This post is all about the fantastic day trip from Lisbon to Sintra (Portugal)!

Maybe you’ve already spent some time in Lisbon and are looking for a new place to visit close by. Or if you’re spending an extended period in Lisbon and want a change of scenery: a Sintra day trip is the route to go!

It’s sufficiently close to Lisbon to make it a day trip, or you could also decide to stay over. There is enough in Sintra for you to explore and experience.

It’s the perfect destination any time of year. However, if you are going during the summertime, be warned: you might not be alone in Sintra! Be sure to book tickets or restaurants in advance, otherwise, you might have to queue quite a bit.

Without further ado: here is the post you need to read to have a fantastic day trip from Lisbon to Sintra!

 

 Get from Lisbon to Sintra

 

Why you should go and visit Sintra

Sintra is located north/west of Lisbon and is a very picturesque and historical city.  All this is in the middle of the Sintra mountain chain, with very lush and green steep hills.

You really have two sides to the city: the historical-touristy side and the seaside resort side of Sintra.

It is such a special place that it has been on the UNESCO World Heritage site list since 1995. It is full of very rich and beautifully architected palaces and castles (I’ll tell you all about them later in this post).

In the 19th century, Sintra became the center of European Romantic architecture.

 

How to get from Lisbon to Sintra

There are 3 main ways to get to Sintra from Lisbon: by car or train. and with a guided tour.

• By car

The most direct and best option would be to rent a car directly upon your arrival at Lisbon airport. The estimated travel time would be around half hour to get you to Sintra.

The upside of having a car in Sintra is that you’ll be quite autonomous to go from one place to another. The landmarks in Sintra can be quite far away from one another and public transport is not the best or the quickest. This can also help you avoid the long lines of tourists waiting for a tuk-tuk to get them around.

The Sintra has quite narrow roads, but you can quite easily find parking spaces either directly at the various sights or in the center.

 

• By train

The second best way to get to Sintra is by train. There are 2 main train lines that will bring you to Sintra: the Sintra Line and the Azambuja Line.

You’ll have several departing places in Lisbon, depending on where you are staying in the city:

• • Departure from the Rossio station: you can get a train that will bring you to the Sintra train station in about 40 to 50 minutes (depending on the train you get)

The train tickets for one trip is 2,30€, making the price for a round trip 4,60€ per person.

• • Departure from the Braço de Prata station: you can take the line Azambuja, your journey time will be around 45min to get you to Sintra station

Ticket prices for one trip are 2,30€, making the price for a round trip 4,60€ per person.

• • Departure from the Oriente station: You’ll be able to catch both the Azambuja and Sintra lines and get to Sintra in under 1 hour.

Depending on the season of the year you decide to go to Sintra, I would really recommend booking your train ticket as much in advance as possible. The last time I went, I departed from the Rossio train station, and we arrived around 40 minutes before the departure of the train at the station. We did not make it to that train, because the queue at the ticket office was so long to get the ticket. That was in September! So imagine how it could go during the high season!

Another tip would be to start your day trip to Sintra as early as you can to get the most out of your day!

No matter the station you decide to depart from, be sure to also book your return ticket so that you won’t have to queue again in Sintra!

 

• Guided tour

Another good option (and probably the easiest way) to get to Sintra if both car and train are not for you is to book a guided Sintra tour. You can depart directly from Lisbon, you’ll have the transport and the tour guide all included in your day trip!

Probably the most well-known company that offers such tours is the “Get your Guide” site. It’s straightforward to book and you can really choose your adventure. They have more than 200 excursions for Sintra alone on their site. So do not hesitate to check it out!

 

How to get around in Sintra

Depending on how you got to Sintra, you’ll have several options to get around.

 

• You got to Sintra by car

If you go to Sintra by car, you can go by car from landmark to landmark. You’ll be able to use the parking spaces at your disposal at the Pena Palace, the Moorish castle, and others.

Be careful, because the historical center of Sintra is closed off to cars and expect a lot of traffic during the summertime. The main road in Sintra is a one-way street, and traffic jams can happen quite quickly (because everyone is going to the same places, especially during rush hours).

 

• You booked a guided tour

If you booked a guided tour, the transport from one place to the next will be included in your day trip package. This one was easy!

 

• You arrived by train

If you arrive in Sintra by train, you’ll have several options once you’ve stepped out of the Sintra train station.

• • Uber

You could take an Uber or a Bolt. Considering that the roads in Sintra are mostly one-lane roads, traffic can be slower, especially when it’s the peak of summer. Be prepared to wait longer than usual for your ride. The distances between the landmarks are not that great and the fares are thus not that high.

• • Tuk-Tuk

Another way to get around which is quite popular in Sintra is by using a tuk-tuk. You’ll see many of those on the streets. You could end up sharing a tuk-tuk with other people because you pay by the seat and they will try to get all their seats full to make the ride worth their while.

If you’re a fan of the tuk-tuk life you could even book a tour of the city in tuk-tuk. It will take you around 1 hour and a half to experience the main landmarks and some of Sintra’s beautiful scenery.

• • Bus

You could also take the bus, which is just outside of the Sintra train station: line 434 or line 435.

Each bus line makes 5 stops at different Sintra landmarks, so depending on what you’ll want to see, you’ll have to take one bus line or both!

Bus line 434 will get you to Biester mansion, Castle of Moors, Pena Palace, National Palace and Sintra Center and back at the Sintra train station.

On the other hand bus line 435 can bring you to the National Palace and Sintra Center, Quinta da Regaleira, Seteais Palace Tivoli, Monserrate Palace, and back to the Sintra train station.

