Pena Palace and park
3 h 30Everyone; under-6s do not payAll year
A colourful Romantic palace high in the Sintra mountains and its park of more than 80 ha: essential visit €20, with a set day and time.
From €20
See the activity
Stay1–2 nights
AccessTrain from Lisbon (Rossio, Oriente, Entrecampos)
Getting aroundOn foot and bus 434; no cars at Pena
Best timeApr – Jun · Sep – Oct
What to do
What to do in Sintra
Each plan says how long it takes, who it's for and whether you can book.
Quinta da Regaleira and its initiation well
2 hEveryone; teenagers love the tunnelsAll year
Visit · 2 hrs · On foot from the centre · €20 adult
From €20
See the activity
The Moorish Castle along its walls
1 h 30No fear of heights; with stepsDog-friendlyAll year
10th-century walls above the crags of the Sintra mountains, with Pena opposite: open daily from 9:30 to 18:00, €12 adults.
From €12
How to do it
Itineraries
Itineraries that pass through
Days and weekends already planned out, with how to get between each stop and who to book with.
Plan the trip
Sintra, step by step
Each choice narrows the next: the season shapes how best to travel, and how you travel decides where you stay and where you eat.
When to go
When to go to Sintra
April, May, June, September and October: long days and fewer tour buses than in summer. In August the queues at Pena and Regaleira are long; in winter fog often covers the mountains, but there are very few people.
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Best timeGood timeLow season
How you travel
Sintra your way
The ways of travelling that suit Sintra. We are writing a guide to each one: where to stay, how to get around and which services you will need.
Car-freeLuxuryOn footBackpacking
Who you're with
Sintra for whoever you're with
A trip with a toddler is not the same as one with a teenager. Pick yours to see what works and what to bear in mind.
Sintra with children, with real castles
Sintra has what a child imagines when they think of a castle: walls to walk along, towers, tunnels and a colourful palace at the top of a hill. The trick is not to link too many visits and to go up to the mountains by bus.
- What works bestThe Moorish Castle, for walking…
- Where to sleepIn the centre of Sintra…
- Where to eatPastry shops in the centre…
- Keep in mindChildren under 6 do not…
What works best
- The Moorish Castle, for walking along the wall
- The tunnels and the well at Quinta da Regaleira
- Pena park, with lakes and an internal shuttle if legs give out
- Cabo da Roca, to see where Europe ends
Where to sleep
- In the centre of Sintra, by the train station and the 434 bus
- In Lisbon, if you prefer to go and come back in a day
Where to eat
- Pastry shops in the centre with travesseiros and queijadas, the sweets of Sintra
- A picnic in Pena park
Keep in mind
- Children under 6 do not pay at the Parques de Sintra monuments or at Regaleira
- No pushchair: a baby carrier for slopes and stairs
- The edge at Cabo da Roca has no fence in every stretch: hold hands
What to do as a family
Sintra for teenagers, on foot and underground
What hooks them is moving around under their own steam: walking up to the mountains, getting lost in the tunnels of Regaleira and looking out from the walls. Palace rooms bore them sooner.
- What works bestThe initiation well at Regaleira…
- Where to sleepIn the centre of Sintra…
- Where to eatSandwiches and sweets from the…
- Keep in mindAges 6 to 17 pay…
What works best
- The initiation well at Regaleira and its tunnels
- The Vila Sassetti trail, a 45-minute climb to the castle
- The wall of the Moorish Castle as far as the Royal Tower
- The terraces of Pena, more than its rooms
Where to sleep
- In the centre of Sintra, to set out early on foot
Where to eat
- Sandwiches and sweets from the centre to take up to the mountains
Keep in mind
- Ages 6 to 17 pay the young person's rate at the monuments
- The walk up is continuous: water and shoes with grip
What to do with teenagers
Where to stay
Where to stay in Sintra
Valverde Sintra Palácio de Seteais
Why we like it: A hotel in the 18th-century Seteais palace, at the entrance to the Sintra hills, with gardens, a pool, spa and the Marialva restaurant.
Services for this trip
Where to eat
Where to eat in Sintra
From set lunch menus to Michelin stars. We mark the price level and what to order at each place.
Incomum by Luís Santos
What to order: a starter with Sintra mushrooms and the octopus or the confit salt cod; the mains are around €20.
Takeaway and markets
Casa Piriquita, Sintra
Nearby
Near Sintra
The closest places, whichever country they are in.
38.70° N · 9.42° W
Cascais and Estoril
Car-freeBy carBy plane
38.96° N · 9.42° W
Ericeira and Mafra
By car
38.64° N · 9.24° W
Costa da Caparica
By carCar-freeBy plane
38.73° N · 9.15° W
Lisbon
Car-freeBackpackingLuxuryBy carBy plane
Tips
Worth knowing first
- 1Pena in the morning, Regaleira in the afternoon
Or the other way round, but never both at midday. The early hours are the quiet ones.
- 2Sleep a night in Sintra
When the groups from Lisbon leave, the town empties and in the morning you reach Pena first.
- 3Bring a coat even if it is sunny in Lisbon
In the mountains there is fog, damp and a few degrees less.
Driving up to Pena
You can't: access is closed to private cars and parking in the centre is almost impossible. Train, bus 434 and legs.
How do you get there from Lisbon?
By train. CP's Sintra line leaves from Rossio, right in the centre, and also from Oriente and Entrecampos, and drops you at Sintra station in a little under an hour. If you come by car from Spain, leave it in Lisbon or in the car parks on the outskirts of Sintra, such as Lourel: the historic centre is closed to traffic except for residents.
How do you get around the mountains?
On foot and by bus. The centre, the National Palace and Quinta da Regaleira are five minutes' walk from each other. Pena and the Moorish Castle are up in the mountains and do not admit private cars: take bus 434 from the station or walk the Vila Sassetti path, about 45 minutes uphill. For Monserrate and Cabo da Roca you need a bus or car.
What should you book in advance?
Pena: if you buy online you choose the date, and in spring and summer the first slots sell out. Quinta da Regaleira recommends buying on its website to skip the ticket office. If you only have a day, choose two big visits, not four: between queues, climbs and descents there is no time for more.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Can you see Sintra in a day from Lisbon?
Yes, with an early train: Pena and the Moorish Castle in the morning, Regaleira and the centre in the afternoon. Monserrate and Cabo da Roca need another day.
How much do the tickets cost?
Pena, €20 for the essential visit; Quinta da Regaleira, €20; the Moorish Castle, €12; the National Palace, €13. Children under 6 do not pay.
Is there a combined ticket?
Parques de Sintra manages Pena, the castle, Monserrate and the National Palace, and has family rates. Quinta da Regaleira is separate.
Is it a good idea with children?
Yes. They love the castle walls and the tunnels at Regaleira. With a pushchair, not so good: there are hills, steps and dirt paths.
Is it open all year?
Yes, all the monuments open daily apart from occasional closures, such as Christmas and New Year. Check Parques de Sintra's notices before going.