A Day Trip to Sintra from Lisbon

Thank you to Parques de Sintra for providing me with free entry to Pena Palace and Moorish Castle.  All opinions are my own.

Sintra, Portugal is an easy day trip from Lisbon, and our visit was one of our family’s highlights during a recent trip to Portugal.  Sintra is located about 15 miles from Lisbon and was the summer home for many of the members of Portugal’s royal family.  It’s a popular tourist destination because of its picturesque castles and palaces and the extraordinary hilltop views of the Atlantic Ocean and Lisbon.  Sintra was designated as a UNESCO heritage site in 1995 because of its cultural landscape.  We were lucky to visit on a gorgeous day with a beautiful blue sky that served as the perfect background for the colorful Pena Palace.  We enjoyed our day trip to Sintra from Lisbon and highly recommend adding Sintra to the itinerary of any Portuguese vacation.

 

Getting to Sintra 

Sintra is about a 40 minute train ride from Lisbon’s Rossio station.  We read that trains leave Rossio every 10 to 20 minutes, but when we arrived at the Rossio station at 10:00 a.m., the next train to Sintra was departing at 10:40 a.m.  We picked up pastries while we waited.  We used our Viva Viagem cards, and the round trip train fare cost less than 4 euros per person.  It was a quick and uneventful journey, and we were ready to spend the day perusing palaces and castles.

 

Sintra Town Center

The train station is located in the Sintra town center, which is known for its Romanticist architecture.  We visited on a Monday when many attractions are closed in Lisbon and many tourists venture to Sintra.  Because it was off-season, it was not very crowded.  As a result, we were overwhelmed with offers for transportation and palace tours as we exited the station.  Despite reading about getting around Sintra at length, we were nervous about fitting in visits to two palaces and a castle before sunset.  While we typically rely on public transportation, ubers and taxis when walking isn’t feasible, we were nervous about the availability of transportation from Pena Palace and the Moorish Castle back to town.  One driver, Nuno Aramac, caught our attention and told us that he had a van with car seats and could take us to all three sights over the next few hours.  His price was higher than the cost of the local bus, but we weren’t exactly sure where to find that bus or how to navigate all our stops.  We also didn’t have time to wait for buses.  So, my husband and I quickly agreed that convenience made the cost worthwhile.

We headed into town and wandered around the exterior of the National Palace while we secured our tickets to Pena Palace and the Moorish Castle and then headed up the hill.  The drive up the hill was longer than I expected.  Nuno pulled off a few times for us to check out different views of Pena Palace and Moorish Castle before leaving us at the Pena’s Lakes Entrance.

 

Pena Palace

The Pena Palace in Sintra is the most colorful palace I have ever seen.  Prince Ferdinand hired a German architect to design this fantasy castle in the mid-nineteenth century.  Pena sits almost 1,500 feet above sea level on the site of a 16th-century monastery.  The result was a blending of a whole host of architectural styles and a blending of bold primary colors.  Pena bears some resemblance to the Neuschwanstein Castle in Bavaria and is known as the “Versailles of Portugal.”  The surrounding Pena Park is one of Portugal’s most spectacular parks.

After a morning spent waiting and sitting, we were ecstatic to finally start exploring.  The walk through Pena Park from the Lakes Entrance took at least 30 minutes and was mostly uphill, but the gardens were so lovely and different that we enjoyed the time immensely.  Pena Palace looked so far away when we started our hike, and it was fun to catch different views of the Palace as we explored the gardens.  Compared to the gardens in Versailles, these lush gardens were well shaded and not particularly crowded at all.  I was so glad that we were finally stroller-free because the uneven pavement and hill would have made it challenging to use, and strollers were not permitted in Pena’s interior.  My daughter was a trooper, but her 11 year old brother did need to give her a few lifts.

