Sintra

The Essential Guide to Visiting the Sites of Sintra, Portugal

Sintra is a colorful and charming town in Portugal, often visited by tourists as a day trip from nearby Lisbon. It was once the summer retreat of kings and nobility who left behind vast estates, palaces, and gardens. While you may be thinking about popping up for the day, you may want to consider a longer stay. There is so much ground to cover and it is so worth some extra time.

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This post will walk through the top places to visit in Sintra and provide some insights so you can plan your time accordingly. This is one place where you do not want to show up without having done some research and advance scheduling.

• Where we stayed in Sintra
• Top things to see and do in Sintra
• Were we ate
• Essential links and travel tips

Where we stayed in Sintra

Sintra is a very popular day trip and group tour destination. As such, you can expect it to be packed. There is so much congestion on the trains and roads that can readily dissuade anyone who doesn’t like traffic or crowds. All the more reason to plan an overnight stay in Sintra. You will be able to explore before the droves of visitors show up and enjoy the peace after they leave at the end of the day. We stayed for two nights, arriving in the afternoon and then having an entire full day before checking out the following morning. It worked out beautifully.

I have two solid hotel recommendations. Originally, we had planned to stay at the Penha Longa Resort. This property looks amazing, especially if you are coming to Sintra for a longer stay or have plans to visit the beach towns to the south. We ultimately felt a little too removed from the sites we wanted to see and decided to stay at the more centrally located Palácio de Seteais instead.

Above photos: The Palacio de Seteais Hotel

The Palacio de Seteais is among the top sites to see in Sintra regardless of your accommodation plans. We killed two birds with one stone by staying there. We also had the benefit of free on-site parking and dining. For more photos and a detailed review of our stay, click here.

Check rates & availability for Palácio de Seteais Hotel below:

Top things to see and do in Sintra

Most folks come to Sintra to visit Pena Palace. Looking back on our time, I cannot imagine walking away with a good impression of Sintra based on this attraction alone. It was so, so crowded and not enjoyable. I’m glad we saw it, but also glad that it was just one of the many sites we visited.

The other historical attractions in Sintra were notably less crowded and offered both fascinating history and expansive views. Below are the places we visited and some suggestions on the order in which to see them.

Day 1

** Itinerary note: If you are just coming to Sintra for a day trip to see the Palace of Pena, you may want to skip down to Day 2.

We arrived in Sintra in the middle of the afternoon after spending the morning at Mafra National Palace, which I highly recommend! Our first taste of Sintra was sitting in long lines of traffic, which brings me to my first travel tip: After arriving in Sinta and finding parking, you may want to consider taking the tourist bus, tuk tuks, or Uber.

Palacio de Seteais

Naturally, the first attraction on our list was Palacio de Seteais, since this was also our hotel. As mentioned earlier, if you are not staying at this hotel, it is still worth visiting during your rounds. Because it is located along a one-way road, it fits best following a visit to Quinta de Regaleria and/or Biester. It can also be visited en route to Palace of Monserrate,

Above photo: The Magnificent Arch of Palacio de Seteais

For more photos and details on how to visit Palacio de Seteais, click here.

Quinta da Regaleira

Quinta da Regaleira ranks pretty high in popularity amongst visitors to Sintra. An advance ticket purchase is essential. This Renaissance-style manor has fairytale vibes thanks in part to its many garden follies and spiraling Initiation Well.

While the property site dates back to the 16th century, the manor house and garden structures were constructed in the 20th century by millionaire António Augusto Carvalho Monteiro. So, it’s really not that old. It definitely feels like more of an attraction than a piece of history, but we thoroughly enjoyed it nonetheless.

Purchase advance tickets to Quinta da Regaleira here.

Above photos: Quinta da Regaleira

Above photo: Initiation Well, Quinta da Regaleira

For more photos and details on how to visit Quinta da Regaleira, click here.

Palace of Monserrate

The Palace of Monserrate is a 19th centurty, Arabic-style villa surrounded by a lovely park. It is one of the lesser visited sites in Sintra, simply due to its location farther away from the town center. However, it is well worth the bus ride or drive out to see it.

