Sintra is a fantastic, unreal place – as beautiful as in a fairy tale. But Sintra is also very well known and often overrun by tourists. So it’s worth reading a few Sintra tips before you visit. You should know your options on the ground so that you can spend as much time as possible in the great Sintra attractions in the region and as little time as possible in entry queues.
Rapunzel let down your hair
This fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm could well have originated here in the enchanting town of Sintra. Or any other fairy tale involving a magnificent castle on a mountain. Add to that a sprinkling of densely overgrown enchanted forest, a majestic-looking estate, an Atlantic view that takes your breath away, plus an exotic castle garden, and the perfectly blended fairytale world that you will undoubtedly find in Sintra is ready.
UNESCO recognized this and included the cultural landscape around Sintra in the list of World Heritage Sites.
But the truth of a visit to Sintra is that there is overtourism here that I have rarely seen anywhere else. If you visit, especially during the summer months, you should be aware that the city will be packed with tourists from all over the world and that, in addition to the congested cars on the narrow streets, long lines of people will also form in front of the most popular attractions, where you will often have to wait for several hours.
In this article, I will therefore show you the tourist factor at every Sintra attraction and give you a few tips on how you can sometimes avoid the queues.
Day trips to Sintra
In this article, I will give you lots of tips for traveling to Sintra on your own. From my own experience, I can say that, of course, something can always go wrong.
If you prefer to be on the safe side and maybe already know exactly what you want to see in Sintra, then you should consider booking a guided tour from Lisbon. The travel and entrance fees are usually included. Plus, you’ll still have a guide with you.
There are some cool options that I would choose if I didn’t have much time and didn’t feel like organizing everything myself:
- First the Pena Palace in Sintra and then along the coast via Cabo da Roca and Cascais (8-hour day trip)
- All Sintra highlights in one day (8 hours, with guide, but entrance fees to the Sintra attractions must be paid separately)
- Visit Quinta Regaleira without waiting in line
There are, of course, many more cool day trips and other activities you can book for Sintra. Take a look here:
But enough of the introductory words. Below you will find the 10 best Sintra attractions. These are the absolute highlights, but you will also find a few Sintra insider tips among them. The tourist factor tells you how many other visitors you will probably find here.
You can also view all of the attractions in Sintra and the region on the map:
1. Pena National Palace
Tourist factor: 5/5
The Pena National Palace is known as the Neuschwanstein of Portugal and is located south of Sintra on a mountain covered with dense forest. You should visit this fairytale castle at least once in your life, even if many other tourists have the same wish.
The castle was built in 1840 and combines many different architectural styles, almost in a wild and chaotic way. This is probably the reason for the palace’s fairytale charm. You can discover Gothic, Manueline, Moorish and even Indian elements here. The builders were not exactly squeamish when it came to the color scheme either. Parts of the castle shine in pink, strong wine red and blue or even juicy lemon yellow.
The interior of the castle was also very extravagant: you will find Meissen porcelain, majestic furniture and candlesticks with 72 candle holders, among other things.
You can get tickets on site. However, you can also book your Admission ticket for the Pena Palace and park for €14, also available online here.
When you buy tickets, you are told that they are only valid for the selected date and time and that you cannot enter the palace before or after, but the lines at the entrance are often so long that it doesn’t really matter.
Unfortunately, even with an online ticket, you will not get into the palace any faster. However, you will avoid having to wait even longer if you show up without a ticket and all available seats are already booked. Therefore, to be on the safe side, you should also arrive on site in good time with an online ticket.
2. Parque Nacional da Pena
Tourist factor: 2/5
The Pena Park was laid out around the National Palace – an exotic palace garden with all kinds of pine trees and tropical plants from Portugal’s former colonies.
For me, this park is one of Portugal’s best-kept secrets, even though everyone actually knows about it. That’s because to get to the extremely popular palace-castle, you have to walk through parts of the park. But there are plenty of other great places to discover, such as the Valley of the Lakes, the Fountain of the Little Birds or the Tank of the 7 Pines.
Especially when the weather is a bit foggy, this park has an almost mystical atmosphere. In the park, you will also find the statue of the person who commissioned the palace, King Ferdinand II, on a rocky outcrop. The Cruz Alta, which marks the highest point in the region, is also within sight. It is 529 meters above sea level. When the weather is good, you can see the entire coast from here.
A little further to the northeast of the park, you will find the yellow Chalet of Condessa D’Edla, which you can also visit from the inside.
Admission to the park without the palace costs only 7.50 euros. You can get a ticket online or on the spot. The park is open from 9:00 am to 7:00 pm.
