How To Have The Perfect Day Trip To Sintra, Portugal (Detailed Itinerary) (2024)

Ask anyone who’s been to Lisbon. They’ll probably recommend you go see the “red and yellow castle in Sintra”.

Yes, Sintra (and the Pena Palace) are super popular things to do when visiting Lisbon… but you can’t simply just show up in Sintra and expect things to fall into place.

There’s actually a ton of planning that needs to go into a Sintra day trip!

Like buying timed tickets to enter Pena Palace. (Pro tip: Don’t just show up empty-handed!)

And deciding how in the world you’re going to even get up to the palace, perched high up on a hill. And then once you’re done with Pena Palace, do you just go home? What else is there to do in Sintra to make your time worthwhile?

To help you answer all these questions and then some, I created an easy-to-follow Sintra day trip itinerary for you — with all the logistical details included!

You’ll learn everything from how to get to Sintra, which palaces are worth your time, what time to get your day trip started, which buses to take to get around, and so much more.

Ready to dive in and have the perfect Sintra day trip from Lisbon?

This post may contain affiliate links. You won’t be paying a cent more, but in the event of a sale, the small affiliate commission I receive will help keep this blog running/pumping out useful and free content. Thanks a lot!

What Is Sintra And What Will You Find There?

Sintra is a charming town set amidst the lush mountains of Serra de Sintra, not too far away from Lisbon (only 15 miles away).

While you may not be able to tell because things are so spread out and shrouded by greenery, Sintra is home to tons of opulent mansions with amazing and unique architecture — many of which were built by royalty and the ultra-rich of the past!

But it wasn’t always that way. Sintra has been inhabited by a few different civilizations in the past, each leaving its mark on the landscape and shaping its identity over the centuries.

A Brief History Of Sintra

The area’s prime location amidst the mountains of Serra de Sintra made it an appealing settlement for early inhabitants, who saw it as having defensive advantages. During the Moorish occupation of the Iberian Peninsula, Sintra flourished as an important center of agriculture and commerce.

Fast-forward to the 12th century — Sintra then becomes a royal retreat and summer residence for Portuguese monarchs, drawn to its cool climate and natural surroundings. For a good amount of time, it remained an area for royal retreats.

Throughout the centuries, Sintra continued to evolve as a cultural and artistic hub, attracting writers, poets, and artists inspired by its romantic landscapes and historic charm.

In 1995, it finally earned UNESCO World Heritage status for its cultural landscape!

What To See In Sintra

Within the Sintra area, these five attractions stand out as being the most popular among visitors:

• Pena Palace – perhaps the most-visited landmark in the Sintra area, this is the ketchup + mustard-looking castle that everyone visits; a work of pure Romanticism!
• Quinta da Regaleira – a lesser-visited attraction, this is a whimsical mansion filled with enchanting gardens, mysterious (almost secretive) tunnels, and unique architecture. Apparently, this spot has recently blown up on TikTok, which I have mixed feelings about.
• Moorish Castle – Before the elites and royalty came along, the Berbers (North African Moors) built up the Moorish Castle to guard the town. You’ll find this ancient castle perched atop a rugged hillside, looking super cool all on its own.
• Monserrate Palace: A picturesque palace with eclectic architectural style + gardens full of exotic plant collections from around the world.
• Sintra National Palace – Around 1840, Ferdinand II turned a ruined monastery into a castle in which Gothic, Egyptian, Moorish, and Renaissance elements were displayed.Located in the town center, it’s now a historic house museum.

👉 Why does Sintra have so many palaces? Back in the day, the royal families and the rich flocked here (for its beauty and cooler weather compared to Lisbon). A lot of them went all out to build their summer homes here.

With just a day trip, you won’t be able to visit them all in one day.

Our day trip will take you to Pena Palace, Quinta da Regaleira, and Sintra National Palace. The first two dwellings I think are most beautiful, and the last one is just super convenient.

Having said that, if you find the other attractions more interesting, feel free to swap them in as you see fit!

How To Get To Sintra From Lisbon

Where is Sintra from Lisbon?

Sintra is only 15 miles or so northwest of Lisbon, making it a super accessible day trip. In fact, the travel time from Lisbon to Sintra is only about 35 to 40 minutes by train.

