Like something out of a fairy tale – the 10 best Sintra sights, plus lots of tips for your visit

Rapunzel, Rapunzel. Let down your hair. That I may climb thy golden stair!

This fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm could well have originated here in the enchanting town of Sintra. Or any other fairy tale in which a magnificent castle on a mountain is involved. 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.

That was also recognized by UNESCO, which included the cultural landscape around Sintra in the list of World Heritage Sites. 

But the truth about visiting Sintra is that it is overrun by tourists to an extent 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 queuing 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 each 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 play it safe and maybe already know exactly what you want to see in Sintra, then you should consider booking a guided tour from Lisbon. This usually includes travel and entrance fees. Plus, you 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 standing in line

But enough of the introductory words. Below you will find the 10 best Sintra attractions. These include the absolute highlights, but you will also find a few insider Sintra tips. The tourist factor tells you how many other visitors you will probably find here.

You can also see all the attractions of 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 as if it had been thrown together in a wild rush. This is probably also 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 about the colors 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 buy your Admission ticket for 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 won’t 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. 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 palace’s client, 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 high. When the weather is clear, 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 complex, but you can still visit it. The castle itself was built around the 8th and 9th century by the Moors, who occupied the 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 save yourself 2 euros by downloading the online or on site. The park is open from 9:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

Here you will find a 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 took on its present form in the 15th and 16th centuries under Manuel I. 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 come from different eras. What’s more, on a tour you will find out what is hidden under the two conical towers.

Admission to the National Palace costs 10 euros. You can buy tickets at online or on site. The park is open from 9:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

5. Quinta da Regaleira

Tourist 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 moss-covered spiral staircase that 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 also get an audio guide with this. The Quinta is open from 10:00 am to 6:30 pm.

6. Parque e Palácio de Monserrate

Tourist factor: 2/5

Monserrate Palace and its surrounding park is a romantic place, 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 bit further away from the other Sintra attractions and is therefore often not as crowded. The entrance fee to Monserrate Palace is 8 euros. You can book tickets in advance at online or on site. 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 buy tickets at 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 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.

There is a cross at the lookout point 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 bit 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 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 get one thing out of the way: the Sintra region and its surrounding coast offer 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 also 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 town of Sintra. And, accordingly, many travelers want to stay overnight here. Hotels are therefore often fully booked quite early.

The NH Sintra Centro is not only a 4-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 city’s popular highlights 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 Valverde Sintra Palácio 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. There are several ways to get 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. 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, on weekends they are less frequent, with trains running only every 30 minutes. Both lines will also get you back to Lisbon with ease.

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 from Lisbon in about 30 minutes.

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, before the most popular Sintra attractions even open. Then it should also be possible to find parking. Also check out the next paragraph for more information about parking.

Parking in Sintra

There are few parking spaces in Sintra. 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:

• directly at the National Palace Pena
• at the Museu Anjas Teixeira (Estacionamento)

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 their way through the mountainous region to the historic center. If you want to walk between the attractions, you will 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, run from the historic center of Sintra to the Pena Palace. The 434 bus will take you directly from the train station to the palace and back again for around 9 euros. Taxis are faster and more comfortable, but of course, 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 feel like 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 uphill past the villa until you reach the parking lot in front of the main entrance to the park. Das ist der fastest way to walk from the historic center directly to the palace, taking about 20-30 minutes.

There are many more cool hikes in and around Sintra. You can also, for example, go on a hike with a local guide 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.