Sintra is a town in Portugal, pretty close to Lisbon. This is a special place, being a UNESCO World Heritage Site; it once used to be a summer retreat for the Portuguese nobility and royalty. You will be mesmerized by the multiple palaces and castles, that are unique and fascinating and you will find yourself feeling like being part of a fairytale.

Sintra, Portugal

One day trip to Sintra from Lisbon - what to see and how to get around

Other transport options are tuk-tuks or Jeeps, but these are more expensive options.

Pena Palace Tickets & Tours | Save Upto 5%

I recommend this to be the first stop, so from the train station you can take the 434 bus directly to the palace.

From the Pena Palace you can walk to the Moorish Castle, it is a 10-15 minutes walk.

Get the train from the Rossio station. The trip will take about 40-50 minutes and they are pretty often. For the exact schedule and the price you can check the link below or Google Maps.

 Check train Times Online | CP - Comboios de Portugal

I think the best way to get around is by bus. You can take it from the train station and it is 13,5 euros per day. There are two lines that cover Sintra, 🚌434 and 🚌435, check the link below for the map.

Sintra Hop on Hop Off - All Palaces and Castles - 24 hours

🏰Palácio Nacional da Pena (National Palace of Pena)

📝Tip: The ticket I bought also included transportation from the entrance in the Pena Park (where the bus station is) to the palace and I think this is a good option to get, as you will first visit the palace and after visiting it you could spend some time strolling through the park. Also, for visiting the palace you need to choose a time slot and respect it.

The palace is absolutely amazing and breathtaking. It has a large natural park that can be visited as well, you can spend some time walking through it.

From the Moorish Castle, you can catch the bus again and get down in the city center of Sintra. Here you will find the National Palace of Sintra as well.

Sintra center is a great place to stop for something to eat, it has quite a few restaurants and you can definitely find something for your taste. It is nice to also have a walk through it, as it has very beautiful narrow streets.

This castle offers a great view of the Pena Palace and the surroundings. 

🏰 Sintra City Center and Sintra National Palace

Get ready to climb multiple flights of stairs on the walls of the castle.

From the city center you can walk for 20-30 minutes or try to catch the bus 435.

It is an amazing palace with a very interesting garden.

To get back to the train station you can either take the bus 435 from the Quinta da Regaleira, the station is across the exit, but you might need to wait for it. Another option is to walk back to the city center and take the bus 434 for one station.

✨Thank you and I hope you enjoy this guide

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 I hope that my experiences and recommendations help you organize your vacation easier and everything turns out smooth.

First of all, you can check the opening and closing times for each palace or castle in Sintra at the link below:

Opening Times and Prices - Sintra Parks and Monuments

I recommend buying tickets in advance to avoid waiting in queues and spend more time visiting the castles and palaces. I bought the tickers from Headout and the experience was smooth, but you could check other preferred platform as well.

One day trip to Sintra from Lisbon - what to see and how to get around

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