Most people get to Sintra in one of two ways:

• by taking the train on their own
• or opting for a guided day trip tour

Option 1: Lisbon to Sintra by Train

Getting to Sintra via train is super easy, and super affordable too. Trains leave from the Sete Rios Station in Lisbon’s city center every 10-15 minutes or so and the roundtrip ride costs less than €5. Crazy cheap, right?

The trip from Lisbon to Sintra by train should take about 35-40 minutes.

• One-way train from Lisbon to Sintra:€2.40

👉 Pro Tip: Use Portugal’s official train site to get the most accurate train times, travel times, and ticket costs. Enter the name of the train station closest to your hotel and enter “Sintra” as the final destination.

If you plan on taking the train a lot in Lisbon (the main form of public transportation I use to get around Lisbon), you’ll want to get a reloadableVia Viagem card. You can simply tap and go at the gates — no need to stand in line at the machines to buy train tickets to Sintra!

These machines are usually always preoccupied with long lines anyway. The Via Viagem card really comes in handy and saves you a lot of time from waiting around.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Make sure you get off at the right stop – Sintra Station (Estação de Sintra). Do not get off at Portela de Sintra, which is the stop immediately before this. Just remember, the correct station for Sintra and all the palaces is Sintra Station. It’s the last stop on the line, where mostly everyone on the train will get off too, so it’s hard to miss.

Option 2: Lisbon to Sintra by Guided Tour

If you don’t want to figure out how to take the train on your own (even though it’s easy, I promise!), you can opt for a guided day trip.

These day trips are effortless — your guide takes care of all the logistics for you: getting you to Sintra, getting you from palace to palace, admission to these palaces, explaining the significance and history of everything you’re seeing, and taking care of the whole itinerary for you, too.

I have always found my own way to Sintra by train, but that’s because I’ve always traveled either solo OR with young, spry, and able-bodied friends.

If I were to ever visit Sintra with my parents, aunts, or uncles (they’re older, so excessive walking is tough on their legs/feet), I would 100% opt for a guided tour so that EVERYTHING is taken care of!

Sintra Day Trip From Lisbon: 1-Day Itinerary

For the rest of the itinerary, I’m going to assume you opted for a self-guided day trip to Sintra. That means you have the freedom to pick all your activities and the freedom to stay at each location for as long as you like!

Walk (or catch a ride) up to Pena Palace

Our first stop is going to be Pena Palace. This one’s the most popular attractions in Sintra, so you’ll want to get it done as early in the day as you can.

Once you get off at the Sintra train station, you’re going to need to find your way up to Pena Palace. It’s located high up on a hill.

Start paying attention because this is probably the hardest part about the Sintra day trip itinerary!

I personally love walking up the hill to get to Pena Palace (I’ve done it both times I’ve visited Pena Palace), but I understand that others might not want this or even be able to. I’ll give you a few different options on how to get there below.

WALKING TO PENA PALACE

The walk from the Sintra train station to Pena Palace takes approximately 35-45 minutes depending on your walking speed. Having done the walk up to Pena Palace on multiple trips to Sintra, I can tell you that not too many people opt to walk.

Very rarely did I pass by other people on my walks!

It’s quite uphill, but the entire walk up is pretty and super enchanting! The path is well-marked, easy to follow (when you use your maps app), and takes you through the charming historic center of Sintra.

Along the way, you’ll pass by Sintra’s city center (quaint cafes, shops selling local crafts), take quiet paths through sections of nothing but trees and greenery, and you’ll even see the Moorish Castle in the distance.

While the path does have some uphill sections that’ll make you break a sweat, it’s not a strenuous hike where you need huge amounts of water, and the majority of it is paved.

If it happens to be a really hot day, or you find yourself short on time and don’t have 45 minutes to spare on just walking, then you should try getting there on a set of wheels instead.

TAKING THE BUS TO PENA PALACE

For those who prefer not to walk, there is a bus service (434) that operates between the Sintra train station, Pena Palace, and a few other touristy destinations.

The bus departs regularly from a stop near the train station and takes visitors directly to the entrance of the palace, making it a convenient option for those with limited mobility or those short on time.

