Where is Sintra? How to get from Lisbon to Sintra on your own, and then from Sintra to Cape Roca
27 km from Lisbon is the small town of Sintra, listed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The former Moorish refuge was chosen by monastic and knightly orders, and then turned into a royal residence. Nowadays, you need to set aside at least two days to explore this city. Modern Sintra has numerous palaces surrounded by exotic parks with tropical greenery and beautiful fountains, narrow streets winding through the hills, and steep staircases built by Masonic lodges. This city was admired by kings and princes, Byron himself worked here, and Hans Christian Andersen was passing through. The bright colors of Sintra, the quirky details of the interiors, and the unique fauna of this place will be remembered for a long time.
Sintra... Even the very name of this town sounds like music. It is considered indecent to visit Lisbon and not visit its suburbs for at least a couple of hours. This is exactly the case when visiting a small city can be more interesting than walking around the bustling capital of Portugal. Sintra is a city of palaces and parks, the summer capital of Portugal's monarchs, a testament to the wealth and prosperity of a once mighty empire.
Making the trip enjoyable
Even if you come to Sintra completely unprepared and know absolutely nothing about its history or its attractions, you will receive the most complete information about all local historical sites. To do this, you should contact the tourist office and stock up on well-published maps of both the entire Sintra and each palace and park separately. All booklets are provided free of charge and allow you to identify the most interesting objects for inspection.
Unfortunately, the Portuguese are well aware that numerous tourists coming to their country strive not only to leave their money in local shops, but also to see perfectly preserved fortresses and palaces, so entrance to the territory of these museum complexes is paid. Often the ticket price is very high. In order to save a little and not deny yourself the pleasure of visiting most of the local attractions, you can purchase a “Parks and Palaces of Sintra” card, which provides discounts when visiting a particular site. Holders of “Lisboa card” cards will also benefit, since, firstly, they can not stand in the general queue for tickets, but go straight to the entrance to the object of interest to them, and secondly, they receive approximately 15-20% discount from ticket price.
Historical reference
Sintra was founded more than 10 centuries ago; it existed during the reign of the Moors in these places. Until now, numerous tourists explore the abandoned Moorish fortress, which was once built on a hill above the city, from the walls of which a magnificent view of the surrounding area opens. The year 1147 was marked by the expulsion of the Moors from Portugal. The Christian world breathed a sigh of relief and began building monasteries throughout the country, including Sintra. The Templars were the first to appreciate the favorable location of the city. They built their monastery here and controlled the vast lands granted to them by the Portuguese monarchs. Soon the kings themselves realized how attractive the city was near the capital.
Construction of a luxurious royal palace began here. Sintra became the summer residence of monarchs. Following their monarchs, representatives of the Portuguese nobility also moved to this city, who very quickly built up the quiet city with magnificent villas. Nobody adhered to one architectural style. Many aristocrats got rich by traveling to different countries, so they built palaces in the exotic manner customary in foreign countries. Now Sintra is a collection of colorful, strange palaces that are different from each other and interesting.
Fairytale palaces of Sintra
Palace of the Kings
Probably the main attraction and heart of the city of Sintra is Palácio Nacional, which is also called Paso Real. This is the same building from which the glory of Sintra as a royal city began. This palace, crowned with two tall light chimneys that serve as chimneys, and therefore visible from anywhere in the city, has witnessed many important moments associated with the history of Portugal. Here King Afonso V passed away into another world and was elected monarch João II, here Manuel I was informed about the discovery of new lands, and therefore about the expansion of the borders of his empire, from here King Sebastian set off on his unsuccessful campaign. The poem “The Lusiads,” written by the “Homer of Portugal” by the poet Luis Camões, was read aloud for the first time at the Palácio National.
The royal palace was rebuilt many times in accordance with the tastes of its owners who lived in different eras. Therefore, now we see a building in which different architectural styles are intricately intertwined and mixed. Some rooms of the palace are decorated in Arabic traditions, almost devoid of furniture and decorated with soft pillows. Wooden ceilings, carved panels on the walls, and painted tiles were also created under the influence of the Moorish style. One of the most interesting rooms of the palace is considered "Magpie Hall", the ceiling of which is decorated with images of many magpies. It was no coincidence that this hall appeared in the palace. King John I, communicating with the ladies of the court, gave one of them reason to want more. This immediately became the subject of palace gossip. Then the king called the painters and ordered them to draw forty on the ceiling of the room, which would symbolize talkativeness. Thus, the ladies received an allegorical warning that they should keep their mouths closed.