You’ll have several ticket options depending if you’re taking a 24-hour ticket or a one-way fair. The prices will then range from 5€ to 15€.

Also be sure to check the bus schedules, so as to not get stranded in Sintra, because the buses won’t run that late and you could miss your train back to Lisbon (usually they stop running around 6PM – 7PM).

• • Walking

The only way I would not recommend to get around in Sintra if you only have one day is by foot. Distances between landmarks can be quite significant and it won’t be a short walk from one place to the next. You might be able to fit in 2 nearby visits during the day. This would lead you to miss out on other far away places (such as the Monserrate Palace), that are really worth seeing.

 

What you should visit in Sintra

 

• Pena National Palace

Perched on top of a steep hill, close to the historic center, you have the Palácio Nacional da Pena. It’s very recognizable with its bright colors: the yellow and red facade.

The palace was built at the request of King Ferdinand II. Everything started with the ruins of an old Hieronymite monastery dating back to the 15th century. The monetary was partially destroyed during the Great Earthquake of 1755.

From an architectural standpoint, it’s a real mix of styles: Moorish, Baroque, Gothic, Renaissance, and Manueline.

The unique position of the ruins (on top of the hill above Sintra), made it a great location to rebuild something. The palace took many years to be finished and was ready only in 1885, which was the year Ferdinand II died.

During your visit, and besides the interior of the palace, be sure to check out the Pena Park surrounding it. It is full of very diverse plants however, the terrain can be quite uneven.

You can book your tickets on the website of the Pena Palace ahead of time for a specific date and time. This will help reduce the queuing at the palace.

 

• Quinta da Regaleira

This is one of the most beautiful places I visited in Sintra, so I would highly recommend that you check it out!

It’s not just a palace or a house, it’s a combination of both, with magnificent gardens in which you’ll find various architectural features. It’s so spectacular that it’s been on the UNESCO World Heritage list since 1995.

There is something a little bit mystical about this place. The first records of this place go back to 1697 and they make reference to alchemy, freemasonry, and Templar Knights. Sounds like an adventure, right?

My recommendation for the visit would be to start at the top of the property with the Initiation Wells that leads to the tunnels. You might have to queue to get down the wells, but it is very much worth it. These were not really water wells, but as the name indicates more used for initiations and ceremonies. You’ll find several symbols of the Knights Templar during your visit.

You can book your tickets in advance on the website of the Quinta da Regaleira. If you do not have a tour guide, I would highly recommend the audio guide, which will bring more context to this wonderful place!

 

• Castelo Dos Mouros

You can see the ruins of the Castle of the Moors from many different spots in Sintra and they are also the perfect place to have a panoramic view of Sintra and the Atlantic ocean.

It was during the Moorish occupation that the first castle was built around the 8th century. The purpose of the fortification was to survey the coast and roads that connected Sintra to other neighboring cities like Lisbon.

Since the Moors left the region, the fort was left inhabited until King Ferdinand II (the same one as for the Pena National Palace) started some renovation work.

The Moors’ Castle is only 200 meters away from the Pena National Palace, so it makes a lot of sense to visit both back to back. You could even start your visit with the Castelo Dos Mouros in case the queuing gets too long at the Pena Palace.

You can buy your tickets online right here!

 

• Sintra National palace

For me, this is probably the most “normal” looking palace: no bright colors on the outside and no intricate details on the exteriors. Nonetheless, this is the main landmark of the city of Sintra and one of the best-kept medieval royal palaces in region. It distinguishes itself from other palaces through the 2 white conical chimneys.

This has been a Portuguese royal palace for many centuries. The monument you can admire today is the result of renovation works that started all the way back in the 14th century with Kings Don Joao 1st and Manuel 1st.

The infamous 1755 earthquake partially destroyed the palace, which was immediately identically rebuilt. It is now a museum, which has kept many of the furniture of past Kings.

It is one of the most visited attractions in Sintra, so if you’re planning on visiting it, be sure to book your ticket in advance (and even then you might still have to queue for a bit).

 

• Monserrate Palace

This palace is further away from the center of Sintra and is maybe less visited than the others however, it was one of my favorite visits in the city. This was the summer palace of the Portuguese court.

When you first enter the property you’ll go through some magnificent gardens. You could even get lost in them before reaching the main house. It all started with a farm that was then slowly transformed into a neo-gothic house over time.

It attracted many foreign travelers and “celebrities” like Lord Byron or William Thomas Beckford until it became the summer residence of the Francis Cook family.

This palace kept some of its farm features with over 2 hectares of plants and fields for livestock. Nowadays it is even self-sufficient in terms of energy.

 

• Town of Sintra

The modern city of Sintra might not be the most special to visit, however, the part near the Sintra National Palace is definitely more charming. You’ll find many restaurants and many smaller shops to get souvenirs from. This would be a great place to stop for lunch.

 

• Cabo da Roca

This is the most western point of the continental European and it’s located in the municipality of Sintra. You even have a lighthouse marking the space.

It is quite far out from the rest of the Sintra landmarks. So this might not be the first place you go and visit. However, if this is not your first trip to Sintra, and you prefer the nature side of the visits, this might be a great place to check out.

 

• Paia da Adraga

Tired of monument visits and you’re looking for a more relaxing experience? You should go and check out the Praia da Adraga. It is most easily accessible by car.

The view is very beautiful and will give you another experience of Sintra.

There is also a second beach, the Praia Grande do Rodizio. It will give you more seaside resort vibes, with the small city nearby.

 

This post has been all about the best day trip and how to get from Lisbon to Sintra (Portugal)

 

Save for later on Pinterest!