Before you go

Your trip to Sintra.

Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.

Sintra – Lisboa Destination Sintra and Cascais about 28 km from Lisboa

How to get there

Aeroporto Humberto Delgado (LIS) Lisboa · 30 km
Estação de Sintra 1 km

Approximate road distances. Check flights and bus schedules before you travel.

From Lisbon, trains depart from Estação do Rossio and reach Sintra in about 40 minutes; the station is about a 10-minute walk from the center. From Lisbon airport (LIS) it's about 30 km. Check before buying.

How many days

One day is enough for the center, the Pena and the Castelo dos Mouros or the Regaleira. With two days you can add Monserrate, the Capuchos and Cabo da Roca. Staying overnight in the village lets you get to the palaces before the queues.

When to go

Spring and autumn are usually the best seasons. In the European summer, from June to August, the village gets very crowded. The sierra has a humid microclimate: even in summer fog is frequent and it is cooler than in Lisbon. On days of strong wind or fire risk, the parks in the sierra may close.

The seasons shown are the most usual ones; nature doesn't always follow the calendar.

Do you need a car?

No. The train arrives from Lisbon, and circular buses run from the center and the station up to the Pena and the Castelo dos Mouros. Car traffic in the historic center and on the climb to the Pena is restricted, and parking is difficult. For Cabo da Roca and the beaches there are buses from the station.

Suggested itinerary

An order that works

Built with the places on this page. No rush: it's paced so you have time to see them.

One day in Sintra

Morning
Palácio da Pena
Take an early bus up to the Pena, with a timed-entry ticket, and tour the palace and a stretch of the park.
Afternoon
Castelo dos Mouros
Walk from the Parque da Pena to the Castelo dos Mouros and walk along the walls, with views over the village.
Late afternoon
Historic center
Go down to the center, see the Palácio Nacional from the outside and try the queijadas and travesseiros, local sweets of the village.
Evening
Return to Lisbon or dinner in the village
Have dinner in the center or take the train back to Rossio.

2 days in Sintra

Day 1

Morning
Palácio da Pena
Start with the Pena right at opening to encounter fewer people.
Afternoon
Castelo dos Mouros and Palácio Nacional
Walls of the Castelo dos Mouros and, on the descent, the Palácio Nacional de Sintra.
Late afternoon
Streets of the center
Stroll through the narrow streets of the center and around Largo da Rainha D. Amélia.
Evening
Dinner in Sintra
Have dinner in the village and sleep in Sintra to start early the next day.

Day 2

Morning
Quinta da Regaleira
Visit the Regaleira, with the Poço Iniciático and the grottoes.
Afternoon
Monserrate
Head to the Palácio and the gardens of Monserrate, about 4 km from the center.
Late afternoon
Cabo da Roca
Go to Cabo da Roca, the westernmost point of continental Europe.
Evening
Azenhas do Mar or Cascais
Have dinner in Azenhas do Mar or head to Cascais.

Check before you go. Opening hours and days change, and places may close for renovations, holidays or events. This itinerary is a suggestion from Cidade Turismo, not a commitment: plan yours by checking directly with each place you intend to visit.

Before you go

Frequently asked questions

How many palaces can you see in one day in Sintra?

Generally two or three: the Pena and the Castelo dos Mouros, which are next to each other, and the Regaleira or the Palácio Nacional in the center.

How to get up to the Palácio da Pena?

By the circular buses that run from the station and the center, by taxi or on foot, on a long steep climb through the sierra.

Is it cold in Sintra?

The sierra has a humid microclimate and is usually cooler than Lisbon, with frequent fog. Bring a jacket even in summer.

What's Sintra's typical sweet?

The queijadas, small tarts of fresh cheese, and travesseiros, puff pastry filled with almond-and-egg cream.

Where does the train to Sintra depart from?

From Estação do Rossio in Lisbon, with a journey of about 40 minutes.

Back to Sintra