10 Best Things to Do In Sintra

One of the best excursions from the Portuguese capital is undoubtedly the one that takes you to the town of Sintra. Although there is plenty to see and do in Lisbon, if you can find the time to visit this town, I can assure you that you won't regret it. To convince you, I've put together a short list of its main attractions.

Sintra, just 25 kilometres from Lisbon, is on UNESCO's list of World Heritage Cities. Although its best-known 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 forms part has been declared one of Portugal's Seven Wonders.

This palace was built 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 the construction of the palace that can be visited today to spend the summers with his family.

The Pena Palace is located on top of a hill overlooking the city. Its construction combines various architectural styles, from Renaissance to Moorish, and its exterior is painted in very striking colours.

Practical information

• How to get there: the easiest 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, but it is a 3-kilometre uphill climb.
• Tickets: if you are travelling independently, I recommend booking your visit to the Pena Palace in advance, which costs around €23.
• Opening hours: the palace opens at 9:30 a.m. and closes at 6:30 p.m., although admission is only allowed until 6 p.m. The park can be visited between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m.
• If you want to know more... Read the article How to visit the Pena Palace

Although less well known than the Pena Palace, if you are in Sintra you cannot miss a visit to Quinta da Regaleira. The whole complex exudes magic and mystery, with secret passages, hidden waterfalls, caves and multiple references to the Templars and Freemasonry.

During your walk you will be able to see:

• Several exotic species.
• The so-called Initiation 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 Regaleira Palace, which houses an alchemical laboratory located in an octagonal tower (typical of the Order of the Temple), the Hunting Room and the library.

Practical information

• Admission: when booking an excursion to Sintra from Lisbon, admission to the Quinta may be included. For those travelling independently or on an excursion without admission, it costs between €10 and €15 and the visit can be guided or self-guided. There are special prices for children, young people and senior citizens.
• Visiting hours: every day from 9:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. from April to September, and from 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. the rest of the year.

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

The palace was first built in the Arabic style, but in the 15th century it was completely renovated in the Manueline style. Due to its architectural and historical merits, the building was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Although it is always worth admiring the exterior, the best part of the visit takes place inside the palace. In addition to its courtyards and mosaic-decorated chapel, don't miss the rooms filled with beautiful tiles with geometric patterns.

Practical information

• Admission: standard admission for adults is around €10, with small discounts for children and seniors over 65. You can also purchase a family ticket (2 adults and 2 children) for around €33.
• Opening hours: 9:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
• The most beautiful rooms are: the Moura Room, the Swan Room, the Two Archers Room and the Prayer Room.

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

• The Royal Tower: it has an entrance that leads to the terrace. Don't hesitate to climb up to enjoy a wonderful view of the entire town and the Atlantic.
• The Moorish gate with a horseshoe arch that has survived the passage of time.
• The old Romanesque chapel:
• The large cistern built by the Arabs.

Practical information

• How to get there: from the Pena Palace, follow the road that leads to the walls. The path you need to take, Rampa da Pena, is quite winding, but the effort is not too strenuous.
• Admission: around €12 for adults, with a small discount for young people and seniors over 65.
• Opening hours: 9:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

If you like lesser-known stories, you will love visiting the Convento dos Capuchos. To begin with, it is located in a magical setting, in the middle of a forest about 7 kilometres from the centre of Sintra.

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

In addition to these cells, other rooms still stand, 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 do not have a car, it is best to use the local tourist bus, which will allow you to visit some of the more remote corners of the town at your own pace. Another option is to take a taxi or walk to the area.
• Admission: admission for adults is around €7, while children and seniors over 65 pay €1.50 less.
• Opening hours: in winter it opens at 9 a.m. and closes at 6 p.m., while in summer it stays open until 8 p.m.

As in Lisbon with the Alfama neighbourhood and others like it, the charm of Sintra goes beyond its monuments. For this reason, I recommend that you head to the old town and simply stroll through its streets to enjoy the wonderful buildings that line them. Don't miss:

• The town hall with its Neo-Manueline façade. It is truly a small architectural gem.
• The Natural History Museum and the Anjos Texeira Museum.
• The gift shops, if you feel like buying something.

Some of Sintra's best restaurants are also located there, 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 Casa Piriquita pastry shop.

A few kilometres from the centre of Sintra is the Palace of Monserrate, a mansion built in the 19th century by British millionaire Sir Francis Cook. It is one of the best examples of Arabic style in Portugal, although Indian, Mudejar and Gothic influences are also evident.

My advice is to take advantage of your visit to stroll around the park surrounding the building, which is home to exotic plants brought there by the British nobleman.

Practical information

• How to get there: it is about 4 kilometres from the centre of Sintra. If you don't feel like walking that far and don't have a car, the best way to get there is by taking the Scotturb 435 bus.
• Tickets: admission for adults costs around €8 and is valid for both the palace and the park. Children and seniors over 65 receive a €1.50 discount.
• Opening hours: the park is open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., while the palace can be visited between 9.30 a.m. and 6.30 p.m.

Although it is not a must-see, if you have enough time, you can visit the Countess d'Edla's villa and its gardens without fear of disappointment. The house was built in an Alpine style that is very different from the rest of the buildings in Sintra.

It was King Ferdinand II who ordered it to be built for the romantic reason of having a place to live out his love story with Elise Hensler, the Countess of Edla and his future wife.

The most interesting part of the visit is the gardens surrounding the house, with a large number of exotic plants brought from places as far away as New Zealand and Australia.

Practical information

• Admission: included in the ticket for the Pena Palace
• Opening hours: from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. to see the gardens and from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. to enter the villa.

Most of the time, when excursions to Sintra are organised from Lisbon, the idea is to visit its monuments and the nature that surrounds them. However, many Lisbon residents take this trip to visit some of the best beaches in the country in summer or spring.

The best-known beaches are Guincho, Ursa and Maçãs. You can get there by taking the historic Sintra tram.

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

Although it is some distance from Sintra (about 20 kilometres west of the city), Cabo da Roca is a visit that no one should miss if they have the opportunity. In fact, it is usually included in almost all organised excursions departing from Lisbon.

This point is the westernmost point of continental Europe. From its 140-metre-high cliffs (crowned by a lighthouse), you can enjoy breathtaking views of the Atlantic and the waves breaking against the rocks.

Practical information

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

For more detailed information, see my article How to get from Lisbon to Sintra. Here is a brief summary of the ways to travel between the two cities:

• Organised excursion: the most convenient way to visit Sintra from Lisbon is to book an organised excursion. There are several types, from those that include tickets to the main monuments to those that also take you to Cabo da Pena.
• Train: there are several trains a day from Rossio station that will take you to Sintra. Another option is to take the train line that leaves from Oriente station, but first check whether you need to change trains.
• Car: although travelling by car has many advantages, you are likely to encounter serious parking problems in Sintra, especially during high season and at weekends.