Head to Sintra for a Day 🏰
Introduction?
Sintra is a town located in the Lisbon region of Portugal, approximately 30 minutes from Lisbon city center. It's a popular tourist location due to its picturesque landscapes, historical monuments, and cultural heritage.
Sintra is home to several notable landmarks, including the colorful Pena Palace (seen above), the romantic Castle of the Moors, and the stunning Quinta da Regaleira. These buildings reflect a blend of architectural styles, which are characteristics of Portugal's rich cultural history.
In addition to its historical and cultural attractions, Sintra is also known for its natural beauty, with lush forests, gardens, and parks, which are scattered throughout the town. Its location in the mountains also offers breathtaking views of the countryside and coastline.
Overall, Sintra is a must-visit destination for anyone interested in history, culture, and natural beauty, and it's easy to see why it is considered one of Portugal's most enchanting towns.
Where is Sintra?
Sintra is a town located in the Lisbon region of Portugal, which is approximately a 30-40 minute drive or train ride away. It is situated in the foothills of the Sintra Mountains or mountains of Serra de Sintra range. This area is known for the picturesque views and landscapes. Note that the area is significantly further from other popular Portuguese towns and cities.
How to get to Sintra?
🚘Car?
You can get there in a quick 35-40 minute drive or uber ride from central Lisbon, but since parking is crazy challenging I wouldn't recommend driving. However if you do there are several car rental agencies in Lisbon, and the roads to Sintra are well-maintained. If you want to take an uber it will cost around €20-30 depending on where you are in Lisbon.
🚉Train?
Getting to Sintra via train is super easy and super cheap!
Trains leave from Rossio Station in Lisbon's historic city center every 15-30 minutes or so depending on the time of year you are visiting. It will cost around €4-5 roundtrip while one way is €2.25. The journey takes about 40 minutes in total. You can also catch a train from Lisbon to Sintra via Lisbon's Oriente Train Station. Note that Oriente Station is further from Lisbon's city center so if you aren't staying in that part of the city then its not worth making your way over there.
Make sure to get off at the right stop - Sintra Station (Estação de Sintra) because there is a stop prior called Portela de Sintra (Estação Portela de Sintra) which is not the right stop.
🚍Bus?
Buses run from Lisbon to Sintra, and the journey takes approximately 45 min to an hour, depending on the traffic. The main bus station in Lisbon for Sintra is located at Sete Rios, and the buses depart regularly throughout the day.
TIP: The ticket machines can be very busy especially during peak seasons and will most likely encounter a line. Bypass the line by getting a reloadable card ahead of time (located at metro ticket vending machines or ticket offices), so you can simply tap and go without waiting in line!
How to get around Sintra?
Once you get to the train or bus station in Sintra, you'll be about a 15 min walk to historical Sintra Town. However, I recommend you use the bus to go directly to your first palace of the day which could be Pena Palace or Quinta de Regaleira which are the most popular. If you already bought your tickets to the castles and palaces (which I would HIGHLY recommend) (more info below), you'll take the 434 or 435 buses to get to the castles themselves. Especially on a hot day - that just sounds brutal walking to the palaces and being miserable.
434 route - This is known as the circular route which is: Sintra Train Station → Moorish Castle → Pena Palace → Sintra National Palace/Sintra Town → Natural History Museum → Sintra Train Station
435 route - This is known as the one way route which is: Sintra Train Station → Sintra National Palace/Sintra Town → Quinta da Regaleira → Seteais Palace → Monserrate Palace → Sintra Station
TIP: Buses come a few times an hour and only run in one direction. This means if you are going alone or with friends you'll need to carefully plan out your day so you're not wasting too much time figuring out all the buses and making an entire loop to get to another castle.
Another Option? Sintra Day Trip Guided Tour
Many tour companies offer day trips to Sintra from Lisbon, which can be a convenient option if you prefer not to travel on your own. These tours typically include transportation, as well as visits to the main attractions in Sintra. When I went alone, I went with some friends via uber and we weren't very efficient with our time. We saw one palace, and by the time we got to the second, we only had a short amount of time before they closed. So, if it were me and I was going again, I'd do a tour!
