This itinerary through Sintra seeks to take you to discover the Romantic Village of Sintra! With several buildings scattered around the mysterious Sintra-Cascais Natural Park and the Historic Area, Sintra is a mandatory destination for anyone visiting the outskirts of the capital, being about 30 minutes away from the central area of Lisbon.
So, we recomend 3 to 4 days to visit all that Sintra has to offer. Below we present those that are, for us, unmissable destinations in the region, with an indication of the time needed to enjoy each one of them.
Monserrate Park and Palace
(half day)
From our trip to Sintra, Monserrate was probably the place we had the least expectations. However, in the end, it turned out to be a nice surprise. Therefore, we really recommend that you include this destination in your itinerary through Sintra.
In its park, this destination is made up of a vast garden, full of different buildings and different plants, such as the Japan Garden and Mexico Garden.
Regarding the main building, the Palace of Monserrate, despite being smaller than other buildings in Sintra, is marked by three wonderful parts: the red dome at the entrance, the gallery (a corridor where arches from different rooms fit together) and the ceiling from the piano room, fully worked and breath-holding.
Additionally, this is one of the main monuments in Sintra with the greatest ease of parking, as there is a car park available at the entrance.
Quinta da Regaleira
(half day)
Another destination not to be missed is the Quinta da Regaleira. This destination is mainly known for the so-called 'Poço Iniciático', an inverted tower 27 meters deep that leads to a tunnel to another location on the villa.
At the entrance (which costs €10) a map is given to the visitor with an indication of the places to visit. In this case, we recommend that you do as we did and visit the entire estate, starting at the farthest part and ending up next to the Quinta da Regaleira Palace and the cafe.
On this visit, keep in mind that there are few parking spaces available, so you may have to leave your car on the side of the access road to the farm. If you want to avoid this situation, you can take the bus that leaves you right outside.
Pena National Park and Palace
(one day)
Sintra's best-known destination is, without a doubt, the Pena National Park and Palace. When you go here, we recommend that you reserve a full day for the visit because the park is absolutely huge.
When visiting this park, we recommend starting at Palácio da Pena, which despite not being fully open, has some very imposing rooms. Also bear in mind that the Palace has different opening hours from the park, closing earlier.
When exploring the park, visit the Chalet da Condessa d’Edla in the furthest part of the park. Finally, walk along the park's various paths and absorb the magic of the Sintra Parks.
Additionally, do a pre-research on how to access this tourist spot once access to private cars has been closed. Currently it is possible to access by bus (which also exist inside the park to circulate between the points), by tuk-tuk/taxi, or on foot through the Moorish Castle.
Moorish Castle
(half day)
At 450 meters of altitude we find the Moorish Castle, uma construção dos séculos XVIII e IX. Este consiste atualmente num conjunto de filas de muralhas, com diferentes datas. Ao longo das muralhas vão aparecendo diversas explicações históricas e estão, atualmente, hasteadas as várias bandeiras de Portugal ao longo da história.
This visit is mainly recommended due to the incredible view it offers over the city of Sintra and its neighbor Pena Palace.
To access the Castle, you can choose public transport or, like us, leave your car in the Historic Zone of Sintra and take the short (but long) walk to the Castle.
Capuchos Convent
(half day)
The Capuchos Convent was a pleasant surprise. Despite being, as expected, a simpler construction, the Convento dos Capuchos provides a place connected with nature, full of small buildings. Additionally, there are places that were dedicated to meditation and where we find breathtaking landscapes.
Like all the places on this list, is very well organized, with constant indications of the directions to follow so we don't miss anything during the visit.
Being another type of construction, dedicated to peace and meditation, the Convent is further away from the central area of the village. However, the GPS easily gets there, taking us along mysterious roads through the Natural Park. Once there, there is a huge parking lot.
Zona Histórica de Sintra e Palácio Nacional de Sintra
(half day)
In addition to taking advantage of the visit to the historic area to taste the traditional sweet, the Sintra pillows, you can also take the opportunity to visit the National Palace of Sintra, the oldest palace in Portugal.
Unfortunately, and as we only had three days in the city and many things to see, we were unable to make this visit, but we recommend that, for those who have 4 or more days to explore the region, take the opportunity to discover this space right in the heart of the historic area.
The Historic Zone has some parking available, but it is almost entirely paid.
Cabo da Roca
(1 / 2 horas)
A different destination not to be missed is the Cabo da Roca, the most western point in Europe, despite being further away and outside the Natural Park, is still in Sintra and deserves a visit.
This is a small destination (where it is very windy, be warned!) and where we feel at the end of the world. There is nothing to be seen but the sea in front of us and the slopes on the sides. Additionally, there is a lighthouse here that was, at the time of our visit (2020), closed for refurbishment, but it is always worth trying to call to see if it is possible to visit.
Additionally, and if you are heading north, it is always worth stopping at Azenhas do Mar (a village next to the ocean and still belonging to Sintra).
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