Here’s everything you need to know about taking the bus to Pena Palace:

• 434 Bus Route Circuito da Pena (circular route):Sintra Train Station → Moorish Castle → Pena Palace → Sintra National Palace / Sintra Town → Natural History Museum → Sintra Train Station (timetable here)
• Bus rides cost €4.55 for a single bus ticket. Have cash on you to pay for this. You can buy tickets directly from the bus driver. They sell a hop-on-hop-off bus ticket for €13.50, which could be good if you don’t plan on doing any walking at all (and plan to take the bus everywhere).
• Buses come a few times an hour, depending on how busy it is.You may get lucky and come up on the bus stop with the bus already there waiting for people to hop on. Or, you may need to wait 15 minutes or so for another one to show up. Buses run more frequently during the peak summer months.

There’s also Bus 435, but this bus doesn’t go to Pena Palace. Bus 435 takes visitors to places like Quinta de Regaleira, Monserrate Palace, and other palaces. Don’t get on this one.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Once you get dropped off at Pena Palace, the trek isn’t over. You still have to walk about 10-15 minutes up a fairly steep hill, or you can take a separate bus straight to the entrance for €3 (after you present your entry ticket).

TAKING A TUK-TUK TO PENA PALACE

Another fun (but more expensive) way to reach Pena Palace is by taking a tuk-tuk ride from the Sintra train station. Tuk-tuks are small, motorized vehicles that can navigate the narrow streets of Sintra with ease, and you’ll find a lot of drivers with tuk-tuks waiting for you at the train station.

The people driving the tuk-tuks will likely try to sell you on a ride up to the palace, but just know they DON’T come cheap. They know tourists are usually confused about how to get to Pena Palace and they try to take advantage of that!

Just keep in mind that the bus ride is €4.55. Anything excessively more than… say €6-8 per person would be considered NOT worth it in my eyes!

TAKING A BOLT/UBER TO PENA PALACE

Bolt is the main way I get around Portugal when I need a quick and convenient ride. And the good thing is, they’re super cheap in all of Portugal! They typically have much better pricing than regular cabs, and there’ll be no language barrier to worry about (since you do everything — like pick your destination and pay the bill — through the app).

I’ve never called a rideshare car to get me to/from places in Sintra, so I’m not entirely sure how readily available cars are in this area.

Still, it doesn’t hurt to just open the app and try calling a car from the train station if none of the other options appeal to you!

TAKING A TAXI TO PENA PALACE

You can also opt to take a taxi from the Sintra train station to Pena Palace. Because of how touristy Sintra is, you’ll find taxis available outside the train station. Taxis will cost more than Uber/Bolt.

Pena Palace

At this point, I hope you have your pre-booked Pena Palace tickets. You have two ticket options:

1. Palace and Park Ticket:Most people choose this one. You get entry into the palace itself with all the decked-out rooms and history + access the grounds and gardens. (Cost: €20 for adults)
2. Park Ticket:If you don’t think going inside the palace is worth it and just want to enjoy the palace from the outside, you can save a few euros by grabbing a Park Ticket. (Cost: €10 for adults)

Now, it’s time to get explorin’!

The Pena Palace is a jaw-droppingly pretty castle that’s unlike any other castle out there. It’s bright red and yellow for goodness sake!

Built in the 19th century by King Ferdinand II, the palace combines elements of a former monastery with whimsical castle-like architecture. The first thing you’ll want to do is explore the interior of the castle.

As you explore the colorful rooms, decor, and fantasy-like architecture of the palace interior, you’ll feel like you’re in an actual fairy tale. I mean, how did people live like this? SO JEALOUS.

Well… with the exception of all the other people trying to enjoy their tour of the inside as well. Sadly, because of how popular Pena Palace has become, you won’t really get to linger in rooms / areas for too long. There will probably be a long line of people behind and in front of you.

I’m not a fan of massive crowds, but even I had to come to terms with the fact that Pena Palace is no longer a secret and accept the masses. During my visit in 2018, touring the inside of the palace was pretty peaceful. I never felt rushed, annoyed, or squished by other visitors.

