Touristy or worth the visit? This is often the question people face when debating whether to visit Sintra or not. My take? While Sintra can get very crowded and is absolutely a tourist hub, its unique design, structure, and fairytale-like vibe makes it worth a visit! If you plan to visit, here is your ultimate guide to visiting the city as a day-trip from Lisbon
How Much Time Do I Need?
If you want to see Sintra’s depth and explore at ease, you will need to spend more than half a day here (and probably stay the night). This being said, Sintra is very doable as a day trip, and if you are short on time in Portugal, this will be your ideal way to see the city.
How to Get to Sintra From Lisbon?
Sintra is about a 40-minute train ride or a 1-hour drive from Lisbon.
You can catch the train from Rossio Station in downtown Lisbon. The trains run frequently and cost around $5 a person for a round trip!
What Must I See on My Day Trip?
In order of importance, I would prioritize seeing the below three sights:
- Pena Palace + Gardens: Aesthetically, one of the most mesmerizing palaces you will ever see; What makes this place special and unique is the way its bright, eye-popping colors sit high up in the mountains against a backdrop of clouds and the sky.
- Moorish Castel: It feels like a mini Great Wall of China when you walk along these historical walls. What is also fascinating about this stop is that you can see the Pena Palace from the walls, allowing you to witness two very different periods in Sintra’s history from one vantage point!
- Quinta da Regaleira: An elegant and beautiful estate that looks as if it has come straight from a fairytale. Most people come here for the initiation wells, but personally, it was the architecture and the grounds of this estate that wowed me the most.
If you have more time, consider adding the following stops:
- Park and Palace of Monserrate
- Old Centre of Sintra
- Palácio Nacional e Jardins de Queluz
- Palace of Sintra
Mapping Out Your Day
To maximize your time in Sintra, it is important you map out a plan of what you will see. Below is how we utilized our time (and it worked very well).
The Day Before
Buy tickets to the Pena Palace for the earliest (first) time slot available and any other sights you plan to visit (the more you buy, the more discount you receive). Additionally, pack a lunch and some snacks as food options are limited at Sintra’s touristic sights.
Depart (7:30am-7:45am)
Many trains run from Lisbon to Sintra, but I recommend taking one around 7:45 am to maximize your day. Getting to Sintra will take ~30-40 minutes, and you will need to account for some additional time to taxi to your first destination (ideally Pena Palace). Leaving by 7:45 am should get you to the entrance by 9:00am.
Stop 1- Penna Palace (9:00am -11:30am)
Upon arrival, I recommend heading straight to the palace’s most photogenic location (the back exterior) before crowds get there. This will be your best time to get photos without too many people in the background. Once you have taken all the pictures you possibly can, continue along the walking path around the castle. At some point, you will have the option to either visit the inside of the place or skip it. I was not wowed by the inside and highly recommend skipping it
The next stop is optional, but if you are into photography and want to capture a shot of Penna Palace from above, I recommend the short (20-minute) Hike up to Cruz Alta view point (follow signs to get there). You will have to climb a few rocks at the top to get this shot, but it’s worth it!
On your way down from Cruz Alta, follow signs for the emerald lakes and spend some time viewing the lakes. Then look for a bench or outdoor table to stop and eat your packed lunch before exiting the palace grounds.
Stop 2- Castle of Moors (12:00pm-1:30pm)
The castle is a short 15-minute walk from Penna Palace, however, be sure to ask someone how to get there as signage for the castle is not clear. Once you enter, you will walk up a path before arriving at the ticket booth to scan your ticket. You then will walk along the walls as you take in stunning aerial views of Sintra and Penna Palace.
Stop 3- Quinta da Regaleira (2:15pm-3:45pm )
From the end of the castle’s walking path, you can either follow signs for “city center” and walk along a trail to get here, or head back towards the road and look for a taxi. We opted for the former, and it took us about 30 minutes to arrive at the city center and another 10 minutes or so to arrive at Quinta da Regaleira. If you are tired or short on time, grab a taxi!
The grounds at this stop are large and the lines to see the initiation wells can take some time, so expect to spend about 1-1.5 hours here.
Stop 4- Continue On, Relax, or Back to Lisbon
At this point in the itinerary, we were exhausted (there is a lot of walking up and down hills in Sintra)! Depending on how you are placed with time and how much energy you have, you have the option to either continue seeing more of Sintra, relax in Sintra’s city center, or return to Lisbon.
The Palace of Sintra can be seen from the outside of Quinta De Regaleria and is close to this stop if you want to explore it more in-depth. If you wish to return to the train station, you will have to grab a taxi or tuk-tuk (I recommend the tuk-tuk because it is more fun!)
Additional Sintra Tips!
- Pack a Lunch!: Most of the sites have very limited food options nearby. We did not know about this, and stayed hungry for most of our day trip 🙁
- Ask for Directions: There are very few signs in Sintra. Don’t waste time trying to figure out how to get to the next location-When in doubt ask!
- Download Offline Maps: Cell service can be weak in certain places, download offline maps of Sintra so you do not get lost.
- Wear Good Walking Shoes: There is a lot of walking around in Sintra, as sites are spread apart. Come with good quality shoes that won’t hurt your feet!
- Try to Visit During Off-Peak Times/Days: Summer weekends are usually the busiest
- Arrive at Pena Palace Early: The earlier you arrive the better experience you will have. Shoot to arrive at the earliest available time slot!