There was beautiful shade from the more than 500 species of trees, and the long walk was worthwhile for us.  The air itself was a delight.  However, the walk would not have been so pleasant if it was raining.  Also, families short on time should enter at the Main Entrance and spend any extra time wandering into the gardens closest to the Palace.  Or, if possible, walk from Pena to the Lakes Entrance to take advantage of the downhill slope.

When we finally reached Pena Palace, we headed for the outdoor patios and checked out all the views of the Palace and the surrounding area.  While Pena Palace was not nearly as crowded as Versailles during our July 2018 visit, it attracted the largest crowd of tourists and the highest concentration of Americans that we saw during our 12 days in Portugal.  The outdoor patios were the most crowded for sure at this magical hilltop palace.

The Palace housed the royal family from 1857 until 1910.  Its interior is largely as Queen Amelia left it in the early 20th century.  The eclectic rooms inside Pena were small and luxurious but also unique.  The furniture was similar to the style of 19th-century pieces we have in our house.  No pictures were permitted in the interior of the castle, but we noted differences in the styles of the design and interiors of each room as we wandered through the bedrooms, terraces, bathrooms and dressing rooms.  We used Rick Steves’ Portugal guidebook to create our own self-guided tour.  The crowds within the Palace were limited, which, compared to our experience at Versailles, was very welcome.

We took a break at a cafe inside of Pena Palace and picked up sandwiches and snacks that we enjoyed on a patio with a stunning view of the area.  After we finished up at Pena, we walked to the Main Entrance.  There was a shuttle bus available for an additional fee, but we didn’t want to do any more waiting – to purchase tickets or wait for a bus, and the short walk was no issue.

• • Admission to Pena Palace and Park: Tickets are available at Pena’s Main Entrance and Lakes Entrance, at the National Palace and the Moorish Castle and several shops in town.  As of December 2019, tickets for the Palace and Park cost 14€ for adults and 12,5€ for youths age 6-17 and seniors over 65.  A family ticket is available for two adults and two youths for 49€.  Tickets for the Park only cost 7,5€ for adults and 6,5€ for youths age 6-17 and seniors over 65.  A family ticket is available for two adults and two youths and costs 26€.  There is a small discount when purchasing tickets to two or more of the Parques de Sintra.
  • Pena Palace and Park Hours:  In high season, the Pena Palace is generally open from 9:45 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., and Pena Park is open from 9:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.  During low season, Pena Palace and Park are generally open from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Moorish Castle

The entrance to the Moorish Castle is about 10 minutes downhill from Pena Palace’s Main Entrance.  We walked along the side of the road for about 10 minutes to reach the Main Entrance of the Moorish Castle.  We already had our tickets, so we headed right for the Castle when we reached the main gate.

We love exploring ruins and wanted to stop at Moorish Castle, even though we felt pressed for time.   The Moorish Castle is about 1,352 feet above sea level and dates back to the 10th century by Muslims and was captured by Scandinavian crusaders in 1147.  King Ferdinand led restoration efforts in the 19th century to preserve the Castle.    The Castle attracted a smaller crowd than Pena, but the pathways were so narrow in parts that it was necessary to stop and wait for others to pass coming in the opposite direction.  Even after several hours of walking, my five-year-old was fine on the Castle walls, but there were many stretches with lower walls where my husband or I made sure to hold her hands.

The panoramic view of the Atlantic and the surrounding area from the top of the Tower was stunning.  This was my favorite hilltop view in Sintra.

We only had time to explore one of the two towers before our meeting time with Nuno, but we were glad we included a stop at the Moorish Castle.

The Moorish Castle is not at all stroller friendly.  On the path up to the Castle, the pavement was uneven and had large gaps filled with moss.  The walkways to the towers had many stairs and were often too narrow for a stroller.  Our youngest stopped napping this year, and we were thrilled to be stroller free.