History buffs will love the Armory Hall, the walls of which are covered with the coats of arms of the most noble families of Portugal.
Pena Palace and Park Complex
Road from the historical center of Sintra to Pena palace complex, for which thousands of tourists come to the city every year, takes only 10 minutes by car or 50 minutes on foot.
The Pena Palace was built in a pseudo-medieval style on the Sera di Sintra rock and with its bizarre combination of bright oriental minarets, turrets traditional for European castles, massive fortress walls, Renaissance lush portals, and high bridges, it resembles a palace from a fairy tale. Its walls are painted in red and yellow tones, which only adds to its pomp and luxury.
The customer of the palace is considered to be the prince of the blood, the husband of the Portuguese Queen Maria II. An abandoned monastery complex was taken as the basis for the new royal castle. Prince Ferdinand wanted to build a second Neuschwanstein in Portugal. A large park was laid out around the romantic castle, into which plants were brought from different parts of the Earth. At that time, the English style of park design came into fashion, so now we see a lush tropical forest, seemingly planted without any plan. In fact, while walking through the palace park, you can see many picturesque corners that the best designers of that time worked on.
The palace has now been turned into a museum, so you can explore its beautifully preserved interiors from the 19th century.
Montserrat Palace
Other attractions in Sintra include Montserrat Palace, built in 1856 in Moorish style for the wealthy clothier magnate Francis Cook. A visit to the Capuchin Abbey, dating back to the 16th century, will also be interesting. The wonderful, lush estate of Quinta da Rigalheira once belonged to a coffee merchant named António Monteiro, who was a mystic and philosopher, supported the Freemasons, and therefore created a twisted staircase on the territory of his estate, going several floors below the ground. It was used for various mysterious rituals.
Masonic estate Rigaleira
Romantic manor Quinta da Rigalheira located near the center of Sintra. The road to it runs through a picturesque area, which is a landmark in itself. If you don’t want to wait for a regular bus, you can also walk to the estate.
The Quinta da Rigalheira mansion was built in the 17th century, but at that time it was an ordinary house, devoid of the mysteries and flair of romance that its most famous owner, António Augusto Carvalho Monteiro, brought to its appearance. A philosopher, a Freemason, interested in esotericism, and simply an extremely well-read and educated person, Monteiro completely transformed the estate that he inherited, trying to turn it into a kind of heavenly place. Fortunately, the funds allowed.
So, the old house was demolished, and in its place a new palace appeared, built by the Italian Luigi Manini. The highlight of the mansion were the secret passages connecting the master's chambers with remote places in the park that surrounded the estate. The luxurious park hid many mysteries: every cave, every statue in it symbolized something. The owner’s religious beliefs and passion for various philosophical movements made it possible to create a unique space that still attracts lovers of esotericism. One of the most interesting places in the park is a well with a wide spiral staircase overgrown with lush greenery. Previously, this place was used in Masonic rites.
Unfortunately, a tour of the inner chambers of the palace will not be so educational. Almost all luxury items that belonged to Monteiro were lost.
Portuguese Versailles
The second Versailles is called large palace complex in Queluz, which is located on the road connecting Lisbon with Sintra. The large palace, built in the Rococo style, is surrounded by a picturesque French garden with topiary trees, straight alleys, groups of fountains and sculptural compositions that evoke admiration and surprise.
These days, the Queluz Palace, once a royal summer residence, is open to the public. All its interiors have been preserved in excellent condition: visitors enjoy viewing the large collection of furniture, a luxurious collection of paintings and other works of art.
However, the most interesting thing remains the design of the royal chambers, which was worked on by famous local masters of the 18th century. Some rooms intended for formal receptions are decorated with luxurious stucco, narrow Venetian mirrors, and fragile rock crystal chandeliers. Others - the private chambers of the royal family - are decorated more restrainedly.
