Just 40 minutes from Lisbon, tucked within a forested stretch of land, you’ll find castles and palaces of every hue. Sintra was once a royal resort town – although sovereigns and socialites have long since been replaced by tourists and tuk tuks. Sintra is an easy day trip from Lisbon to escape the city, and one of the many reasons to visit Portugal. While there are tours for hire to explore Sintra with ease, the best way to see Sintra is to choose your own adventure. I’ve rounded up everything you need to know before you setting off on a day of castle-hopping.
Getting to Sintra, Portugal from Lisbon
The cheapest, and arguably the most convenient option, is to take a train for a day trip from Lisbon to Sintra. Trains run every half hour to hour from Lisbon’s downtown Rossio Station, and similarly from Estação do Oriente Station.
Total travel time is ~45 minutes for either option, making Sintra an easy day trip from Lisbon. Tickets cost €2,30 per person each way, and cannot be bought in advance. Be sure to allow yourself enough time to purchase your ticket at the station before departure time.
It is highly discouraged to drive to Sintra given the steep switchback roads, road closures in the town center, and absence of parking around Sintra.
Getting Around Sintra
Once you arrive to Sintra Station, the cheapest option to get around is one of three tourist buses, the 403, 434, and 435. An unlimited day ticket costs €11,50 and will give you hop on, hop off access to the three buses. Tickets can be purchased upon boarding the bus. Check out the latest bus schedule here.
The lines for buses can get very long as the day goes on, especially coming down from Pena Palace. We found ourselves substituting some bus travel with walking when possible. TukTuks are abundant, and Ubers can be a last resort option.
What to Know Before Your Day Trip to Sintra
The biggest tip for a day trip to Sintra is to arrive as early as possible, and see as much as you can before 11am when crowds peak. This can truly make or break the experience you have in Sintra. To make your time in Sintra the most enjoyable, be sure to:
- Have a plan
- Get there early
- Buy your tickets in advance
- Wear comfortable shoes – the gardens and palace properties you’ll be exploring cover a lot of ground
- Bring a warm layer – Sintra is a microclimate, so the weather will be slightly cooler than Lisbon
Best Palaces to Visit in Sintra
You could argue any one of the Sintra palaces are the best, but pairing these three gives you a diverse set of castles and palaces.
Most Iconic: Pena Palace
If you’re going to Pena, start your day here, and start as early as you can. The palace and gardens open at 9:30am. Plan to be there 15 minutes before opening to avoid queuing for hours or pushing past crowds. We noticed a dramatic difference in the line when we arrived ~9am vs when we were leaving ~10am.
Take the 434 bus from the train station straight up to Pena. When looking at a map, you might think to yourself it’s not too far to walk to Pena! Do not walk to Pena Palace. Full stop. The road up is a steep incline of switchbacks with the aforementioned buses barreling up and down.
From the gate, to get to the palace from the entrance you’ll have to climb a steep hill for about 15 minutes – this is where your comfortable shoes come in handy! Eventually, you may see a long queue wrapping through the entrance.
Pro Tip: You do not need to join the huge queue unless you are going inside the castle. If you are just exploring the gardens and surrounding terraces, you do not need to wait in this line.
Truthfully, the inside was cool, but I wouldn’t have felt like I was missing out if we had skipped. This is also how I felt about Versaille, so take it with a grain of salt. Maybe preserved castle interiors just aren’t my thing!
Easiest Add On: Moorish Castle
Instead of queueing for the bus outside of Pena Palace gates, follow the trail down the hill to Moorish Castle. Although less popular than Pena, it’s advised to buy your tickets in advance here as well.
Medieval Moorish Castle provides a stark contrast to the rainbow walls of Pena. After a short walk through wooded gardens, you’ll begin your climb. The hundreds of stairs are not for the faint of heart, but the view from the top of the Sintra hills is worth it. Be on the lookout for Pena Palace, and a few of the others from the top.
From Moorish, take the 434 down into town for lunch.
Pro Tip: Bring water on this one.
Most Unique: Quinta Da Regaleira
From the historic town center, Quinta Da Regaleira is either a 15 minute walk or a quick stop on the 345 bus.
The magic of Sintra is in the uniqueness of each destination.
Quinta Da Regaleira is a stunning renaissance-style palace in itself with a freestanding chapel to boast. The palace is worth a walk through to see its intricately carved marble fireplaces and ornate wood carved ceilings.
More impressive than the structures themselves are the enchanting gardens that surround the property. The standout feature is the Initiation Well, that looks like something dreamed up in Game of Thrones. This spiral well submerges you into a world of hidden caves and sunken grottoes.
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