The Ultimate Sintra Day Trip from Lisbon: Top Things to Do & Itinerary
Sintra is one of my favorite places in Portugal. This fairytale town is set high in the mountains just a short drive from Lisbon. Here’s how to take a Sintra day trip from Lisbon. While you can do most iconic things in one day, like visiting Pena Palace, there’s so much more to Sintra. If you have the extra time, it’s worth spending a night or two here. Trust me, you won’t want to leave as it’s one of the most beautiful places in the world. Full of magical castles, forest hills, colorful architecture, and hidden gems.
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How Long Do You Need in Sintra
Most tourists visit Sintra for one day and leave. They also surprisingly just visit Pena Palace and go. Don’t get me wrong, I made that same mistake 8 years ago when I visited. This time around, I spent the night and still didn’t see all that the area had to offer. But I did enjoy my time there, seeing more than the famous colorful castle. If you’re short on time, one day is perfectly fine, and this guide will show you how to make the most of your time here.
How to Take a Sintra Day Trip from Lisbon
You can either take an organized tour if you don’t want to handle logistics, or go on your own.
If you do a tour, some insanely affordable ones take you around all day. You won’t have to figure out where to take the bus or have any waiting time. That was the biggest nuisance when I went, as I struggled at first to figure out where the bus left from.
For around €40 excluding tickets, this tour takes you on an 8-hour Sintra day trip from Lisbon to many of the places in this blog post. That includes a visit to Pena Palace, Regaleira, Cabo da Roca, and even the coastal town of Cascais.
Going on your own is easier than you think. Sintra is only 30 minutes away from Lisbon and easily accessed by public transport. I wouldn’t recommend driving because parking can be hectic and the roads are quite small and curvy.
I actually used Bolt to get to and from Sintra as it was the easiest option. And it only cost me €15 from Alcântara (near LX Factory). Bolt is much cheaper than Uber in Portugal, fyi.
Otherwise, you can take the train from Rossio and get to Sintra in 47 minutes. It will only be a couple of euros.
How to Spend 1 Day in Sintra
Sintra is one of the most popular day trips from Lisbon. Here’s how to spend the perfect day in this beautiful town.
Note: Because Sintra is located higher in the mountains, it does get much cooler than Lisbon, and summer evenings can be cool, so bring some layers.
1-day itinerary:
Pena Palace → Moorish Castle → Historic Centre → Sintra Palace → Quinta da Regaleira
Pena Palace
National Palace of Pena is one of the most beautiful fairytale castles in the world. It’s set really high up in the Sintra mountains and is even more magical in person.
The Pena Palace is an example of 19th-century Romantic architecture. After an earthquake in Lisbon in 1755, most of the monastery was left in ruins. However, in 1838, King Ferdinand II purchased the ruins and transformed them into the colorful palace you see today.
I love how colorful the castle is – the red and yellows really stand out compared to any other castle I’ve seen. And the colors actually represent the Romantic movement celebrating fantasy and emotion. The yellow symbolizes the monastary before it was destroyed and the red is the newer addition.
Here are my top tips for visiting. I recommend visiting right when it opens or at the very end of the day so you can experience the least crowds. This place is absolutely crowded throughout the entire day. And if you want to visit the inside, the crowds make it really unbearable. I actually didn’t visit the inside and many recommend not going inside, especially if you don’t want to be stuck inside with the immense crowds.
I’d allocate 2–3 hours exploring both the palace and its gardens. The park is just as magical as the palace itself.
The bus 434 takes you to Pena Palace from the historic center in just 30 minutes. From inside, there is a shuttle you will need to pay for to take you straight up to the palace. Wait times for this can be long so I opted to walk. The walk is an uphill walk for about 10-15 minutes. It’s doable but you must be fit and able to walk. I recommend wearing comfortable shoes for the walk as the ground can be uneven.
If you plan to visit the Moorish Castle and other Sintra attractions, I recommend getting the 24 hour bus pass which gives you unlimited rides.
The Moorish Castle
From the Pena Palace, you can reach the Moorish Castle in 15 minutes by foot. Or you can take the 434 bus one stop. These buses are really frequent which is great news.
The Moorish Castle is a medieval fortress which sits high amongst the mountains. It was built during the 8th–9th centuries by the Moors and the fortress walls stretch for about 450 meters.
I absolutely loved all the views from here. You can even see the Pena Palace if you go up the walls on the left side of the castle.
You can count on spending at least an hour here as there is a bit of walking to get to the walls and up them for all the views.
