Best Things To Do In Sintra

One of the best excursions from the Portuguese capital is undoubtedly the one that leads to the town of Sintra. Although there is a lot to see and do in Lisbon, if you can find the time to visit this city, I assure you that you will not regret it. To convince you I have prepared a short list of its main attractions.

Sintra, just 25 kilometers from Lisbon, is part of the list of World Heritage Cities by Unesco. Although its most famous monument is the spectacular Pena Palace, you will also find other impressive buildings, nearby beaches and fabulous views of the Atlantic Ocean.

Sintra's most famous monument is the Pena Palace. In fact, the complex of which it is part has been declared by Portugal as one of its Seven Wonders.

This palace was born in the 15th century as a simple monastery, but was destroyed by several natural disasters. After that, in the 19th century, King Ferdinand II bought the land and ordered to build the palace that today can be visited to spend summers with his family.

The Pena Palace is located on top of a hill overlooking the city. In its construction various architectural styles were mixed, from Renaissance to Moorish, and its exterior was painted in very bright colors.

Practical information

• How to get there: the most convenient way is to book an excursion from Lisbon that includes a visit to the palace if you are in the capital. If you go by train, when you arrive at Sintra station you should take bus 434. You can also walk this route, but it is 3 kilometers uphill.
• Tickets: if you go on your own I recommend you to book your visit to the Pena Palace in advance, which costs about 23€.
• Hours: the palace opens at 09:30 and closes at 18:30, although admission is only allowed until 18:00. The park can be visited between 9:00 and 19:00.
• If you want to know more... Read the article How to visit the Pena Palace

Although less known than the Pena Palace, if you are in Sintra you can't miss a visit to the Quinta da Regaleira for anything in the world. The whole complex exudes magic and mystery, with secret passages, hidden waterfalls, grottoes and multiple references to the Templars and Freemasonry.

During your walk you will be able to see:

• Several exotic species.
• The so-called Initiatory Well, a large stone well with a spiral staircase and a cross of the Order of the Temple on one of its walls.
• The Chapel of the Holy Trinity.
• The Palace of Regaleira, which houses an alchemical laboratory located in an octagonal tower (typical of the Order of the Temple), the Hunting Hall and the library.

Practical information

• Entrance fee: when booking an excursion to Sintra from Lisbon, the entrance fee to the Quinta may be included. For those who go by themselves or on an excursion without entrance fee should know that it costs between 10 and 15 € and the visit can be guided or free. There are special prices for children, young people and seniors.
• Visiting hours: every day from 9:30 am to 8:00 pm from April to September, the rest of the months from 10:00 am to 6:30 pm.

Another great building that you can not miss if you go to Sintra is the National Palace, a true symbol of the city. Its two towers, actually large conical chimneys coming out of the kitchen, are part of the unmistakable landscape of the town and are visible from many of its streets.

The palace was first built in Arabic style, but in the fifteenth century it was completely renovated in the Manueline style. For its architectural and historical merits, the building was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Although the exterior is always worth seeing, the best part of the visit takes place inside the palace. In addition to its courtyards and chapel decorated with mosaics, you can't miss the rooms filled with beautiful tiles with geometric motifs.

Practical information

• Admission: the normal adult ticket costs about 10 €, with small discounts for children and seniors over 65. You can also purchase a family ticket (2 adults and two children) for about 33 €.
• Hours: from 09:30 to 18:30 hours.
• Its most beautiful rooms are: Sala Moura, Sala dos Cisnes, Sala Dos Archeiros and Sala das Pregas.

On a hill overlooking the town, near the entrance to the Pena Palace, stands the Castelo dos Mouros, a fortress erected by the Arabs in the 9th century in the middle of a forest. Although you will have to face a climb to get there, I recommend booking tickets to the Castelo dos Mouros to see:

• The Royal Tower: it has an access that leads to the terrace. Don't hesitate to go up to enjoy a great view of the whole city and the Atlantic.
• The Moorish gate with a horseshoe arch that has survived the passage of time.
• The old Romanesque chapel:
• The great cistern built by the Arabs.

Practical information

• How to get there: from the Pena Palace you must follow a road that leads to the walls. The path you have to take, Rampa da Pena, is quite winding, but the effort is not too strenuous.
• Tickets: about 12€ for adults, with a small discount for young people and over 65 years old.
• Hours: from 9:00 am to 6:30 pm

If you like lesser-known stories, you will love a visit to the Convento dos Capuchos. For starters, the place is located in a magical spot, in the middle of a forest about 7 kilometers from the center of Sintra.