The palace is open until 6:00 pm and the gardens are open until 7:00 pm, which makes this a good option for the end of the day. I would allow an hour to see the palace, plus additional time to explore the park. The park has some steep, uneven walking paths down to a lake, so you’ll need proper footwear.

Purchase advance tickets to the Palace of Monserrate here.

Above photos: Palace of Monserrate

For more photos and details on how to visit the Palace of Monserrate, click here.

Cabo da Roca

Our drive out to Cabo da Roca was our final big stop for Day 1. You’ll need a car or group tour arrangements to visit since the Sintra tourist bus doesn’t go out that far.

Above photos: The Atlantic Ocean at Cabo da Roca

Cabo da Roca is the westernmost point of the European mainland continent. We couldn’t resist driving out to see the ocean views. We were there on a very windy day with thick pillows of fog rolling in off the Atlantic. We didn’t stay very long (mostly because of the chilly wind gusts), but took to the walking path to see the landmark.

Above photos: Cabo da Roca

Day 2

Pena Palace

Pena Palace is the colorful, hilltop castle and primary draw for most visitors to Sintra. The 19th century structure was built on the ruins of a former monastery. The newly built castle, combined with several other estates, became the summer home of King Ferdinand II and the royal family.

The palace complex is an eclectic mix of architectural styles, giving each section its own individual personality. Unlike many other historic sites, a good portion of the interiors and furnishings are original. In fact, the palace’s interior has been untouched since the last royals left in 1910.

Above photos: National Palace of Pena

For more photos and details on how to visit Pena Palace and Park, click here.

Pena Park

Pena Park includes 200 hectares of lush forest and dramatic scenery surrounding the National Palace of Pena. Access to the park grounds is included in the entrance ticket to the palace, but you can also purchase a Pena Park ticket that excludes the palace.

The winding paths, occasional garden follies, and exotic plantings are every bit as romantic as the palace itself, perhaps even more so. Pena Park was easily my most favorite part of our visit to the palace. Even if you don’t have time to fully explore every part of the park, I highly recommend following the trail down to the Valley of the Lakes to see the adorable duck houses.

Above photos: Pena Park

Chalet of the Countess of Edla

The Chalet of the Countess of Edla is an Alpine-style retreat built by King Ferninand II for his second wife, Elise Hensler, American-Swiss Opera singer and Countess of Edla. The chalet dates to 1864 and is made entirely of plaster and cork. Although the exterior appears to be wood, it is actually painted plaster.

Entry to the chalet is included in the tickets for Pena Park and Pena Palace. However, it is located at the opposite side of Pena Park. It took us about 25 minutes to get from the palace to the chalet. The walk is mostly downhill. Coming back, we walked to the Valley of the Lakes, which had some inclines, but not as severe as walking back up to the palace.

Above photos: Chalet of the Countess of Edla

For more photos and details on how to visit Pena Palace and Park, click here.

Moorish Castle

The Moorish Castle, also called The Castle of the Moors, is a hilltop medieval castle that was founded under Islamic rule for the purpose of defense. After the conquest of the Moors, the castle was occupied by a Christian population. However, since there was no need for the security of the fortification, the castle was eventually abandoned.

Today, the castle is managed by the Parques de Sintra. Archeological field research continues to unearth new discoveries of the construction, lifestyles, and overlapping people groups that lived there. Visitors can explore the ruins and walk along the castle walls while enjoying views of the palace and the town in the valley below.

Purchase advance tickets to Castle of the Moors here.

Above photos: Castle of the Moors

Biester Palace

Biester Palace is the former home of Ernesto Biester, a wealthy 19th-century merchant and playwright. For nearly 140 years, the estate was private and in a state of disrepair. It recently underwent a careful restoration and was opened to the public in 2022. Because it is a relatively new spot on the tourist map, Biester isn’t overwhelmed by crowds. While we were there in the late afternoon, we had the entire place to ourselves.

Above photos: Biester Palace

For more photos and details on how to visit Biester Palace, click here.

