Portugal’s Sintra seems to be like an adult Disneyland – just leave the mouse ears at home.
Portugal is not all about a dreamy coastline. Uh-huh. It bestows a certain type of magic found amongst the verdant mountains of Sintra.
Sounds like a fantasy land? You bet. Sintra is like an adult amusement park. It would especially excite those who get their kicks from exploring gaudy palaces, enchanting gardens, hilltop castles, and fortresses that resemble a miniature Great Wall of China. Located just a 40-minute train ride from Lisbon’s city centre, the allure of Sintra can be soaked up in one day.
The Castle of the Moors
The Castle of the Moors is what I would imagine a small fraction of what the Great Wall of China will be like. After all, it is perched high above a mountaintop and with its fortification walls seeming to go on and on around its stunning cliffs. There are endless vantage points to capture the far lands of Portugal from this 10th-century castle.
National Palace of Pena (Palacio Nacional da Pena)
The National Palace of Pena isn’t your average palace. Then again, is any palace average? Perfectly perched upon a hilltop, this grand residence is so colourful that it would outdo your old school packet of pastels. Its multifaceted and oddly shaped frontages include yellow, burnt red and the traditional Portuguese blue and white titles that give it that extra pizzazz
The UNESCO World Heritage-listed palace was completed in the 19th century and represents one of the most elaborate examples of Romanticism.
Make sure you visit the palace in the morning to avoid the rush into the sometimes narrow palace rooms. This is especially if you do not want hordes of tourists in your photos. Above all, I would like to mention that if you do want to save a few pennies, you can easily miss going inside the palace as the outside seems to be much more impressive.
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Pena Park (Parque de Pena)
Around the palace, its park is the stuff of picnic dreams. Pena Park has a labyrinth of pathways under the canopy of a green-lit fantasy forest. There are over 2000 exotic plant species to be found – even some from New Zealand (makes sense, it’s another heaven on earth, hobbit land after all!) With its lakes, old structures, benches and fountains; you will be in complete awe of its seriously beautiful leafy landscape.
Quinta da Regaleira
Cliche to say (I get it) but this seriously is a place not to be missed. Visiting the grounds of Quinta da Regaleira was by far, my favourite little adventure in Sintra. It was just so enchanting exploring this slice of Sintra. As a result, I even went delirious with how magical it felt being here.
The park’s namesake, the five-storey The Regaleira Palace (Palácio da Regaleira) just is exquisite to look at from afar with its lush green backdrop. The palace’s grey-hued facade is decorated with Gothic pinnacles, gargoyles, elaborate designs and even has an octagonal tower.
Beyond the palace, its luxurious park is littered (in a very good way) with fountains, lakes, caves, magnificent ruins, tunnels and an array of beautiful constructions.
One of the sight-seeing highlights in the estate is the Well of Initiation. First of all, let us just touch on the name – Well of Initiation. Sounds like its part of a fantasy land level right? Secondly, this is not no small well. This underground 88-metre deep tower (or well) features a grand 27-metre spiralling staircase to the bottom.
Surprisingly, the well was never used as a well for water. Instead, the Well of Initiation is believed to have been used for various ceremonial purposes like Tarot initiation rites. At the bottom of the well, there is a tunnel (of course there is – it is just that surreal of a place) to The Labyrinthic Grotto.
Getting there
By train: It is super easy to get from Lisbon to Sintra by train. Better yet, it will cost you under €10 to do a round trip! Just take the Sintra line from either Estação do Oriente, Estação do Rossio or Estação de Entrecampos stations in Lisbon. The train journey from Lisbon to Sintra takes roughly 40 minutes and trains frequently run all day.
By car: This would make life easier to reach the high-standing attractions. (Looking at your Pena Palace and Castle of the Moors!) There is sufficient parking available in Sintra and if you do choose this option, make sure you also leave time for a coastal drive. Just a word of caution, the roads can be narrow and one way so don’t expect to race car your way around Sintra.
Getting around
Walk: If you wanted to detox from all those pastel del natas, then walking is the perfect option for you. Yes, some areas of Sintra are steep to climb but it is doable and does not take too long to walk from one attraction to the next. From Castle of the Moors to Pena Palace for me took roughly 20 minutes to walk to.
Bus: If you want a more relaxed trip to Sintra or if time is not on your side, there is also the affordable tourist bus – 434. The 434 bus route connects the train station, Sintra town (location of the National Palace) and then goes up to the hills for the Pena Palace and Castle of the Moors, before doing a circle route back to the station. There are up to four departures per hour between peak tourist hours 10 am – 5 pm. A single ticket will cost you €3.90 or €6.90 for a day pass – bargain!
Taking the 434 bus service makes it possible to visit the three significant sights of Sintra in a single day.
Stay
Sintra1012 Boutique Guesthouse – This little gem of simple accommodation was nothing short of amazing. I stayed in their recently converted dorm room (six beds), but there are also private rooms available too that appeal to the budget conscious. Not only was this place super comfortable and spacious, but is also ideally located within a five-minute walk to the tourist office in town.
Buy ticket prior!
Tickets range from €8 to €10 per attraction, but if you purchase more than one attraction entrance fee, then you will be able to receive a discount. Buy your ticket online as it is cheaper and save that extra coin espresso instead.
The Quinta da Regaleira is privately owned and is €6 upon entry to the estate.
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Disclaimer: I visited all the attractions listed (except for Quinta da Regaleira) as a guest of Sintra Tourism Board. All thoughts and opinions are my own. A visit to Quinta da Regaleira came straight from the pocket! This page contains affiliate links that is at no additional cost to you – they help me to make this website chug along nicely. Let me help you (and you can help me too!).