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Planning a trip to Sintra, Portugal? In this post, I cover when to visit, how long to stay, what to pack, how to get there, the main attractions, and some of our tips.
Sintra is a charming Portuguese town located in the Sintra mountains near Lisbon. Its natural beauty and architecture, are the reasons why it's classified by UNESCO as a World Heritage site.
In the 19th century Sintra became the first centre of European Romantic architecture. Ferdinand II turned a ruined monastery into a castle where this new sensitivity was displayed in the use of Gothic, Egyptian, Moorish and Renaissance elements and in the creation of a park blending local and exotic species of trees.
There are a few ways to get to Sintra
The peak season is July-August. Sintra is very popular due to its proximity to Lisbon and its charm, in order to truly enjoy it, we recommend visiting April-June, September-November.
Try to avoid weekends in order to beat the crowds.
Most people visit Sintra on a day trip from Lisbon, which is what we did.
We spent a whole full day in Sintra but also got to enjoy part of what Sintra has to offer.
If we could, we'd stay in Sintra overnight and spend at least 2 days here in order to explore all 5 palaces and the many gardens.
Since we don't recommend driving in Sintra, the most affordable way to get around is by taking the buses or Uber. There are a few ways to get around Sintra:
Bus 434 circular route: Sintra Train Station - Historic Center - Moorish Castle - Pena Palace and Park - Historic Center - Sintra Train Station
Bus 435: Monserrate Palace, Seteais Palace, and Quinta da Regaleira. The start and end point is at the historic center. This line runs every 25 minutes.
The tickets for both buses can be purchased directly from the driver.
Cost: 3.5 EUR.
Tuk-tuk: There are always so many Tuk-tuks around Sintra, the problem is they don't have a set rate and each driver gives a different price.
Taxis: They are metered taxis. From Quinta da Regaleira to the train station it cost at least €10 and probably more if there is lots of traffic.
Uber: The uber drivers are located at the train station of Sintra (which is about 15 minutes away from the palaces) once you order one from the palaces it can take them 15-20 minutes to arrive to you, and sometimes they might accept your ride and then cancel it midway.
Walking: Sintra is small enough that many area attractions can be accessed on foot. If you plan your trip correctly, you can mix up public transportation with walking since some spots are within walking distance of each other. For exmaple: Pena Palace & Moorish Castle, National Palace of Sintra, Quinta da Regaleira & Monserrate Palace
We were told that there isn't much to eat there but they do have Kiyosks and coffee shops at the palaces, the center of town, and by the train station of Sintra.
Moorish Castle: There is a little cafe near the entrance with drinks, snacks and sandwiches.
National Palace of Sintra: Robillion Pavillion Cafeteria
Monserrate Palace - Monserrate's Tea House