The Queluz palace complex became the property of the Portuguese crown, one might say, thanks to a fortunate coincidence of circumstances. Previously, the lands on which this residence is located were owned by the aristocrat Cristovan de Mor, who sympathized with the Spaniards ruling the territory of Portugal. After the liberation of the country from the oppression of Spain, di Mor lost all his property. His hunting lodge in Queluz was destroyed and a large palace was built in its place.
All of these palaces and monasteries are surrounded by beautiful gardens with walking paths that allow you to enjoy the solitude and silence before exploring the treasures of Sintra with renewed vigor.
Home to famous palaces, parks and castles, Sintra is not to be missed while in Portugal.
Sintra is only 23 kilometers from Lisbon and 18 kilometers from Cape Roca
From Lisbon, without any problems, you can go to Sintra by train, which departs very often from the Rossio railway station, which is located in the very center of the historical part of the city. You can also get there by metro by getting off at the metro station called Rossio
You can buy a ticket at the box office or from a machine. There is no point in buying a ticket in advance, there is always space. A ticket costs about 3 euros.
The photo shows the platform of the Rossio station and the train to Sintra. The ride takes about 30-40 minutes. Sintra is the final stop, so it is impossible to drive through it - the station is called Sintra
It is best to start exploring Sintra from Pena Castle, as it opens first at 09.30. Monday is a day off everywhere.
Having arrived at the station and leaving it, you don’t need to go anywhere, but after walking 50 meters to the right from the station exit you will see a stop (it’s the only one there) - the bus numbers will be reflected on it. At this stop, take the circular bus No. 434 - it starts running in the morning - the first one at 09.15, the next at 09.30, 09.50, 10.05., 10.20... etc. the last one at 19.50. Go to the Pena Palace (Palacio da Pena) - ticket 5 euros - drive 10-15 minutes, it’s difficult to walk up the mountain.
We drive up not to the palace itself, but to the ticket office, buy a ticket for a minibus here right away that will take you up to the castle itself
Here it is in the photo - price 2 euros
In the castle of the Moors
From the castle of the Moors to the park of Rigileri you also basically go down, so it’s not difficult
Rigileri Park
From the park and the Rigaili Palace you can also walk through the center of Sintra, and at the same time see the town
We return to the railway station where we arrived in the morning and sit down at the same stop to the right of the station, leaving for Cape Roca (Cabo da Roca). The bus takes about an hour and leaves every hour. There will be a line at the bus stop to get on this bus - get in line if you want to ride while sitting. Bus number 403.
You buy a ticket from the driver at the entrance - the price is about 5 euros.
Sintra is one of the best places in Portugal; it is not for nothing that it has long been a favorite vacation spot of Portuguese kings.
You can come here for one day and have time to visit the National Palace of Sintra, the Pena Palace, the unique Quinta da Regaleira Park and the Moors' fortress. All these attractions are different, and each deserves attention.
I will also show where it is all on the map, and tell you how to get and move between all the interesting places in Sintra, their schedule, prices, where it is better to park, eat and stay.
The city was declared a UNESCO heritage site in 1995, and thousands of tourists come here every year. Perhaps Sintra is one of the top 3 most crowded places in Portugal, along with Porto, but still there are incomparably fewer tourists here than, for example, in Madrid, Prague, Paris, Rome, Venice and other popular European cities.
Sights of Sintra
National Palace of Sintra (Palácio Nacional de Sintra)
If you come from Lisbon and turn sharply to the right near the Toy Museum, there is paid parking along Volta do Duche street, then on the left below there is an even larger area, there is another one immediately after passing the palace, if you keep to the right. I will specifically write about parking, because in Sintra I have a hard time with it.
The palace is impressive; a lot has been done there in the original Portuguese style, which is not similar to the rest of Europe. In addition to the numerous halls and the tower with azulejo tiles, the highlight of the palace is the large-scale kitchen with two huge conical chimneys.
