Everything you need to know to take a day trip to Sintra from Lisbon, Portugal, and everything you need to see.
As soon as I saw photos of the fairytale palaces, castles, and villas in Sintra I knew that we had to visit during our trip to Lisbon, Portugal and I think you should too! While extremely popular, visiting Sintra is a must-do if you are in the area and have the time to visit. There is something that is so very magical about Sintra!
Sintra is a charming city located in the foothills of Portugal’s Serra de Sintra (Sintra Mountains). It became popular with the royal family and other wealthy individuals as the destination for their summer homes.
If you are visiting Lisbon, you may be interested in this post that shares everything you should see in Lisbon during your visit. If you are visiting Lisbon for a couple of days you may be interested in reading this blog post.
Getting to Sintra
To get to Sintra you can take the train from Lisboa- Rossio station to Sintra station (not Portela de Sintra). There are about four to six trains an hour. It takes between 40 minutes to 50 minutes to get to Sintra via train. You could also use Uber or Bolt to drive you from Lisbon to your first palace in Sintra. We did this option. It cost a little less than 30 euros and took about 50 minutes from the Alfama area to Pena Palace.
Another option is to book a group tour or private tour with a tour company that provides transportation.
Getting Around Sintra
To get around Sintra you can use the city buses. Bus 434 runs in a one-way loop that starts at the Sintra train station and goes to:
- Sintra Vila (historic centre of Sintra)
- Moorish Castle – Castelo dos Mouros
- Pena Palace – Palácio Nacional da Pena
- Sintra Vila (historic centre of Sintra)
- Sintra train station
During the summer the bus runs from 9:15 a.m. to 7:50 p.m. (in winter it runs from 9:30 a.m. to 6:20 p.m.). It takes about 20 minutes via bus to reach Pena Palace from the Sintra train station.
If you are looking to visit the other palaces, bus 435 will take you to Sintra National Palace, Regaleira Palace, and Monserrate Palace.
Another option is to take a taxi/Uber/Bolt from the train station and between the different palaces. We did have some problems with getting drivers in Sintra – lots of long waits.
Pena Palace
Palácio Nacional da Pena or Pena Palace is the iconic red and yellow palace that you see when you think of Sintra. The site of the palace was originally a chapel in the 12th century dedicated to Our Lady of Pena and then in the 16th century a monastery, the Royal Monastery of Our Lady of Pena. The 1755 earthquake left much of the monastery in ruins but it stayed active until 1834. After Queen Maria II married Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (Ferdinand II) in 1836, Ferdinand II acquired the monastery site and planned to restore the building as a summer residence for the royal family. However, his enthusiasm and imagination led him to build the beautiful Pena Palace with Manueline and Moorish architecture. This magical palace has castle elements like lookout towers, an access tunnel, and a drawbridge.
The romantic aesthetic and fairytale setting continues into the gardens and parks that surround Pena Palace. Some areas in the park worth seeing include the Valley of the Lakes, the Temple of Columns, St. Catherine’s Heights for views of Pena Palace, the Grotto of the Monk, the Little Birds Fountain, and the Queen’s Fern Valley. Also worth seeing is the Chalet of the Countess of Edla which was built for Ferdinand II’s second wife after the death of Queen Maria II. The Palace of Pena was classified as a National Monument in 1910 and by UNESCO as World Heritage in 1995.
You do have to purchase timed tickets to visit Pena Palace in advance. It does take about 10-15 minutes to walk from the entrance/ticket office to the entrance to the palace and your ticket time is to enter the palace not to enter the grounds. For example, our tickets were for 9:30 am, so we entered the grounds before 9:10 am and walked up to the palace.
Pena Palace is within walking distance of the Moorish Castle if you are also wanting to visit it.
Quinta da Regaleira
Quinta da Regaleira is where you will find the Instagram-famous Initiation Well. The palace is a mix of neo-gothic, Manueline, and Renaissance architecture and was built in the early 20th century by millionaire Antonio Augusto Carvalho Monteiro. The real show-stopper at Quinta da Regaleira is the gardens. The Initiation Well is one of the most famous sites in Sintra. At the well, you will enter where it looks like a pile of rocks (or a long line of people) and follow the spiral staircase to the bottom and then exit via a hidden tunnel in the cave.
You can walk to the Quinta de Regaleira from town, just follow the N375 from Sintra Palace. You’ll take Rua Consiglieri Pedroso up a small hill and follow it around to the right when it turns into Rua Barbosa do Bocage. The entrance to Quinta de Regaleira will be a little further up the hill on the left.
Palácio de Monserrate
Palácio de Monserrate, or Monserrate Palace was built in 1846 by Francis Cook, a British trader and art collector. The palace combines Gothic and Indian influences with foliage motifs. The park/gardens surrounding the palace are a real treat and contain foliage from around the world. The garden is divided into themed areas like a Mexican garden, a Japanese garden, a rose garden, etc.
Monserrate Palace is located along the 435 bus line outside of central Sintra and would require you to take the bus or taxi.
Other Palaces in Sintra
If you have time there are several other beautiful palaces to explore. Some of these palaces include:
- Castelo dos Mouros or Moors Castle dates back to the early days of the Moorish occupation of the Peninsula in the 8th century. It was built high up on a rocky outpost to be able to see all the way to the sea for potential attacks. After the Christian Crusaders stormed the castle in 1147 it was left in ruins. The 1755 earthquake leveled many of the walls. When Ferdinand II was building Pena Palace, he also partially restored the castle. You can explore the castle grounds, climb towers, and take in the spectacular views of Sintra.
- Palacio Nacional de Sintra or Sintra National Palace is easily recognized on the edge of town with its two white chimneys. The palace was built in the early 15th century and was a favorite among Portuguese royalty.
I highly recommend visiting Sintra if you are in the area. It is stunning and the different palaces are just gorgeous. It definitely lived up to my fairytale expectations!
