A Day Trip to Sintra from Lisbon
If you are spending any time in Lisbon, Portugal, a day trip to the charming town of Sintra is a must. Sintra has a whimsical feel to it with its unique architecture, stunning views, and delicious food, making it the perfect day trip destination from Lisbon. This post focuses on the perfect Sintra Day Trip Itinerary so you can be sure to see the best of Sintra!
In late February, I travelled throughout Portugal and visited Valencia, Spain with two of my close friends. In just one week we were able to explore five cities! Each city offered its own unique character and charm, but I think Sintra takes the cake for my favourite destination. Below I will outline how we spent a day in Sintra. Hopefully by the end of this post you’ll be convinced that Sintra is a must-see destination in Portugal.
How to get to Sintra from Lisbon
I would find it hard to believe if the ease at which one can travel to Sintra from Lisbon was not one of the factors contributing to Sintra’s popularity as a day trip destination. Only 40 minutes by train from Lisbon’s Rossio Station, Sintra is a fuss-free day trip destination from the city.
Starting early in the morning, trains to Sintra from the Lisbon Rossio station run every 30 minutes. Did I mention that roundtrip tickets cost only €5.30?
Sintra Day Trip Itinerary
- Peña Palace
- Castle of the Moors
- Lunch and explore the historic center of Sintra
- National Palace of Sintra
- Quinta da Regaleira
Peña Palace
To start our Sintra day trip itinerary we visited the stunning Peña Palace. Peña Palace, also known as the National Palace of Peña, stands on top of a hill in the Portuguese Riviera overlooking the town of Sintra.
While you can walk from the town of Sintra to Peña Palace, I definitely would not recommend it. Why? The walk is entirely uphill. A very steep uphill, too. Instead, I would suggest taking an Uber to the gates of the Palace. Make sure you make it clear to your Uber driver that you would like to be dropped off at the Palace’s gates. We unfortunately did not do this and our Uber driver dropped us off on the side of the road a further 45-minute walk straight uphill to the Palace… Lesson learned!
Do I Need a Ticket for Peña Palace?
Yes! There are two ticket options for Peña Palace, the Palace + Park ticket or the Park ticket. The Palace + Park ticket is €20 for visitors 18+ and it includes full access to the Palace and grounds. Alternatively, the Park ticket includes access to the Chalet and Garden, the Valley of Lakes and Little Birds Fountain, and the Temple of Columns.
Tickets are available to purchase on site or can be purchased in advance. I would suggest purchasing your tickets in advance and choosing an early time slot as the Palace will be less busy earlier in the day. Also, purchasing your tickets in advance allows you to skip the lengthy line for buying tickets on site. We purchased the full Park + Palace ticket through Get Your Guide.
Due to our unfortunate mishap with the Uber, we were late for our Palace entrance time, so we were unable to enter and view the interior. We were thankfully still able to explore the Palace’s exterior and the gardens. The lesson here is to make sure you give yourself ample time to get to the Palace and arrive at least 15 minutes before your designated time slot if you plan to tour the inside of the Palace.
Castle of the Moors
Once we were done at Peña Palace, we made the approximately 20 minute walk to our next destination, Castle of the Moors. The walk between the Palace and the Castle of the Moors is well signed, so you don’t have to worry about getting lost!
Just like Peña Palace, you can buy your tickets for the Castle of the Moors on site or in advance. We opted to purchase our tickets in advance from Get Your Guide to avoid the ticket lineup at the Castle.
The Castle of the Moors sits high up on a peak of the Sintra mountain range looking down over the town of Sintra. Architecturally, the Castle is starkly different from Peña Palace. In contrast to the bright colours and vibrant tile work found at Peña Palace, the Castle of the Moors’ granite walls weave through the mountainside boasting stunning views of Peña Palace on one side and the town of Sintra on the other.
Lunch – What to Eat in Sintra
By this point in the day we were ready for a break and a good meal. To get back to Sintra from the Castle of the Moors there are several options: bus, Uber, Tuk Tuk, or walking. If the weather is nice, I would suggest one of the Tuk Tuks. There will be plenty parked outside the Castle gates waiting to tour visitors around. When we were in Sintra it was raining, so we opted for an Uber to bring us back to the historic center of the city. In the historic center you will find tons of great food options for lunch.
If you’re looking for a sweet treat to round off your meal before an afternoon of exploring, you can stop for a pastel de nata at Fábrica de Nata, located right in the heart of the historic center.
We also did a bit of window shopping around the historic center before continuing on to the National Palace. If you’re looking for souvenirs such as post cards or posters, Toranja Criativa has a great selection of fun ones.
National Palace of Sintra
Once we’d loaded up on souvenirs, we wandered across the street to the National Palace of Sintra. Located in Sintra’s historic center, the National Palace of Sintra is one of the oldest palaces in Portugal with its construction having begun in the 15th century.
The National Palace is a real Portuguese treasure. Each room in the Palace has its own unique architectural wonders, ranging from beautiful tile work to intricately painted ceilings. We spent about an hour touring from room to room, taking in the Palace’s beautiful details. We also walked around the Palace gardens, but since it was winter time during our visit there was not too much to see out there beyond the view of Sintra’s mountain range and historic city center.
Tickets are available for purchase on-site for €13 or can be purchased in advance online. We bought our entry tickets in advance through Get Your Guide.
Quinta da Regaleira
Our day ended with the mystical Quinta da Regaleira. From the National Palace of Sintra, Quinta da Regaleira is only a 15 minute walk through Sintra’s winding streets.
Quinta da Regaleira was designed and built in the late 1800s. The sprawling grounds include a Romantic-style palace and chapel, lakes, grottos, wells, fountains, and towers all tucked within Sintra’s lush green scenery. Quinta da Regaleira is completely unique from Sintra’s other attractions and is a real joy to wander around and explore. The site is perhaps most well known for the Initiation Well, but there is so much more to explore.
We purchased our tickets in advance from Get Your Guide, but tickets are also available for purchase on site. If you are visiting at the end of the day, you likely won’t need to buy a ticket in advance, but if you’re visiting in the middle of the day during peak season, I would definitely recommend buying a ticket in advance.
Getting Back to Lisbon
From Quinta da Regaleira we walked back to the Sintra train station for our return train home. With the return ticket you have the option to “return anytime” so you don’t have to feel the pressure of a time constraint. You just have to be sure to return as long to Lisbon on the same day you left.
More Travel Itineraries
If you liked this post, check out some of my other European travel itineraries:
Barcelona on a Budget: A Three-Day Itinerary
Touring the Best of the French Riviera in Three Days
Nine Days in Italy: An Itinerary
Final Thoughts
Despite some challenges (*cough* getting ditched by our Uber driver *cough*), we had an incredible day and I thoroughly enjoyed my time in Sintra. I hope that you enjoyed this post and that I have inspired you to visit Sintra! If you have any questions or comments, be sure to leave one below 🙂
xx
Ashley