3. Castelo dos Mouros
Tourist factor: 2/5
The Moorish Castle is actually only the ruins of a castle, but you can still visit it. The castle itself was built around the 8th and 9th century by the Moors, who occupied this region at the time. However, it lost its importance after the conquest in 1147 by the Portuguese King Alfonso I and slowly fell into disrepair.
The official entrance fee to the Moorish Castle is 8 euros. You can buy tickets online or on site. The park is open from 9:30 am to 6:30 pm.
Here you can get an online ticket with audio guide for €18, with which you can simply skip the line at the entrance to the castle.
4. Palácio Nacional de Sintra
Tourist factor: 2/5
Right in the historic center of the city you will find the National Palace of Sintra. It is the only royal palace from the Middle Ages in Portugal. It has Moorish origins, was expanded in the 13th century and received under Manuel I in the 15th and 16th centuries its present form. You can recognize the palace from afar by its twin conical chimneys.
The palace is also extremely fascinating from the inside. There are various areas here that date from different eras. During a tour, you will also find out what is hidden under the two conical towers.
Admission to the National Palace costs 10 euros. You can buy tickets online or on site. The park is open from 9:30 am to 6:30 pm.
5. Quinta da Regaleira
Touristic factor: 5/5
If you are interested in architecture, you should take a closer look at this early 20th-century building. It looks like an architectural dream come true.
The five-storey property is also known as the “palace of Monteiro the millionaire“, which is due to its extremely wealthy owner. A special element inside is the spiral staircase covered with moss, which leads down to an enigmatic tunnel system with mystical-looking caves and grottos.
Admission to Quinta da Regaleira costs 10 euros, which you can pay online or on the day. You can only visit the lower floor and the garden. However, there are often really long lines on site, so in my opinion it is worth booking a ticket for €21, which allows you to skip the line. You will also receive an audio guide. The Quinta is open from 10:00 to 18:30.
6. Parque e Palácio de Monserrate
Tourist factor: 2/5
The Monserrate Palace and its surrounding park are a romantic spot, considered a masterpiece of romantic architecture. Many elements of the palace come from all corners of the world and are richly decorated.
The palace is a little way from the other Sintra attractions and is therefore often not as busy. The entrance fee to Monserrate Palace is 8 euros. You can book tickets at online or on the premises. The monastery is open from 9:00 am to 7:00 pm.
7. Convento dos Capuchos
Tourist factor: 1/5
While other Sintra attractions are lavishly decorated and ostentatiously luxurious, the former Franciscan monastery in the hills of Sintra impresses with its simplicity and seclusion. As is so typical for a monastery, the Convento dos Capuchos is a place of silence and meditation, perfectly nestled in the surrounding landscape.
Admission to the Capuchos Monastery costs 7 euros. You can book tickets online or on site. The park is open from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm.
8. Villa Sassetti
Tourist factor: 2/5
Villa Sassetti is one of the few Sintra attractions that costs nothing. It is an old mansion surrounded by a park from which you can see the slopes of Sintra. The interior of the villa is currently not open to visitors.
Opposite the Largo Ferreira Castro stop in the historic center of Sintra, a narrow path leads up. Villa Sasseti is signposted here. The path continues up to the main entrance of the Pena Palace.
9. Cabo da Roca – The westernmost point of Europe
Tourist factor: 2/5
Only about half an hour’s drive from Sintra, you can visit the westernmost point of mainland Europe – Cabo da Roca. The lighthouse Farol del Cabo de la Roca stands here, but it is not open to the public.
At the lookout point, there is a cross marking the westernmost point. There is also a restaurant and souvenir shop next to the parking lot.
You should definitely walk a few meters along the cliff. A well-trodden path shows you the way. If you have more time, you can also hike several kilometers along the impressive cliffs.
10. Praia da Adraga
Tourist factor: 2/5
Praia da Adraga is a beautiful sandy beach west of Sintra. The special feature here are the caves at the edge of the beach.
You can either chill in the sun and go swimming here at the beach, or take a walk along the shore and explore the caves a bit.
What is the best time to travel to Sintra?
Sintra is warmest from May until well into fall, with temperatures between 20 and 25 degrees Celsius. Most tourists come here in the summer. Many make a day trip from Lisbon, which is also the most visited in the summer months.
For me, the best time to travel to Sintra is October. Although there is a little more rainfall on average, it is still quite warm with over 20 degrees Celsius and the water temperatures are still high enough to go swimming in the coastal waters. But the best thing about October is that most of the tourists have already left and it is more likely to get into the attractions without long queues.