Here's the exact tour I'd book if I was going again, it will be fast-paced and you won't necessarily get to see each palace with a ton of detail, but it will be a great introduction to the area. A disadvantage to any tour is going to be the stricter timeline, but they'll know all the details and best spots!
It costs $80 per person and lasts around 9 hours, with a live tour guide in multiple different languages. The only thing it doesn't include is food/drinks and entrance to Quinta de Regaleira which only costs roughly $11. Here is where you can book it in advance:
The good part is your self-guided tour ticket is valid for 120 days after the date of purchase. I should add that almost ALL day tours to Sintra do not include admission to the palaces/castles themselves, which you will see through the link to book the tour. Feel free to check out other options through the link above for different offered tours. Some will even add Cascais and Cabo da Roca.
When to visit Sintra?
⏰Time of year? The best time to visit Sintra would be in the off seasons due to the shear amount of tourists, but the weather will then be unpredictable. In general, summers are warm, dry, and mostly clear while winters are cold and wet. If you have flexibility in your schedule the best times would be early summer and early autumn, so either May or October.
⏱️Time of day? The earlier the better BUT the castles themselves don't open up until around 9am. I'd aim to get there between 8-9am so that you can get into the first castle by 9am. Whatever you do though, do not visit Pena Palace unless it is the first of the day or last. The crowds in the middle of the day are unbearable.
☀️Weather? As I said can be particularly unpredictable especially since you are high up in the mountains and closer to the coast, so just know that it will feel a bit cooler than Lisbon. Just make sure to bring some layers you can easily take on and off and pack away.
How to buy tickets?
If you plan to do the trek alone or with friends then you need buy tickets in advance and I guarantee you'll save time. You can buy them at the gate and that's the most popular way but you'll bypass the long line for tickets in the queue.
BOOK PENA PALACE HERE:
Note: you'll need to pick a time to book and this is not a guided option and it'll cost around $15
BOOK CASTLE OF THE MOORS HERE:
Note: you'll have between the operating hours to use this ticket and it'll cost around $8
BOOK QUINTA DA REGALEIRA HERE:
Note: you'll have a language to pick from and you'll have between the operating hours to use this ticket. it'll cost around $20.. you can book through the direct link earlier in the guide, but this one is fast-tracked and audio included
BOOK MONSERRATE PALACE HERE:
Note: you'll have between the operating hours to use this ticket and it'll cost around $8
Extra tidbits?
If you have more than one day to see Sintra I would recommend making your own itinerary and trying to hit more castles! This is because you won't feel as rushed and there's far too much to only see in one day. You can actually stay the night nearby if you'd like more time to explore! Here are a few options on places to stay:
Sample Itinerary? 🗺️
Stop 1 (9:00-11am):
Pena Palace. Take the 434 to Pena Palace – most guided day trips to Sintra head to Pena Palace first thing in the morning, which means it’ll be jam-packed. If you’re traveling yourself from Lisbon to Sintra by train, you have the opportunity to visit later in the day, once the tours have cleared out (a bit).
Stop 2 (11-12pm):
Montserrat Palace. Continue on the 435 bus from Quinta da Regaleira and explore the palace and lush gardens.
Stop 3 (12pm-3pm):
Sintra Town. Back on the 435 bus to Sintra Town for lunch, pastries, and a wander in town; this is where you’ll find the National Palace of Sintra too.
Here are some lunch options:
Also, make sure to try the two iconic Portuguese pastries - Travesseiros and Queijadas. Here are places to grab both:
Pro tip: Buy a multi-pack of the Queijadas to enjoy on your train ride back to Lisbon
Stop 4 (3:30-5:30pm):
Quinta da Regaleira. Start your Sintra day trip by hopping right on Bus 435 from the train station, walk down the Initiation Well, and explore the gardens and main palace
Stop 5 (Extra time available):
This is only if you have time!! Castle of the Moors. Remember, last entry to most palaces is 6pm, so plan your day trip to Sintra wisely!
Lastly, I bet you'll be hungry after all the sightseeing so let's go to dinner and see the sunset from Sintra Town. Here are some options:
Hope you have the best time in Sintra! ☀︎
Are you looking for more Lisbon help? Check out these guides below!
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