This palace has a rich history. Back in the 8th century, a palace of the Moors was built on this site. In 1147, during the Reconquista, Alfonso Henriques conquered the palace. In 1281 the palace was restored. In 1385, King João I ordered a complete rebuild of the palace, including the famous huge kitchen with giant chimneys, which became the symbol of Sintra. In 1495-1521, King Manuel I carried out a large-scale reconstruction of the palace, adding admixtures of Manueline architecture. In 1683, King Alfonso VI died here in the palace prison, where he was imprisoned by his brother Pedro II and where he spent 9 years. In 1755, the palace was partially destroyed by the echoes of the same earthquake that almost destroyed Lisbon. The last resident of the palace in the 1880s was Maria Pia (grandmother of Manuel II). Since 1910, the palace was turned into a monument of national importance.
Decorated ceilings inside
Many azulejos
And a variety of flat and volumetric tiles everywhere
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Fortress of the Moors (Castelo dos Mouros)
The following two interesting places are located next to each other - this fortress Castelo dos Mouros And Palácio da Pena. The path to them lies along a very steep and winding partly cobbled serpentine road; sometimes the car would not pull, and we had to drive in first gear. There are many parking lots, they are free, but many spaces are occupied. As we understand, everyone is rushing there in the morning, and in the evening it is already more empty.
The fortress is very ancient, it was built by the Moors back in the 8th century and captured by Alfonso Enriquez in 1147. This is one of the two best observation platforms in the area; from its walls you can see all the neighboring palaces, and very far around right up to the sea. But since there are open places there, it is best not to go there in the hot sun.
Pena Palace
Pena Castle is located at the very top of the mountain next to the one where Castelo dos Mouros stands, and there are also good views from there. Pena Palace was built in the Portuguese style, there are many rooms with interesting interiors, turrets, and a beautiful entrance. From the parking lot you need to walk uphill for 10 minutes, or for 3.50 euros you can take a shuttle and stand in line with the pensioners. It’s hard to get there in the heat, but the palace is worth it.
It is quite new compared to the National Palace of Sintra, built in the 19th century by the husband of the young Queen Mary II, Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, on the ruins of a 16th-century monastery. Since 1910, when Portuguese independence was declared, the palace has been turned into a museum, leaving it as it was in royal times.
Inside, as usual, there are interesting ceilings
By the way, this ceiling is not volumetric, but painted :)
Some interiors:
There is a lot of wooden furniture in Portuguese palaces
Quinta da Regaleira Park
Quinta da Regaleira is another place that absolutely delighted us. This is the most original park I’ve ever been to; all sorts of Sofievka and Alexandria are simply nothing compared to it. You need to set aside at least a couple of hours for it, or better yet half a day. There are a lot of interesting buildings in the neo-Gothic style. The ticket price is 10 euros, but it's 100% worth it :)
Main building
Mini-church with a secret passage
Fountains and gazebos
More ancient looking tower
27-meter well with a spiral staircase
Cork oak is soft and warm to the touch
There are also grottoes, a river through which you need to cross on pebbles, caves and much more. This is all very interesting in combination, when from a cave you find yourself in a well, or through a secret passage to another part of the park. It’s good that they give you a map, otherwise you can easily get lost there :)
There is free parking opposite the entrance, but it is small; we were lucky to find a spot in the afternoon. It's better to park near the Palácio Nacional and walk from there.
In addition to the places mentioned, there are a lot of others near Sintra; we found them less interesting, but some may like them.
Overall, if you only have one day in Portugal and you fly into Lisbon airport, visit Sintra, it's awesome! We have been to many palaces in different European countries and we can say with confidence that Sintra is absolutely not inferior to them, and in some ways even superior, plus the area itself is very picturesque.
Similar places with unusual architecture
Sintra Toy Museum (Museu do Brinquedo)
When we were in Sintra, we visited the local toy museum. Unfortunately, it no longer works, and in its place is a press museum. It’s very sad that it was closed, there were three floors of a wide variety of wonderful toys, I wrote about it.
The National Palace of Sintra and Quinta da Regaleira are located in the same place, in the center, and the Moors' fortress and the Pena Palace are in the forest on the mountain, next to each other. Here is a map of the main attractions in Sintra.
