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Packed with colourful fairy tale palaces, rambling hilltop castles and exotic flora, our one-day Sintra itinerary makes an excellent excursion from Lisbon. Here’s all you need to know for a magical Lisbon to Sintra day trip.
A day trip to Sintra is a magical voyage into the birthplace of Romanticism.
Once a simple monastery on a hill outside Lisbon, Sintra was converted into a flamboyant and decorative summer palace by King Ferdinand II. His mix of Gothic, Moorish and Renaissance influences created a mishmash of decorative styles.
Ferdinand set his palace in a landscaped park introducing a vast array of exotic species of trees. The result is a truly unique place combining respect for the past with the beauty of nature. More whimsical palaces and gardens would follow and in 1995 the uniqueness of Sintra was recognised by UNESCO who gave it a world heritage listing.
There are lots of palaces, parks and castles to see in Sintra, and unfortunately, it’s not possible to see them all on in a single day. But our one-day Sintra itinerary captures all the highlights while saving the legs from Sintra’s hilly climbs.
Colourful stomping ground of King Ferdinand II
8th-century Moorish hilltop castle
Touristy but cute cobblestone streets
Flamboyant architecture & gardens inspired by mythology
The best preserved medieval royal residence in Portugal
Although there are many great things to do in Lisbon, and it can be tempting not to leave, it’s worth taking the time to spend one day in Sintra. You can’t possibly hope to pack everything in, but we’ve put the main sights that you wouldn’t want to miss, in the right order so you don’t waste any time collecting the area’s star attractions.
We’ve also made some suggestions for how to get around Sintra; allowing you to walk this beautiful area, without doing too much uphill climbing.
Pena Palace was originally a chapel dedicated to the Virgin Mary, then a monastery in the 15th century. It was devastated by the earthquake in the 18th century when it was purchased by King Ferdinand II who converted it into his summer palace.
The old monastery was rebuilt along with a new European grand house surrounded by the battlements, watchtowers, and drawbridge of a faux castle. Islamic and Medieval Christian influences are spread throughout the palace with tiles, vaulted arches and intricate carvings dominating the interior.
With a bright yellow monastery, a rustic red castle and ornate battlements the whole sight could easily feel gaudy, tacky and cheap. It’s all of those things, but somehow manages to win you over.
Ferdinand also meticulously landscaped most of the grounds. Birds frolic in man-made lakes surrounded by over 500 different species of trees. Sequoias and eucalyptus trees (introduced over the years) tower over a mix of ferns and colourful flowers. It’s a beautiful spot.
Take a tuk-tuk or a bus from Sintra Train Station to the lower entrance of Pena Palace, then walk up through the grounds to the palace. The queues are shorter at the lower entrance than at the main entrance and the walk up through the interesting flora and Moorish decorated architecture is open of the best things to do in Sintra. Allow 1 hour 30 minutes to explore the grounds and palace.
Pena Palace & Gardens / High Season: Gardens 9:30 – 20:00; Palace 9:45 – 18:30; Low Season: Gardens & Palace 10:00 – 18:00; with last admission 1 hour before closing | Price: €7.50 gardens and palace exterior, €14 for gardens, palace exterior and palace interior. Book online to save queuing and for a 5% discount.
Castelo dos Mouros sits on another rocky peak of the hill just a few hundred meters away. It was built in the 8th and 9th centuries by the Moors (Muslims that occupied the Iberian Peninsula at the time). Its vantage point allowed it to control the Atlantic coast and the inlet to Lisbon. But it was not enough and after Lisbon fell in 1147 the castle was captured to the Christian King Alfonso Henriques.
In 1755 an earthquake destroyed much of the castle leaving the tower in ruins. But just as he had renovated the monastery, in 1839 King Ferdinand II began restoring the castle as well. He rebuilt the chapel, repaired the walls and reforested the area.
The castle is now a sight to behold with its walls meandering up and down the contours of the hill. Each turret provides excellent views over the surrounding area. Inside an interpretation, centre highlights its Moorish history with artefacts found during various digs.
Exit the Pena Palace at the main entrance, turn left on the road and after a couple of minutes you will arrive at the Moorish Castle ticket office. The castle is another 5-minute walk beyond the ticket office.
Moorish Castle / High Season: 9:30 – 19:00; Low Season: 10:00 – 17:00; with last admission one hour before closing;Price: €8. Book online to save queuing and for a 5% discount.
There is no denying that the centre of Sintra old town can be busy and the restaurants touristy. But it’s not as bad as it could be. Take a stroll along the pedestrianised cobblestone streets and narrow stairways admiring the cute shops, churches and townhouses.
Grab lunch at Tascantiga. They do excellent tapas dishes with a decent wine list on the southern edge of town. If you score a table out the front, it’s a great spot for people watching. Stop off at Piriquita II for either their excellent pastel de nata or their signature pastry, chocolate salami – a slice of chocolate goodness packed with nuts and biscuits.
After you’ve taken in the old town and energised yourself with some calories, head towards Quinta da Regaleira.
Exit the Moorish castle and head into Sintra old town. Either walk, following the path signed to Sintra which runs down the east side of the hill, then at the bottom turn left on the main road into Sintra old town, taking around 20 minutes. Alternatively, head back to the ticket office at the Moorish Castle and get the 434 hop-on-hop-off bus into town.
What Ferdinand began; others would follow. Quinta da Regaleira, completed in 1910, is one of the more flamboyant decorative houses and gardens built in the area. The property consists of an ornate palace, a small chapel and an expansive park. The palace is impressive enough with gothic turrets rising into the air and ornate features carved into the façade. But the real attraction is the remarkable gardens.
Inspired by the mythological beliefs of the owner, every corner of the park has a hidden gem. Disney like turrets and castellated walls poke through the trees. Grottos, fountains, ponds and benches lurk in the undergrowth.
The star attraction of Quinta da Regaleira is the deep well that tunnels into the ground with steps spiralling down to the bottom. It’s worth waiting behind the hordes of people trying desperately to snap selfies in very poor light. A secret tunnel takes you over a cute bridge to exit the well.
Quinta de Regaleira is a short 12-minute walk along the main road from the centre of Sintra old town. Allow at least 1 hour 30 minutes to explore the house and grounds.
Quinta da Regaleira / High Season: 9:30 – 20:00; Low Season: 9:30 – 18:00; with last admission one hour before closing | Price: €6
To finish your one day in Sentra itinerary, you may just have enough time to look around the inside of the National Palace of Sintra. The National Palace was originally one of two Moorish castles in Sintra (the other Castelo do Mouros at the top of the hill). But nothing built during Moorish time has survived.
Instead, what stands here now was constructed by Christian kings in the 15th and 16th centuries. It still contains significant Gothic, Renaissance and Moorish influences. It has been inhabited for much of the last 500 years, and it’s currently the best preserved medieval royal residence in Portugal.
Even if you don’t quite have time to look around, it is worth admiring the white conical turrets rising from the palace roof that were added in the early 15th century by King John.
Exit the grounds of Quinta da Regaleira and make the 12-minute return walk back into Sintra town to Palácio Nacional de Sintra. When you are finished looking around the National Palace either take the 10-minute walk back to Sintra Train Station or hop on the tourist bus one last time.
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