My experience in 2023 was quite the opposite. It was so hectic and so packed — I couldn’t wait to get out of there!

This is why I urge you to visit Pena Palace at the very start of the day (or at the very end, once the guided day trips have left)! The crowd levels are HIGH.

After you’ve explored the inside of the palace, it’s time to take in the gorgeous grounds around the palace itself. Make sure to take a walk around the castle walls, especially the Arches Yard and Terrace Walk. These are hands-down the prettiest areas for photos!

From the outside, you can even climb upstairs and pop into the elevated towers to soak in the views of the surrounding countryside — you’ll even be able to spot the Moorish Castle in the distance.

After exploring the outdoor spaces of the palace, you can head down to explore the gardens! The palace is surrounded by a lush park filled with all kinds of exotic plants and winding paths, so you should definitely spend at least 30 minutes enjoying the outdoors here.

In contrast to the throngs of humans overrunning the palace, the park area was surprisingly empty and peaceful. Plus, it offers great views of the palace.

Quinta da Regaleira

From Pena Palace, it’s time to explore my favorite area of all of Sintra — Quinta da Regaleira!

Quinta da Regaleira was unlike ANYTHING I had ever experienced before. While Pena Palace is unique in that it’s colorful and playful, Quinta da Regaleira is whimsical, mysterious, and downright enchanting.

Add in all the greenery that surrounds this mansion and you’ll get a truly mesmerizing world of wonder!

First off, Quinta da Regaleira is not a castle, it’s an estate. Built by an eccentric Free Mason, it houses some of the most unique, question-inducing elements like hidden tunnels and the mysterious Initiation Well. It’s also filled with occult-like symbols that make you question why they’re there to begin with! It’s all very intriguing, to say the least.

As you wander through the grounds, you’ll encounter ornate gardens, winding pathways, and statues / structures that seem straight out of a fairy tale.

If you’re trying to pinpoint the architectural style of this place, it’s going to be hard. You’ll come across so many intricate designs that blend Gothic, Renaissance, and Manueline styles.

One of the must-see areas at Quinta da Regaleira is the iconic Initiation Well, a spiral staircase that’s meant to descend deep into the earth … almost like it’s descending into the underworld!

While its exact purpose remains shrouded in mystery, the experts (aka my tour guide) believe it was used for ceremonial rituals or secret gatherings. The guy was a Free Mason after all.

Many tunnels and caves lead from the well to other parts of the grounds. The entrances are covered with maritime rock brought in from the Peniche region to give a feeling of a “submerged world”.

👉 Pro Tip: If you want to see the initiation well, head there first. It’s the most popular spot in Quinta da Regaleira, so it gets busy. There’s usually a line to enter the well too. After you finish up with the well, you can take your time seeing the rest of the castle!

In addition to the Initiation Well and all the creepy/cool tunnels, be sure to explore the grand palace, the lakes, Leda’s Grotto, the charming chapel, and even the waterfall. There’s so much good stuff to see scattered throughout the estate grounds.

You can buy your skip-the-line Quinta da Regaleira tickets here.

Quinta da Regaleira: Self-guided or guided?

My recommendation would be to do a little bit of both.

Quinta da Regaleira is full of hidden meanings and symbolisms that reveal a deeper, more mysterious side to the estate. It’s hard to know any of that without a guide.

The first time I visited Quinta da Regaleira, I did it completely self-guided. Because I found all the nooks, gardens, and grottos to be completely enthralling, I was able to spend 3+ hours here — completely captivated by the beauty of the property!

I hadn’t noticed the fact that I didn’t actually learn anything new about the mansion. I was so distracted by the beauty of the whole dang thing!

It wasn’t until my second visit to Quinta da Regaleira (where I DID have a guide) that I realized how little info I had learned about it during my first visit. On my second visit, my guide shared SO much history, proposed theories, and intriguing facts about the Quinta.

While my first visit was all about taking in the beauty and tranquility of the place, my second visit was all about learning WHY Quinta da Regaleira looks the way it does.

If you only plan on visiting Quinta da Regaleira once in your life, I’d get a guided tour. Or at the very least, opt for the audioguide so you can better understand what you’re looking at!