Schedule and ticket prices
Opening hours of Sintra attractions and ticket prices in high season:
- Palácio Nacional de Sintra all days 9:30 - 19:00
- Castelo dos Mouros all days 9:30 - 20:00
- Palácio da Pena all days 9:30 - 19:00 (park until 20:00)
- Quinta da Regaleira 10:00 - 20:00
During the low season, everything closes an hour and a half earlier. Ticket offices close half an hour to an hour before the closing of the facilities. On Sunday before lunch, both the castle and the fortress are free, but the crowds are very large.
Children from 6 to 17 years old, pensioners over 65 years old and students have discounts. There are also family tickets (2 adults + 2 children) with discounts.
There are combined tickets for many castles and parks around Sintra (Serra de Sintra territory), they are valid for a month, discounts range from 5 to 10%. Also included here.
How to Avoid Crowds
The bulk of tourists first visit the center, and after lunch the Pena Palace and the Moorish fortress. If you do the opposite, it will be easier with both parking and buses. Also, to avoid crowds, it is best to go to Sintra on a weekday, especially in summer.
You can also buy tickets to some of Sintra's palaces online to avoid queuing.
Transport in Sintra
There are quite a lot of attractions here, and all of them are not within three minutes. We rented a car and managed to visit everything in one day, plus a trip to the cape and the observation deck, but by the evening we were very tired, we could stretch it out for 1.5-2 days. Although, we didn’t run much there, so it’s quite realistic in a day.
They can also be visited by public transport, but it will take longer.
A couple of years ago, a tourist bus 434 was launched in Sintra, which makes a loop from the station to the center, and then to Pena Castle. One trip costs 3.90 euros, the whole trip costs 6.90, tickets can be purchased from the driver. In 2018, the number of buses was increased to accommodate all tourists, and now they run from 9:15 to 19:50, and in the summer from 10 to 17 they made four departures per hour.
How to get from Lisbon to Sintra
If you look at a map of Portugal, the city of Sintra is located northwest of its capital, Lisbon. The distance between them is only 30-35 km, depending on which road you take. You can get there by car in half an hour, by public transport in about an hour.
Go to Sintra by car or public transport? It depends on the season. In the summer there are a lot of cars there, there are continuous traffic jams in the center, it is difficult to find a parking space. On the other hand, you can get to where you need to go when you need to, rather than trudging through the mountains in the heat or shaking on a bus.
Sintra by car
In the off-season, the most convenient way to get to Sintra and its various interesting places is by car, because the attractions are very scattered, the Moorish fortress and Pena Castle are generally on the mountain, you can’t walk on foot, and the wait for buses is long.
Portugal is full of car rental companies, both local and well-known international ones. We had a small Fiat Punto with a manual transmission that could barely pull itself uphill, we literally pressed our sneakers into the floor in the lowest gear! So for Sintra it is better to take something more powerful, but at the same time small in size, so that it is easier to park.
We usually compare prices and conditions on aggregator sites that collect offers from different rentals, and choose the most profitable option:
There are no toll roads along the way, so it is not necessary to rent a device for automatic payment of highways for this section.
Sintra by public transport
There are trains to Sintra from Lisbon from Rossio and Oriente. The journey by train takes 40-50 minutes, and then you can walk to the city center (10-15 minutes). On weekdays, trains run every half hour, on weekends every half hour or hour. Ticket price 2.25 euros one way.
There is no Lisbon-Sintra bus.
Lisbon Airport - Sintra
Getting to Sintra from Lisbon airport is also easy: take three metro stops to Oriente station, and from there take the train.
To Sintra by taxi or BlaBlaCar
I don’t know how much official taxis will charge, but ordering a car through programs on your smartphone: Bolt (formerly Taxify) from Lisbon to Sintra will cost from 20 euros (depending on time, area and demand, try different options), there is also Uber, Cabify and My Taxi.
If you have not registered with Bolt yet, enter the promo code 19GLC in the mobile application and get a discount on your first trip.
conclusions
The attractions of Sintra can easily be included in the top 10 places to visit in Portugal. They are diverse and interesting, concentrated in a small area, and this is only 30 kilometers from Lisbon, the capital of the country. You can travel all this on your own at a pace in 1 day, or leisurely in two days. If there were beaches in Sintra itself, it would be ideal to come here for a few days, but I was daydreaming :)
What is your favorite place in Sintra and its surroundings?