** Itinerary note: Biester is located between Sintra town and Quinta da Regaleira. It is about a 15-minute walk up the hill from the Volta do Duche road. Or, you can take the 435 bus to the Regaleira stop and walk back for about 5-minutes. It fits best before or after visiting Quinta da Regaleira because they are so close to each other. Because our hotel was within walking distance to Biester, we tacked this on to the end of our day after returning from Pena Palace.

Where we ate in Sintra

There is a good variety of restaurants in Sintra ranging from quick bites to fine dining. Most of the dining establishments are in Sintra town. If you are planning to spend the day visiting Pena Palace and the surrounding park, I must stress the importance of packing a lunch. There are a couple grocery stores near the train station (e.g., Pingo Doce at Praça Dom Afonso V) where you can grab charcuterie, fruit, etc.

For the best traditional pastries and toasties, stop into Piriquita on Rua Padarias. Their specialty is a unique Sintra pastry called the Travesseiro. It’s a buttery, almond pastry that is absolutely delicious. You can also try the Queijadas de Sintra, which are a close cousin to Pastis de Nata.

We had made dinner reservations at Incomum By Luís Santos, but ended up changing our plans in order to drive out to Cabo da Roca. So although I have not eaten here personally, it floated to the top of our list while we were planning.

Our first dinner was at Refúgio da Roca near Cabo da Roca. If you are headed out that direction, this restaurant is a good choice for trying out some local dishes. It has a rustic, unpretentious atmosphere and the main entrees are cooked over a wood fire. We walked in without reservations, were seated immediately, and had a really nice meal.

Above photos: Refúgio da Roca

Our second dinner was at the Marialva Restaurant at Palacio de Seteais. This fine dining restaurant was gorgeous and the food was exquisite. Since we were staying at the hotel, we fully enjoyed the wine pairings;) If you will also be staying at the hotel, or just looking for a special night out, Marialva is a great choice.

Above photos: Marialva Restaurant, Palacio de Seteais Hotel

Ideas for a longer stay in Sintra

No matter where we go or how long we stay, I almost always run out of time to do everything on my list. For such a small town, Sintra has a surprising number of things to do. Sadly, some of the things we left unexplored are amongst the top attractions.

Sintra Town: We drove through the town center and even did a little bit of walking here, but not nearly enough to take credit for it. It looks completely charming. The narrow streets are lined with old buildings, cute shops, and cafes. It is apparent the town really caters to the daily influx of tourists who come up from Lisbon. One of the best things we did to catch a glimpse of the town was hire a tuk-tuk. These little motorized carts will zip you around the side streets or take you to wherever you want to go. Try one in lieu of an Uber!

National Palace of Sintra: Not to be confused with the Palace of Pena, the National Palace of Sintra is located right in the middle of the town and is the best-preserved medieval royal residence in Portugal. The palace was once the residence of the Islamic Moorish rulers. Although nothing remains from that era, the palace was rebuilt by a succession of Portuguese kings and has many well-preserved rooms.

Villa Sassetti: This manor house is a 19th-century Lombard-style villa located between the Moorish Castle and Sintra town center. It was the former summer home of business man and hotel proprietor Victor Carlos Sassetti, who was determined to build his home into the environment…which reminds me of Frank Lloyd Wright’s architectural philosophy. Wish I could have seen it.

Capuchos Convent: Officially named The Convent of the Friars Minor Capuchin, Capuchos Convent is best known for the extreme poverty of its construction which dates to the 16th century. It is built into the rocks, surrounded by nature, and utilizes cork for many of its features. Visiting the convent ruins requires a car since it is not along any bus routes. Purchase advance tickets to Capuchos Convent here.

Sanctuary of Peninha: This landmark is the site where the legend of Our Lady of Pena was born, a story of a poor shepherd boy and his encounter with a lady. Upon her instruction, the boy was miraculously able to provide enough food to feed the village. The story became such an inspiration to the people that King Pedro II built a chapel dedicated to Our Lady of Peninha and housing for pilgrims to the site.

Essential links and travel tips

Essential Links

Private Guided Tours in Sintra

Below are a few tour options below that meet in Sintra after you have arrived on your own. These tour options are especially convenient if you are arriving by train and don’t have your own transportation to get around to some of the sites off the tourist bus route. They are also ideal for anyone with limited time, who also wants a tailored experience.

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