Sintra Historic Center
The historic center of Sintra is so quaint and cute. It can however be very busy. That’s why I recommend not just doing a day trip to Sintra but spending the night so you can see the town when all the tourists leave.
The colorful streets are filled with cobblestone pathways and some give you views of the Moorish Castle and other beautiful buildings in the distance. The views are really stunning all around.
You have to pay a visit to Casa Piriquita for some must-try Portuguese sweets. You can try Travesseiro (Sintra’s famous flaky almond pastry) or a Queijada de Sintra (a traditional tart).
Quinta da Regaleira
Not far from the Historical Center is Quinta da Regaleira. You can easily walk here in 10 minutes. I arrived 10 minutes before opening time and there was already a large line waiting to enter. My friend and I decided to make a dash to the famous Inception Well, hoping we’d beat the crowds. However, it was already too late and the well was filled with so many tourists. You aren’t allowed to stop as you go through it to take pictures either as the pathway is a bit small to let people pass by. The trick is to wait out the crowds before entering as it does go in waves. That’s how I was able to get a few seconds of empty space when taking photos here.
Aside from the famous well, Quinta da Regaleira is quite beautiful all around and deserves to be explored. Once you exit the well, there’s a beautiful cave and waterfalls. All around the property is endless gardens making you feel like you’re in a real-life-fairytale.
I also recommend buying tickets here in advance to avoid it selling out and to secure an early time slot.
Where to Eat in Sintra
- Sintra is Moinho Dom Quixote: One of the prettiest restaurants in Sintra is Moinho Dom Quixote. They have a huge outdoor and indoor space. The outdoor space is in a garden with views of the sea. The seating is super cute with cozy benches and decorative tables. I visited for dinner, but lunch is also a good option depending on when you can make it over here. It’s not very close to the historical center, but you can take about a 30-minute bus there, and it drops you off a short walk from the restaurant.
- Cafe Saudade: This is a great spot for fresh sourdough bread sandwiches and scones. They also have a teahouse.
- Casa Piriquita: This bakery is located in the historical center and is a must-try for Portuguese sweets. Order a Travesseiro, Sintra’s famous flaky almond pastry, or a Queijada de Sintra, which is a traditional small, round tart filled with sweet fresh cheese, eggs, and cinnamon.
Have More Time? How to Spend 2 or 3 Days in Sintra
Having extra time in Sintra will allow you to discover the quieter parts of the beautiful town. Here’s how to spend 2 and 3 days in Sintra.
Day 1: Monserrate → dinner at Moinho Dom Quixote → Cabo da Roca sunset
Day 2: Sintra Palace → Moorish Castle → Historic Center → Quinta da Regaleira
Day 3: If you have even more time, I highly recommend a visit to Azenhas do Mar, a tiny cliffside fishing village 15 minutes from Sintra.
Hidden Gems in Sintra
Sintra has so much more than Pena Palace. You can discover some amazing hidden gems away from all the tourist crowds. It will feel just magical! Here are some underrated spots you need to add to your Sintra itinerary.
- Capuchos Convent
- Queluz National Palace
- Biester Palace
- Freedom Park
- The beautiful cafe, Moinho Dom Quixote
Where to Stay in Sintra
If you decide to extend your day trip to Sintra from Lisbon, here are the top hotels to stay in!
I personally stayed at Sintra1012 Boutique Guesthouse and it only cost €74 a night. It’s located in the historic center which is the best area to stay in Sintra. This is where you can walk the charming streets and find shops, restaurants, and cafes near by.
The rooms were super cute and cozy here. I loved the charm of the place which matched the whole vibe of Sintra. Plus, there was a wonderful breakfast included.
Other stays I had researched include:
- Valverde Sintra Palácio de Seteais $$$ If you want to stay in a palace this is such a unique and memorable stay. It’s worth a little splurge to stay here and it’s part of the Leading Hotels of the World.
- Chalet Saudade $$
- NH Sintra Centro $
- Pendoa Sintra Collection $
Hopefully this post helps you plan the perfect day trip to Sintra from Lisbon and even convinces you to stay longer than a day. That will be ideal to see all that the town has to offer.
Plus, if you can visit Cascais during the same trip, even better. Cascais is a beautiful coastal town worth exploring during your Lisbon or Sintra itinerary.
For more reading, you may also like:
✨ Hidden Gems in Lisbon
☕ My Favorite Cafes & Brunch in Lisbon
🚂 Douro Valley Train: The Most Scenic Train Ride
🍷 How to Enjoy the Best Douro Valley Day Trip from Porto
☂️ The Colorful Umbrella Street in Agueda, Portugal