The day after arriving in Lisbon (), we are planning a trip to Sintra and Cape Roca. City of Sintra is the pearl of Portugal and is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. It is only 23 km from Lisbon, but the climate there is much milder. The proximity of the ocean and mountain ranges provide protection from the heat, so even in the height of summer it is very pleasant to be here.
On the eve of the trip, I recommend that you familiarize yourself with the opening hours and prices for visiting the palace complexes and other attractions of Sintra on the website http://www.parquesdesintra.pt.
At first we planned to take the train to Sintra, spend a day there, then take the bus to Cape Roca, admire the views and then take the bus (via Quiscais) back to Lisbon. But then we decided that it would be more convenient to first drive to Cape Roca, admire the views, and devote the rest of the day to Sintra, without rushing anywhere. It is better to leave as early as possible, since you need to see a lot in a day. To get to Cape Roca, you need to take a local train from Cais do Sodre station and get to the final station of Cascais. Important: do not forget to validate your ticket before boarding the train. If you pay for travel Viva viagem card, then the trip will cost you less. Train schedules can be found on the website www.cp.pt
At the Rossio station ticket office you can also purchase combined Train-Bus ticket(train-bus), which gives you the right to unlimited travel on buses in Sintra (except bus 435) throughout the day, including on buses going to Quiscais. This ticket is beneficial if you plan to actively use buses.
At the final railway station of Quiscais, you need to exit the station building and go right along the building. Opposite you will see the Cascais Villa commercial center. Under this center there is a bus station. To get into it, you need to go down into the underground passage and go to the end. At the station take bus 403 and get to the stop Cape Roca (Cabo da Roca). The panoramas here are, of course, breathtaking.
Having admired the beautiful views to your heart’s content and captured it all for posterity, you can take the next bus 403 and go to Sintra. If you buy a ticket from the driver, the journey will cost you 4.10 euros. If you decide to come to Cape Roca in the evening and admire the sunset, then do not forget to check when the last bus leaves. Otherwise you’ll have to admire the sunrise :)
There is also a very interesting 14-kilometer historical route for those holidaying in Praia das Maçãs or close to this place: ancient restored trams leave for Sintra every hour, travel time is 45 minutes.
At the Sintra train station (next to the bus station) there is a tourist information center where you can get a free map of the city. There is also a bus stop nearby, where you need to take bus No. 434. You can buy a ticket from the driver, the route is circular, you can get off at the desired stop, then take the next bus as often as you like. You can buy a round-trip ticket immediately for 7 euros, but on the way back, at each transfer you will have to buy a ticket. The first bus stop is the city center at the National Palace, the second is the Castle of the Moors, the third is Pena Castle, the fourth is the Brinquedo Museum. The route goes uphill, so it is better to get to the end of the route or, as we plan, to Pena Castle, and then go down. Fairy Palacio Nacional da Pena and the adjacent park are located on a high cliff above the city. So the view from here is amazing. From the stop to the castle you can walk through the park, or you can take a tourist train or bus (ticket 2 euros). It takes several hours to explore the palace and park. It's very beautiful here.
There is a cafe in the castle where you can sit and drink coffee while enjoying the stunning panorama.
Next, you need to go out onto the road along which you came here and walk back to the Castle of the Moors (Castelo dos Mouros). The castle grounds consist of the castle itself, surrounded by battlements, and a system of fortifications on the approaches to the castle. The panoramas from here are magnificent.
Then we plan to visit the palace and park complexQuinta da Regaleira, Since the road goes down, you can walk to it. Or you can take bus number 435, which also leaves from a stop near the railway station. The drive is about 10 minutes. This complex is interesting, first of all, for its park area. Everyone writes that the interior interiors of the palace are inferior in beauty to the interiors of Pena Castle, so we will limit ourselves to an external inspection of the castle and go deeper into the park. When purchasing a ticket (costs 8 euros), you will be given a detailed map of the park. Here you can wander for hours. The park is known for its mysterious caves of the Templar Order. Ponds, gazebos, statues, grottoes, secret passages and tunnels are shrouded in some kind of mystery.
