Visiting Sintra, is like stepping right into a fairy tale. Sintra is known for its historic castles and beautiful gardens. Located in the western part of Portugal, a day trip to Sintra is a definite must if you’re traveling to Portugal. There is so much to see in the city, but if you are only there for one day, we recommend visiting Pena Palace and Quinta da Regaleira. In this blog post you’ll find everything you need to know about planning a day to Sintra.
Getting to Sintra
🚅 45 minutes by Train
The best way to get to Sintra from Lisbon is by train. This is the easiest and most affordable option with a one-way ticket costing no more than €3.00. You can buy your tickets in advance online, but purchasing them at the kiosk or self-service machine at the station is just as easy. The train departs every 30 minutes from Rossio Train Station in Baixa, which is located in the center of Lisbon. The journey takes 40 minutes up to an hour. If you are traveling in the high season, we recommend taking an early train around 8.00 am. You’ll then arrive in Sintra just before 9:00 with plenty of time to find your way to the main attractions which open at 9:30.
Pena Palace
The main attraction of Pena Palace for most visitors is its stunning exterior. With its vibrant yellow and red castle facade, it really is a one-of-a-kind sight to behold. There’s a nice path that takes you along the outside of the base of the palace, which has some pretty incredible views of the surrounding landscapes too, and you can spend hours wandering around the gardens of the park. We pre-packed sandwiches and had a lovely time sitting and eating our lunch on one of the benches in the park.
Getting to the palace
Once you arrive in Sintra take bus 434 to Pena palace. This bus departs every 15 minutes from outside the train station in Sintra and takes you to the palace and back for €7.00. From the bus stop it’s a 15-minute hike uphill to the entrance of the palace.
Tickets
There are two ticket options for Pena Palace
1. A ticket for the exterior and grounds costs €7.50 for adults, and €6.50 for youth/seniors.
2. A ticket that includes entrance to the exterior, grounds, and the interior: (which we do recommend) costs €14.00 for adults, and €12.50 for youth/seniors.
Which ticket to choose?
We opted for the second option and visited both the exterior and interior of the palace. The interior of the palace is really beautiful, and there are many different rooms to explore. It takes around an hour to make your way through the palace. However, the information signs in the rooms aren’t very informative: e.g. “This is the bedroom, there is a toilet and a closet”. We’d recommend either visiting the interior with a guided tour to get some more context, or just skipping out on it.
💡 Tip: Make sure you book tickets for Pena Palace and Quinta da Regaleira in advance this is often a bit cheaper, and you do not have to wait in line.
Quinta da Regaleira
Quinta da Regaleira, is a stunning palace and estate located just a short walk from the center of town. This palace was built in the early 20th century and is known for its unique and eclectic architectural style, which incorporates elements from Gothic, Renaissance, and Manueline styles. While Pena Palace is brightly colored and fairy-tale-like, Quinta da Regaleira has a more mysterious feel.
Visitors can explore the palace’s numerous rooms, including the chapel and the tower, all of which are filled with intricate details and stunning works of art. When you enter the park, be sure to get one of the free maps, because it is just so big. The estate features beautiful gardens and a lake, secret caves, cute animal hide-outs, a 20m well with maze-like tunnels, and so much more.
Getting to Quinta da Regaleira
Take bus 434 back to the center of Sintra, you can have lunch or a snack at one of the cafés here before continuing to Quinta da Regaleira. From the city center, it’s only a 10-minute walk.
💡 Tip: Try one of the famous Travesseiro pastries (puff pastry filled with cream) at Casa Piriquita. This shop is especially popular and interesting to visit because it dates back to 1862 and was a favorite of King Carlos I.
Tickets
Tickets cost €11.00 for adults, and €6.00 for youth/seniors. We found it quite difficult to navigate the website and order tickets, but we do recommend that you buy your tickets in advance via their website to avoid waiting in long lines.
Bonus: Castle dos Mouros
If you have extra time, head to Castle Dos Mouros. This castle was built in the 8th and 9th centuries by the Moors, and was later restored by King Ferdinand in the 19th Century. While the castle itself may not be as impressive as Pena Palace, the view from the castle turrets is definitely worth a visit. It’s only a short walk from Pena Palace and makes for an easy addition to your day in Sintra.
Tickets: €8.00 for adults, and €6.50 for youth/seniors.
Heading back to Lisbon
Trains departing from Sintra and heading to Lisbon’s Rossio station run approximately every half hour until midnight. The trip to Lisbon lasts about 40 minutes. If you leave at around 5:00 PM, you’ll have plenty of time to enjoy dinner and a relaxed evening in the city.
