How to spend a day in Sintra
The palaces, the trains, the tickets, and the small things that make the day work. Collected and kept up to date by a team that lives here.
Weather on the hill?
Observations 12:00 today · forecast for Lisbon · source: IPMAThe places
Palaces on the hill, a Moorish castle, gardens that took a century to grow, and the Atlantic at the end of the road.
Pena Palace
The yellow and red palace on top of the hill, and the reason most people come. Timed tickets, a 25-minute climb from the gate, a terrace that closes in strong wind.
Quinta da Regaleira
Tunnels, a spiral well you walk down into, and a garden built by a man with too much money and a taste for symbols.
Moorish Castle
A 9th-century wall along the ridge. The best view in Sintra, and the windiest.
Cabo da Roca
The westernmost point of mainland Europe. A lighthouse, a cliff, and a parking lot at noon. Come at five.
Sintra National Palace
The two white chimneys in the middle of town. Six centuries of Portuguese kings and the ceilings to prove it.
Azenhas do Mar
A white village hanging over a beach, with a sea pool cut into the rock. Twenty minutes from Sintra by car.
Monserrate
The quiet one. A palace that looks like it was built in India, inside the best garden in Sintra.
Convento dos Capuchos
A 16th-century monastery of tiny cork-lined cells, deep in the forest. Needs a car, rewards the drive.
Sintra old town
The village under the palaces: tiled streets, Piriquita's queue, the town hall that looks like a chapel. Worth the last hour of the day.
Practical Sintra
Ask about Sintra
Is Pena Palace worth going inside??
Yes if you like rooms; the terraces and the outside are the famous part. With a timed ticket at 9:30, inside takes 45 minutes and is worth it. At 13:00 in August, it isn't.
Can I do Sintra and Cascais in one day??
Yes: two palaces in Sintra by 15:00, then bus 1253 out to Cabo da Roca and on towards the coast, Cascais for dinner. Adding the cape leaves time for one palace, not two.
How early do Pena tickets sell out?
Pena uses timed slots and the morning ones go first. In high season, book ahead; in winter you can usually buy at the gate. The exact lead time is on the Pena page, with the date we checked it.
Is Sintra open on Mondays?
Everything is. Lisbon's museums close on Mondays, which is why Monday is the busiest weekday in Sintra. Arrive before 9:30.
Train or tour from Lisbon??
Train if you're happy to walk and queue: €2.55 and 40 minutes. A tour if you want two palaces, the coast, and no parking. Both work; the difference is who handles the hill.
What if it's foggy?
Normal until noon, and the town below is usually sunny. Do Regaleira or the National Palace first and go up to Pena after lunch.