Then you can go down to the city center and eat at one of the many restaurants. You should definitely try the famous cheese pie. It is prepared in every restaurant or cafe in the city according to an old recipe from several types of cheese and soaked in almond liqueur.
Sintra was once the summer residence for the royal family of Portugal, which is why there are so many magnificent palaces, parks, and towers. Of course, a day is not enough to see everything. If you have time, be sure to visit:
— National Palace (Palacio Nacional de Sintra)– a medieval palace in which Portuguese monarchs lived from the 15th to the end of the 19th century;
— Toy Museum, especially if you are traveling with children. It is located near the station;
— Palace and Park of Monseratte (Palacio de Monseratte)– a romantic castle built in 1856 with a magnificent park adjacent to it, recognized as the best in Europe.
But for the rest of the time we’ll just walk around the city. You know, while still in Italy, where the amount of beauty per 1 sq. km is simply off the charts, I came to the conclusion that you need to absorb it in doses. There is no need to try to see everything at once. You need to enjoy everything.
We return from Sintra to Lisbon by train. We plan to devote the entire next day to this beautiful city. But about that :)
The charming Portuguese city of Sintra is located in the middle of the Serra da Sintra hills, densely covered with centuries-old pine trees, under the shadow of which are ornate palaces, luxurious mansions and the ruins of an ancient castle.
The variety of stunning historical structures and buildings combined with unique attractions make Sintra a truly fantastic tourist destination. A visit to this magnificent city is the best day trip from Lisbon, and every tourist who comes on holiday to Portugal simply must visit it.
In this article you will find information about Sintra, answers to questions frequently asked by tourists, as well as links to more detailed guides.
Main attractions of Sintra
Pena National Palace– One of the most beautiful palaces in Europe with brightly painted walls and interior, restored to the same form as it was in 1910
– A Gothic palace with a rich history and amazingly painted ceilings.
Quinta da Regaleira- A luxurious mansion surrounded by magnificent gardens with hidden tunnels and mysterious religious symbols
Castle of the Moors– Ruins of an ancient castle with stunning views of the entire region
One day in Sintra
Most tourists come to Sintra on a day trip either from Lisbon or from the resort towns of Cascais and Estoril. This beautiful city truly has something to offer to tourists of all ages.
Sintra can be easily reached either by train from Lisbon or by direct bus from Cascais or Estoril (more information below).
This proposed program includes the following order of visiting the main attractions of Sintra in one day:
Train or bus to Sintra
Historic center of Sintra
National Palace of Sintra (or Quinta da Regaleira)
Lunch in the historical city center
Castle of the Moors
Pena National Palace (highlight of the day)
Pena Palace Gardens (optional)
Walking tour to Cruz Alta (optional)
View of the Pena National Palace from the Cruz Alta observation deck
Most day-trippers to Sintra follow the same sightseeing order as it follows the route 434 of the tourist bus. This bus connects Sintra train station with the historic city center, then climbs the steep hills to Pena Palace and the Moors' Castle before returning to the station.
Similar articles: Day trip to Sintra – From Lisbon to Sintra – 434 tourist bus
Advice: For tourists staying in Lisbon, we usually recommend visiting Sintra on the first day, while for those vacationing in Cascais or Estoril - on the second day (it is better to go on an excursion to Lisbon on the first day).
Two or three days in Sintra
Lisbon to Sintra is usually a day trip for tourists, but there are enough attractions to extend your stay to two or three days. Below is a recommended sightseeing program for the second/third day of your stay in Sintra:
Second day in Sintra
Quinta da Regaleira and Gardens (or National Palace of Sintra)
Seteaish Palace
Montserrat Palace
Villa Sassetti and gardens (optional)
Ascent to Caminho de Vila Sassetti (optional)
Third day in Sintra
Capuchin Monastery
Peninha Sanctuary and Viewpoint
Cabo da Roca
Ursa or Adraga Beach
Chalet of Countess d'Edla (Pena Park)
Walking tour to Cruz Alta (Pena Park)
Note: you will need a car for this day
Why spend the night in Sintra?
Most tourists come to Sintra on a day trip. If you are planning to spend two or three days in Sintra, you will not regret it at all. By staying in Sintra, you can explore the city's many attractions without the fuss and haste after all the day-trippers have left.
