Sintra, Fairytale Daytrip
Located just an hour train ride outside of Lisbon, Sintra’s picturesque palaces, parks and fairytale castles are a magnet for wanderlust. With its microclimate and magical scenery, the entire town has been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and should be included on every traveler’s itinerary. We first encountered Sintra while on a tour with a private company, but we loved it so much that we decided to come back a second time for an entire day during our visit to Portugal. In actuality, Sintra is so big and has so many sites that you could realistically stay here for an entire two week vacation and still have a reason to come back. Between all of the parks, historical buildings, and beautiful beach towns of Cais Cais and Cabo de Roca, travelers will be rewarded with a uniquely Portuguese experience. Read below for some of Sintra’s top attractions.
Places of Interest
The hidden gem of Sintra is Monserrate Palace, an ornate 19th century mansion with a mix of Moorish, Gothic and Indian influences, set in exotic botanical gardens. Most tourists don’t know about Monserrate, so you can appreciate the palace without the crowds. We loved walking around the huge gardens that twist and turn into various pathways, past old buildings, fountains and hidden ponds. It only costs 8 Euro ($9.50 USD) to enter and you can find more information at: https://www.parquesdesintra.pt/pt/parques-monumentos/parque-e-palacio-de-monserrate/
Designed by Italian architect Luigi Manini, Quinta da Regaleira is unique for its underground passages, grottoes, chapel and beautiful mansion. This estate features gothic turrets, carved gargoyles and other adorning features. Throughout the gardens you will notice a nod to the Knights Templar, the Freemasons and dark alchemy. The mansion itself looks like a medieval castle from the outside and is so ornate that you can easily spend an afternoon just admiring it from the nearby bridge which also overlooks the perfectly manicured gardens. The same can be said of the park which surrounds the mansion as you stroll about finding hidden ponds, staircases that lead to mazes, waterfalls, fountains and ponds. It only costs about 10 Euros to enter and you can find more information at: http://www.regaleira.pt/pt/
Pena Palace is Sintra’s main attraction and it’s considered to be one of the seven wonders of Portugal. This eccentric castle merges Neo-Gothic, Manueline, Moorish and Renaissance styles. As you wander throughout this fairytale castle and park you will notice mythical elements such as inverted towers, gargoyles and a merman standing guard over a pathway, with a façade that resembles the elements of earth, fire, water, and air. Tickets are only 13 Euro ($15 USD) per person in order to visit both the palace and the surrounding park which is massive and requires at least a full day or two. You can find more information at: https://www.parquesdesintra.pt/pt/comprar-bilhete/
This hilltop castle was built by the Moors during the conquest of Iberia in the 8th and 9th centuries and today it is a national monument that offers stunning views of the town and countryside below. It’s a rather large complex and most your day can be spent just walking along the castle walls and looking out at the town and nearby Pena Palace in the distance. Tickets are only 6 Euro ($7 USD) to enter the castle and you can find more information at: https://www.parquesdesintra.pt/pt/comprar-bilhete/
Important Notes
Getting Around: You will likely not be able to walk around the entire town and visit all of the sites without some form of transportation. This is because the entire town is huge and very hilly. Add to that the fact that every castle and park requires lots of incline/decline walking and you might prematurely exhaust yourself before you’ve had a chance to see anything. There are many taxis available throughout the city as well as buses and even E-cars with wifi and charging ports for rent.
Make time: We only went to Sintra on a daytrip and the list above is in no way an exhaustive list of all of the places that there are to visit. You really should set aside at least a week if you want to be able to see most of the tourist attractions.
Prices: Because Sintra is a very popular tourist town (and rightfully so), most prices will be inflated compared to the rest of Portugal. As such, there is little use in haggling for prices, especially for taxis.
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