• Admission to Moorish Castle: Tickets are available at the Moorish Castle, Pena Palace, the National Palace and several shops in town.  As of December 2019, tickets for the Moorish Castle cost 8€ for adults and 6,5€ for youths age 6-17 and seniors over 65.  A family ticket is available for two adults and two youths and costs 26€.  There is a small discount when purchasing tickets to two or more of the Parques de Sintra.
• Moorish Castle Hours:  During the high season, the Moorish Castle is generally open from 9:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., and during low season, the Moorish Castle is generally open from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Quinta da Regaleira

Quinta da Regaleira was our last stop and our favorite site of the day.  Most Sintra visitors prioritize the iconic Pena Palace and overlook Quinta da Regaleira, and we were certainly glad that we did not. Luigi Manini designed the estate’s manor house (the Quinta) and garden for Carvalho Monteiro, a Brazilian who was connected with the Knights Templar and Freemasonry in 1912.  The manor house was designed in a Romantic style.

The palace itself is an extremely impressive private estate, but the highlights of Quinta da Regaleira were the gardens.  Not only did these gardens include impeccably manicured landscapes, the perfect amount of shade and beautiful views of the Quinta, but there was also the Initiation Well, towers, a stone bridge over a creek and secret underground passages.  The Masonic twists made us feel as if we were touring a set of Da Vinci Code.

The Initiation Well was never used for water collection, and its ceremonial purpose remains somewhat of a mystery, which made it more interesting.  It was not intended as a tourist site, but we all had a thrill climbing down the well.

The peculiar Initiation Well was just a starting point.  We explored the winding tunnels below and came to Labyrinthic Grotto, which included a pond that could only be crossed by balancing on a series of stones.  It was these mysterious and unusual touches that made Quinta da Regaliera’s gardens our family’s favorite of all time.

We finished up our time at Quinta da Regaleira visiting the Chapel and manor house.   The Chapel was deceptively large and included several stories.  The interior of the Quinta itself was not as memorable as Pena but impressive for a private estate.  We recommend Quinta da Regaleira on any Sintra must-see list.

• Quinta da Regaleira tickets:  Tickets cost 8€ for adults and 5€ for youth age 6-17 and seniors age 65-79.  Children under 6 and seniors over 79 are free.  A family ticket is available for two adults and two youths and costs 22€.
• Quinta da Regaleira hours:  From April 1 to September 30, Quinta da Regaleira is generally open from 9:30 to 8:00 p.m.  From October 1 to March 31, Quinta da Regaleira is generally open from 9:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

National Palace

The National Palace is located in Sintra’s town center and was constructed during the 16th century and partially reconstructed in the 19th century.  The National Palace served as a royal palace until 1910 and was last inhabited by Queen Maria Pia and is still used for occasional official receptions, making it the oldest surviving royal palace in Portugal.

We viewed the National Palace from the outside only – from the town center and the hilltop – due to time constraints but noticed the cone-shaped chimneys and its blend of Gothic and Manueline architecture.  Manueline influences were particularly obvious in the ornamentation around the windows.

 

Eating in Sintra

After touring Quinta da Regaleira, we headed back to the town center for dinner.  Many tourists who made a day trip to Sintra had already headed out, and Sintra was particularly quiet.  We stopped at Casa Piriquita to pick up some quintessential Sintra pastries – queijada de Sintra, a cheesecake, and travesseiro da Piriquita, an almond puff pastry, before finding a quaint cafe for dinner.  I enjoyed Lisbon’s pasteis da nata more than the Sintra pastries, but we enjoyed our sweet, local treat during our train ride back to Lisbon.

A Day Trip from Lisbon to Sintra

It’s not hard to see why Lord Byron referred to Sintra as “Glorious Eden.”  We recommend families travel to Sintra from Lisbon.  The only downside was that we felt like we were racing to fit it all in.  My oldest commented that we could have easily spent a second day exploring Sintra.  We may not have had enough time to fit in a second day in Sintra, but it would have been more relaxed if we had an earlier start.