Explore Sintra’s historic city center

From Quinta da Regaleira, the walk back down to Sintra’s city center really isn’t bad. It’s about a 10-minute downhill walk.

There’s a lot of charming architecture to see along the way, including lots of colorful azulejo tilework and water fountains you can actually drink out of!

As you continue strolling downhill, you’ll eventually start seeing some of those shops you came across earlier on.

With the remainder of your time in Sintra, you could browse through the gift shops, home decor stores, and ceramic stores (you’ll find lots of blue, yellow, and white ceramics as well as things with sardines on them!).

You’ll also find a couple of storefronts selling ginja (or sour cherry liqueur), so if you haven’t had a chance to taste it in Lisbon, you’ll have your chance here!

The streets start to become quite maze-like, but that’s half the fun of exploring Sintra! You’ll never know what’s tucked away in a random corner.

You’ll find a few more establishments including handicraft/gift shops, restaurants, an ALE-HOP (a chain store that sells all kinds of random stuff you never knew you wanted), Fábrica da Nata (for pastel de nata!), and a long-standing pastry shop called Casa Piriquita.

If you need a quick snack, don’t miss Casa Piriquita, a local institution! You can get all kinds of pastries there, but their signature item is the Travesseiros da Piriquita. If this location is too crowded, there’s also their second location, Piriquita II, not too far away.

👉 Travesseiros de Sintra is one of the most sought-after sweets in Sintra, by both locals and tourists alike. Travesseiros are made with puff pastry, egg yolks, almonds and sugar, and are universally recognized as one of Sintra’s greatest delicacies. You gotta try one while you’re here!

Sintra National Palace

If you aren’t completely pooped out from exploring two massive palace/mansion grounds, your next stop can be the Sintra National Palace.

The Sintra National Palace — as its name suggests — served as an important place in Portugal’s royal history. Over the centuries, it’s been inhabited by multiple royal families, with each generation/reign leaving its mark and adding personality to its halls and chambers.

The abundance of hunting in the region, the freshness of the climate during the summer months, and the need to take refuge during periods of plague in Lisbon all contributed to the Palace of Sintra turning into a regular destination for the monarchs.

Inside the palace, you’ll immediately notice the intricate tile work on the walls, the super ornate ceilings, and the ritzy furnishings that reflect the wealth and power of its former inhabitants.

Don’t miss the Sala dos Cisnes (Swan Room), adorned with adorable little swan motifs, or the enchanting Sala dos Árabes (Arab Room) filled with Moorish-inspired decorations!

The interior of this place is just absolutely stunning! Best of all, there are way fewer crowds compared to what you’ll experience at Pena Palace, which means you can take your time and explore the entire palace at your own pace without feeling rushed by constant footsteps behind you.

When you’re outside, don’t miss the palace gardens and the two conical chimneys rising from the palace’s kitchen, a unique feature that you won’t see anywhere else.

Since this palace is a lot smaller than Pena Palace, you should only need about 1 hour to see everything.

Early dinner: Romaria de Baco

If you’re in the mood for traditional Portuguese food, head to Romaria de Baco for a real meal. If you like seafood, try the black risotto with shrimp and clams or the grilled squid for the main course. They also have all the traditional bacalhau dishes too.

If meat is more your thing, opt for the pork tenderloin which was also amazing!

Have More Time? Other Stops For Your Itinerary

I tend to take forever to look around outdoor spaces when traveling solo.

Since so many of Sintra’s palaces had outdoor areas to explore in addition to the actual palaces, I’ve only ever been able to fit in 2-3 places whenever I visit Sintra.

If you’re a fast explorer, you may be able to fit in more on your Sintra day trip! If so, here are a couple of other stops you could consider adding to your Sintra day trip itinerary:

The Moorish Castle

Isolated high up on one of the peaks in the Sintra Hills, the Moorish Castle is a fortification founded in the 10th century during the period the Moors occupied the Iberian Peninsula.

Its walls snake across the hills with their granite blocks interlinking boulders and cliffs.

I didn’t make it to The Moorish Castle, but I’ve heard really good things about it. You can easily walk here from Pena Palace (a 15-minute walk). Since most guided tours don’t go here, you’re almost guaranteed a peaceful experience here.

