early connections between East and West.

These porcelains are more than decorative objects; they are historical witnesses to trade, diplomacy, and power. From traditional forms to whimsical creations, each piece speaks to the enduring resilience of craft. The oldest artifact in the collection, a terracotta relic from the 20th century BC, is a reminder that ceramics have long been central to storytelling.

For centuries, China produced the world’s most advanced ceramics. Wares traveled along trade routes like the Silk Road, influencing traditions across continents. Each piece in the Albuquerque Collection carries a narrative of global encounter, reflecting centuries of cultural exchange, migration, and artistry.

The Foundation itself is a story of transformation. Once the Albuquerque family holiday home, the estate has been reimagined by architect Bernardes Arquitetura, with the Foundation led by Renato’s granddaughter, Mariana Teixeira de Carvalho, a former human rights lawyer, who is based in London with her young daughter, Alba.

A glass pavilion sits beside the terracotta-hued quinta, its roof brushing the shoulder of the 18th-century building. Inside, the Foundation hosts contemporary exhibitions alongside its foundation collection, “Connections”, plus a library, restaurant, concept store, and tranquil gardens - all spaces that invite reflection and community. Collaborations with artists, such as the inaugural exhibition with US artist Theaster Gates, connect tradition with modernity, historic ceramics with living artists.

This month, Danish artist Nina Beier debuts her first solo exhibition in Portugal, occupying both the pavilion and garden spaces. Her sculptural works converse with centuries of porcelain, tracing iconographies that have traveled across continents and generations.

Downstairs, adjacent to the historic chapel and residences for artists, a small concept store showcases contemporary Portuguese ceramics. Every room, corridor, and object, from the earliest Ming commissions to modern sculptural interventions tells a story of craft, migration, and the human impulse to create, preserve, and connect.

In Sintra, amidst the rolling hills, the Albuquerque Foundation is more than a collection. It is an ode to the rich tradition of craft, conversation, and a testament to the enduring power of objects to carry history, globalisation, culture, and imagination across centuries.

Where to Stay

Penha Longa Resort

Estrada da Pena, 2710-591 Sintra

Where to Eat

Monte Mar, Cascais

Not far from the hills of Sintra are the rustic surf beaches of Guincho. Monte Mar is a must for impeccable old-world service and fresh seafood.

What to See and Do 

The National Palace of Pena

The candy-coloured, National Palace of Pena is one of the best expressions of 19th century Romanticism | Estrada da Pena, 2710-609 Sintra.

The Albuquerque Foundation

Nina Beier's exhibition ‘Goods’ opens at The Albuquerque Foundation on September 27, 2025, and closes on January 4, 2026. Rua da Assunção 11, 2710-556 Sintra.

Where to Shop

The Albuquerque Foundation Peruse ceramics from local artists. | Rua da Assunção 11, 2710-556 Sintra, Portugal