This former Franciscan monastery was built in 1560. You can still see the cells carved in stone in which the monks lived to maintain the vow of poverty that characterized the order. If you go inside I recommend that you be careful, as all the doors and ceilings are very low.

In addition to these cells, other rooms are still standing, such as the kitchen, the church, the chapel of Senhor Morto and the chapel of Senhor dos Passos. The latter still preserves interesting remains of tiles with religious scenes.

Practical information

• How to get there: if you don't have a car, it is best to use the local tourist bus, with which you can visit some of the more remote corners of the town at your own pace. Another option is to take a cab or walk to the area.
• Tickets: Admission for adults is around 7 €, while children and seniors over 65 will have to pay 1.5 € less.
• Hours: in winter it opens at 09:00 and closes at 18:00, while the closing time in summer is extended until 20:00.

As happens in Lisbon with the Alfama district and other similar ones, the charm of Sintra goes beyond its monuments. For that reason, I advise you to go to the old town and simply stroll through its streets to enjoy the wonderful buildings that compose them. Not to be missed:

• The town's town hall with its neo-Manueline style facade. It is really a small architectural jewel.
• The Museu de História Natural and the Museu Anjos Texeira.
• The gift stores in case you feel like buying something.

Also, there are some of the best restaurants in Sintra, but if you don't have time to stop there are other culinary delights you can't miss such as queijadas and traveseiros. Without a doubt, the best place to try them (or buy some for later) is the pastry shop Casa Piriquita.

A few kilometers from the center of Sintra is the Palace of Monserrate, a mansion built in the nineteenth century by the British millionaire Sir Francis Cook. It is one of the best examples of Moorish style in Portugal, although Indian, Mudejar and Gothic influences are also noticeable.

My advice is to take advantage of the visit to take a stroll through the park surrounding the building, which houses specimens of exotic plants brought there by the British nobleman.

Practical information

• How to get there: it is about 4 kilometers from the center of Sintra. If you do not feel like walking that far and do not have a car, it is best to use the bus 435 of the Scotturb company to get there.
• Tickets: the adult ticket costs about 8€ and is valid for both the palace and the park. Children and seniors over 65 have a discount of 1.5 €.
• Opening hours: the park is open from 09:00 to 19:00, while the palace can be visited between 09:30 and 18:30.

Although not a must-see, if you go with enough time you can approach the Countess d' Edla's chalet and its gardens without fear of being disappointed. The house was built in an alpine style far removed from the rest of the buildings in Sintra.

It was King Ferdinand II who ordered to build it with the romantic motive of having a place to live his love story with Elise Hensler, the Countess d' Edla and his future wife.

The most interesting part of the visit are the gardens surrounding the house with lots of exotic plants brought from as far away as New Zealand and Australia.

Practical information

• Admission: included in the entrance fee to the Pena Palace.
• Hours: from 09:00 to 19:00 to see the gardens and from 09:00 to 18:00 to enter the villa.

Most of the time when organizing excursions to Sintra from Lisbon, one thinks of getting to know its monuments and the surrounding nature. However, many Lisboners make this trip to go to some of the best beaches in the country in summer or spring.

The best known beaches are Guincho, Ursa and Maçãs. To reach them you can use Sintra's historic streetcar.

Ursa, in particular, is possibly one of the most spectacular beaches in the whole country. Its sand is surrounded by high cliffs and jagged rocky outcrops that give a unique beauty to the place.

Although it is a bit far from Sintra (about 20 kilometers west of the city), Cabo da Roca is a visit that no one should miss if they have the chance. In fact, it is usually included in almost all organized tours departing from Lisbon.

This point is the most westerly of all continental Europe. From its 140-meter high cliffs (crowned by a lighthouse) you can enjoy breathtaking views of the Atlantic and the waves crashing against the rocks.

Practical information

• How to get there: hiring an excursion to Cabo da Roca from Lisbon is a good option, followed by the car option. Those who prefer public transport can also visit the cape with the Scotturb bus company.

If you want more detailed information you can find it in my article How to get from Lisbon to Sintra. Here is a summary of the ways to travel between the two cities:

• Organized excursion: the most comfortable way to get to know Sintra from Lisbon is by hiring an organized excursion. There are several types, from those that include the entrances to the main monuments to those that also take you to Cabo da Pena.
• Train: from Rossio station there are several daily trains that will take you to Sintra. Another option is to take the train line that departs from Oriente station, but check first if you need to change trains.
• Car: although going by car has great advantages, there is a good chance that you will encounter serious parking problems in Sintra, especially in high season and on weekends.