How long to stay in Sintra?
Let’s just say right away: the Sintra region and its surrounding coast offers too many fantastic highlights to be seen in just one day. Nevertheless, many visitors only make day trips.
A day trip to Sintra is certainly an option if you don’t have much time. However, you won’t be able to see everything in one day. Don’t even try, but choose 2 or 3 of the highlights mentioned here in advance.
Or even better: stay more than just one day and spend the night somewhere in the region. Then you can walk quite early, without a long journey, to the highlights in the historic center of Sintra. In my opinion, you will see the most without having much stress if you stay 2 full days with an overnight stay in Sintra.
Cool places to stay in Sintra
Many travelers to Portugal also want to visit the fairytale Sintra. And accordingly, many travelers want to stay here overnight. So hotels are often fully booked quite early.
The Tivoli Sintra Hotel is not only a four-star hotel, but is also located right next to the Pena National Palace. From here, you have an advantage over other tourists and can get to the popular highlights of the city faster than those arriving later, even during opening hours.
If money is no object and you want to treat yourself to something really luxurious, then you can go to one of the 5-star hotels, such as the Tivoli Palacio de Seteais or the Lawrences Hotel. Both are also quite close to the two most popular Sintra attractions. The Sintra Boutique Hotel is ideal for 2 travelers.
Getting to Sintra from Lisbon
Most tourists will certainly take a day trip from Lisbon, as I also wrote in my article about Lisbon:
There are several options for getting there:
Getting to Sintra by train
The train ride to Sintra takes about 40 minutes. From Rossio station in the center of Lisbon, the “Sintra” line runs for about €2-3 per trip. The train station is easy to reach. However, if your accommodation is a little further west of Lisbon, you can also get on at one of the later stations, such as Campolite or Benfica.
Alternatively, there is another Sintra line from Oriente station in eastern Lisbon. This line also has other city stations where you can board (e.g. Braço de Prata, Roma-Areeiro, Entrecampos, Sete Rios). This line takes about 50 minutes from Oriente to Sintra station.
Trains run every 15 minutes around the clock. However, at the weekend they are less frequent, with trips only every 30 minutes. Both lines also run frequently back to Lisbon.
Getting to Sintra by car
In principle, I would recommend traveling to Sintra by car, as this allows you to arrive and leave flexibly. You can reach the center of Sintra in about 30 minutes from Lisbon.
In Sintra itself, however, there can be significant traffic jams depending on the time of day, as many other travelers have the same idea. The only thing to do is to arrive as early as possible, even before the most popular Sintra attractions open at all. Then it should also be possible to find parking. Also check out the next paragraph for more information on parking.
Parking in Sintra
There are very few parking spaces in Sintra itself. In my opinion, there are far too few parking spaces for the large number of tourists, especially in the historic center.
A slightly larger parking lot with free spaces (Sintra Parking) is located in the city. From here, however, you have to walk quite a distance to get to the first attractions.
There are also 2 smaller, paid parking lots:
To get a space there, you have to arrive very early (around 9:00 am). Later in the day, you need a lot of luck to find something here. You can also park on some streets in Sintra. But these parking lots are often full very early.
Tips for transportation in Sintra
Sintra is quite a long town. Winding roads snake along the mountainous region to the historic center. If you want to walk between the attractions, you have to cover quite a few kilometers here.
Many of the streets in Sintra are one-way streets. This means that if you are traveling by car, you often cannot drive back the same way you came in.
A good option for getting from A to B is therefore to take a taxi or bus, which, for example, travel from the historic center of Sintra to the Pena Palace. The 434 bus line will take you directly from the train station to the palace and back for around 9 euros. Taxis are faster and more comfortable, but of course, they are also more expensive.
An alternative is one of the many tuk tuks that are everywhere in Sintra, usually waiting for tourists at the train station. Here you pay an average of about 5 euros per person for one way. But for longer trips, it’s more.
If you are in the mood for hiking in Sintra and are fit, then I recommend the hiking trail from the historic center of Sintra, past the Villa Sassetti to the main entrance of the Pena Palace. To do this, first follow the signs for Villa Sassetti and continue hiking up past the villa until you reach the parking lot in front of the main entrance to the park. This is the fastest way to walk from the historic center directly to the palace and takes about 20-30 minutes.
There are many more cool hikes in and around Sintra. You can also take a local guide, for example, to quiet places in the hills of Sintra on a guided hike.
As you can see, there are good reasons why Sintra is extremely popular with so many tourists. Which Sintra attraction do you like best? Leave a comment.
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