Monserrate Palace

Another unique palace in Sintra! And no, it won’t look or feel like any of the other ones you’ll have seen already.

Unlike the other palaces, Monserrate Palace is characterized by its exotic and eclectic design, inspired by Arabic, neo-gothic, and Indian architectural styles.

In addition to super unique palace architecture, the botanical gardens are worth seeing! You’ll find all kinds of exotic trees, flowers, and water features throughout the outdoor space.

Essential Travel Tips For Your Sintra Day Trip

Get your timed entry Pena Palace tickets ahead of time.

If you wait until the day-of to buy your ticket there, you might have a LONG wait ahead of you. That’s because admission at Pena Palace is now time-based. This means if all the time slots for your arrival time have already been sold out, you’ll be given the next available time slot, which could be 1-2 hours after you’ve already arrived.

This actually happened to me on my second visit to Pena Palace! My friends had decided last-minute that they wanted to visit. (Last-minute is never a good idea!)

Online reservations were sold out that morning, so our only option was to show up physically at the ticket office to buy tickets. Luckily, they had availability for in-person ticket purchases.

BUT, we had to wait 2 whole hours before they would let us in! We had walked all the way up the hill to get to the Palace, so there was no way we were walking back down to kill time. So we mostly just sat around for the whole two hours before getting in line to enter. It was a total waste of time, to be honest!

To avoid long lines and stupid wait times, purchase your tickets for Pena Palace online ahead of time. This will mean no wasted time — you’ll get to enter the palace at your desired time slot. Easy in, easy out!

Try to get the earliest time slots for Pena Palace.

This palace gets quite crowded, so for the most enjoyable experience (and the least number of people in your castle photos), try to show up before everyone else!

This will also mean more time to explore the rest of Sintra’s treasures ahead of everyone else (everyone else is probably stuck at Pena Palace waiting for their time slots to enter the palace, hehehe).

How I’d recommend getting from Pena Palace to Quinta da Regaleira.

On my first trip, I walked the full 35 minutes it takes to get from one palace to the next. Unless you love walking and/or have the time to spare, I wouldn’t recommend it to just anyone!

A more efficient route is to do the following:

• From the train station, take bus 434 up to Pena Palace.
• To leave Pena Palace, take bus 434 to return to the historic center. After Pena Palace, you’ll probably need some food, or even a quick snack. Grab something in the town center.
• Walk from the town center to Quinta da Regaleria.It’s only a 12 to 15-minute walk!

If you’re traveling outside of the summer season, bring warm clothes to Sintra.

Sintra can be significantly cooler than Lisbon, especially during the off-season. Be sure to bring warm clothing and dress in layers to stay comfortable. If the clouds and the fog are rolling through, it’ll feel a lot colder when the sun isn’t shining directly on you.

During my last visit in March, I had to hunt for spots of sunlight at 10 am because I was so cold in the shade!

Sintra Day Trip: A Step-By-Step Itinerary

If you need help figuring out how exactly to get around to all these stops efficiently, you can follow this guide below:

• 8am: Catch the train from Lisbon to Sintra.
• 9 am: From Sintra train station, take Bus 434 up to Pena Palace.
• Explore Pena Palace for a few hours — you should have a timed ticket for early in the morning.
• 12 pm: To leave Pena Palace, walk or take Bus 434 to return to the historic center. After Pena Palace, you’ll probably need some lunch or even a quick snack before the next stop. Grab something in the town center before heading to Quinta da Regaleira.
• 1 pm: Walk from the town center to Quinta da Regaleira.It’s only a 12 to 15-minute walk!
• Explore Quinta da Regaleira for a few hours. To leave Quinta da Regaleira, take the same 15-minute walk you did to get back to the town center.
• 4 pm: Explore Sintra National Palace (open until 6:30 pm), located in the town center. Walk through town and explore the local shops.
• 6 pm: Have dinner in Sintra, or head back to Lisbon for dinner!

👉 434 Bus Route:Sintra Train Station → Moorish Castle → Pena Palace → Sintra National Palace / Sintra Town → Natural History Museum → Sintra Train Station (timetable here)

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