Sintra, Portugal is located 45 minutes outside of Lisbon. Take a quick train ride to get to this amazing area of Portugal. Don’t wait in long lines… try visiting Sintra as I did. Let me show you how to visit Sintra in the most efficient way!
These are phrases that we heard from every single friend that had ever visited Portugal:
You must go to Sintra….
Don’t you dare miss Sintra when you visit Portugal!!
You’d be disappointed if you go all the way to Portugal and NOT go to Sintra!!!
There are not many things that blow us away, but the day we spent in Sintra (while we were visiting Lisbon) was one of the best days we have spent traveling.
What we learned however is that we did Sintra the RIGHT way, while others did it the WRONG way; and we didn’t even know we had done it the right way until we returned to Lisbon!
We were under the impression that Sintra was a small area, that had one colorful castle within that area and you could see the town in a few hours.
Sintra is MUCH more than that.
Sintra is known for its Romantic 19th-century historical monuments, as it was the summer retreat for Portuguese royalty years ago.
It houses palaces, hiking trails, gardens, a convent, and a Moorish castle. You can also visit the most westernmost point of Europe overlooking the Atlantic Ocean.
There are two ways to visit Sintra in a few hours:
The Wrong Way
- Buy your train ticket on the morning of
- Wait in line for up to an hour for the city bus
- Only see the Palacio National de Sintra (Colorful castle)
- Wait in line for up to another hour for the city bus
- Leave after 4 hours of barely scratching the surface of Sintra
The Right Way to Visit Sintra in One Day:
- Buy your train ticket in Lisbon the day before to avoid long lines
- Rent a small vehicle/ electric bike/ mode of transportation to take you around
- Explore Quinta Da Regaleria, the 4 palaces, the Convent, and the Moorish castle
- Drive along the coast to see 3 main picture spots, including the most western point of Portugal
Before heading north to Sintra, we asked the staff at our hostel to give us a basic idea of what to see and do.
Luckily, they told us not to miss the Quinta Da Regaleria and that the lines for the buses would be very long. We are forever grateful that we listened to them.
How Do You Get The Most Out Of Your Sintra Day Trip?
How to get to Sintra
To get to Sintra, take a train, avoid driving
If you drive, parking will be hard to find. Take the one-hour train from Lisbon to Sintra. The train is clean and comfortable and costs €4.80 for a round-trip ticket.
Buy your ticket the day before
Don’t make the mistake of purchasing your tickets the day of, and ending up missing the train time you want to take due to the long lines at the station. If you are staying in the city center, walk over to the Rossio train station and buy your tickets the day before, you will thank us later.
Forget about taking the city bus in Sintra
There will be very long lines at the city bus terminal. Stop at Go Sintra to rent an electric car.
The Go Sintra staff inputs all the must-see locations into your Google Maps, provides you with a mi-fi (so your WIFI works on your smartphone), and even checks in on you every few hours to see how everything is going.
There are also jeeps, electric bikes, and other modes of transportation you can rent. They offer multiple routes you can choose from. We opted for the route that took us to 3 locations, as well as the coast.
We had to stop and charge the car mid-way through, but that was when we ate lunch so it wasn’t a problem. There are shorter routes you can take, that will not force you to charge the vehicle.
Costs
Each location has an admission fee to enter, ranging from €15 – €25. We opted to see the Quinta Da Regaleira, the grounds of Palacio Nacional de Sintra, and the Moorish Castle and spent time driving along the coast to explore the beaches. The car was €110.
Schedule
First, tour the grounds of Quinta da Regaleira which is a maze of trails to get lost in, beautifully crafted buildings, and caves to explore.
Next, drive to the beach for some lunch and breathtaking views. There are three different stops along the coast, at two of the stops you can put your toes in the sand, and the third is the westernmost point in Europe located on a cliff.
Last, you have a few options. You can go to the Pena Palace (colorful palace) which has a sprawling garden that surrounds the grounds. There is a fee to enter the grounds, and a fee to enter the castle. But the lines can be very long to get into the castle (as of 2024), so you may want to opt to see another location. We opted to see the Moorish castle instead which was a lot of walking upstairs, but it has amazing views.
Once we returned to Lisbon that day, we learned that our fellow housemates took the train, and waited for the city bus an hour each way, just to only see Pena Palace!
The total time they spent in Sintra was six hours and they saw only one of the many beautiful sites to see.
Sintra is too beautiful for words.
We spent 7 hours in Sintra, visited 5 sites, ate a delicious lunch, and even had a chance to put our feet in the ocean!
Follow our plan, take as many pictures as possible, and you will be VERY happy, trust us!
Sintra is for individuals, couples, teens, families, and even the young at heart. No matter what age, you will be sure to enjoy Sintra!
If you would like to spend more than one day in Sintra, check out the Chalet Saudade. It is a beautiful Vintage guest house in the heart of Sintra and near public transport.
Hopefully, these Sintra day trip tips help you plan your next holiday.
Check out the map below to see where we went!
Additional Sintra Tips
Can I only spend 24 hours in Sintra?
Yes, you can easily see most of Sintra in one day by renting a private driver or a vehicle as mentioned above in the Sintra tips.
Is 2 days in Sintra enough time?
Yes! If you rent a vehicle or a private driver, you can see most of the sites. If you choose to take the public bus you will have a harder time seeing it all.
Is Sintra expensive?
It doesn’t have to be. If you are staying for multiple days at a hotel and going to every museum, then yes, it can be. But one day In Sintra can be affordable if you take the bus and only go to one or two locations.
Can I spend 3 days in Sintra or is that too much?
Yes! If you are not on a budget, then there is plenty to do in Sintra.
How many hours in Sintra should I spend?
You need at least one full day, even if you only go to see the Pena Palace. Lines can be long even if you have a timed reservation. Bus lines can also be long trying to get back to the train station as well.
How long in Sintra should I stay?
That is up to you! If you only want to see one castle, then one day will suffice. However I suggest multiple days or returning over time, to see all that Sintra has to offer.
How to get to Pena Palace by car?
Easily! There are two parking spaces at Parque da Pena. There is one at the bottom of the park but requires a 30-minute walk uphill through the gardens. The second parking space is at the top, near the main entrance. Spots fill up quickly however so get there early.
How many days in Sintra is enough?
That depends on how long in Sintra you want to be, how much you want to see and if you want to relax. If you only want to see one museum a day and relax the rest of the day then you can easily spend a week or more in Sintra.
What is the best day to go to Sintra?
Weekdays tend to be less crowded and December – February during the slow season.
Is Sintra worth it?
YES! If you love history and nature combined into one compact area, then yes, it is worth the trip. Even if you only have one day to visit, take the trip!
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