The main national monuments of Sintra are open to the public from early morning until late evening, allowing you to visit them before or after the influx of tourists. Sintra has many truly fantastic hotels offering the highest level of service, many of which reflect the style and charm of the region.
The map below shows the location of hotels and room rentals in Sintra; when you change the date of your vacation, current prices appear on the map
Why are there so many palaces and luxurious mansions in Sintra?
It is not so hot in Sintra, thanks to the high hills surrounding the city, densely covered with trees and bushes. That is why the Portuguese nobility chose this place to build their summer residences. In the 19th century, Sintra was very popular among the European elite and nobles, who erected luxurious and pompous mansions here in the Romanesque style.
Montserrat Palace is one of the least visited tourist attractions in Sintra
Seteais Palace is a luxury hotel
Seteaish Palace
There are regular and inexpensive train services between Lisbon and Sintra. You can get to Sintra from Lisbon by one of two available train routes: from Rossio train station, which is located in the central part of Lisbon, or from Oriente train station. The duration of the trip on the first (from Rossio) and second (from Oriente) routes is 40 minutes and 47 minutes, respectively. Round trip fare €4.50. Trains depart from early morning until late at night. Up to three trains depart from the stations every hour.
Warning: Never come to Sintra by car as parking is very limited. In addition, it is extremely difficult for modern cars to navigate narrow, winding roads with steep ascents and descents, which in the summer almost always turn into a continuous traffic jam, and desperate drivers search in vain for a free space to park.
The resort towns of Cascais and Estoril are connected to Sintra by direct bus service. Bus 417 departs from Cascais bus station and arrives in Sintra in 30 minutes. One way ticket costs €4.25. From Estoril to Sintra there is bus 418, which departs from the train station. The duration of the trip is 30 minutes.
Similar articles: From Lisbon to Sintra
Visit Sintra on an organized tour
There are a number of benefits to visiting Sintra as part of a small tour group. Since Sintra's main tourist attractions are spread over a fairly large area, you won't have to worry about how to get to them by public transport. Organized tours, which are primarily aimed at experienced and knowledgeable tourists, are served by knowledgeable and competent guides.
An organized tour is the only way to see the sights of Sintra and Cascais in one day; If you visit both cities by public transport, you will not have enough time to explore their many historical monuments. We've been working closely with GetYourGuide.com for the past five years and here are some of their best Sintra tours:
Is Sintra really overrun by day-trippers?
Unfortunately, in the summer Sintra is flooded with huge crowds of tourists. This leads to long queues for entrance tickets, a lack of empty seats on tourist buses, as well as huge queues at Rossio train station.
That's why we always recommend going on your day trip to Sintra as early as possible, or at least trying to avoid the busy hours between 11:00 and 15:00. To avoid queuing for entrance tickets, you can order them in advance ( see GetYourGuide.com). Since the 434 tourist bus brings most tourists to Pena National Palace in the afternoon, visit it in the morning.
Sintra has attractions less visited by tourists. We prefer Montserrat Palace.
Other less visited attractions include:
Capuchin Monastery
Sanctuary of Peninha
Villa Sassetti
Chalet of Countess d'Edla
Southern part of Pena Park
The Peninha Sanctuary is located at the highest point of the Sintra Natural Park
Tourist buses 434 and 435
The walk from the historic city center up the very steep hill where the Pena National Palace and the Moors' Castle is located is very tiring. The 434 tourist bus saves tourists from a difficult and challenging climb as it connects the train station with the historic center and then climbs the hill to Pena National Palace (Castle of the Moors) before returning to the train station.
The cost of travel around the entire ring with disembarkation and embarkation is €6.90, and the price of a one-way ticket is €3.90. During the high summer season, buses leave from the train station every 15 minutes.
Advice: Bus 434 is the best and cheapest way to see the sights of Sintra on a day trip, and we use it every time we come here.
Bus 435 connects the train station with Montserrat Palace and passes the historical center, Quinta da Regaleira and Seteais Palace. It is ideal for exploring Sintra on your second day in the city. The fare for the entire route with disembarkation and embarkation is €5.00.