Sintra what to see. How to explore Sintra
Why is Sintra Special?
One of the most beautiful cities in the country for obvious reasons. With its green mountains, forests, exotic gardens and colorful palaces, it´s known and described as a “magical place”, according European poets and artists.
In fact, in Portugal it’s called Vila de Sintra, meaning small and old town with historic relevance. A summer retreat for Portuguese royals to escape from high temperatures of Lisbon since the XIV Century.
In contrast, Sintra District is one of the most urbanized and densely populated municipalities of Portugal and hosts several cities. The capital of the municipality is the town of Sintra proper.
Interesting Sintra for your day trip. We will tell you what to see in Sintra and how to explore and discover.
The area includes the Sintra-Cascais Nature Park through which the Sintra Mountains run. The historic center of the Vila is famous for its 19th-century Romanticist architecture.
How to get to Sintra
We will just focus our descriptions and tips on how to discover and explore Sintra Mountain, the town, royal and private Palaces.
Undoubtedly, a major tourist destination you should include in the plans of your trip to Portugal.
Located an hour drive from the Nation’s capital, 45 minutes by train, a perfect for a day trip from Lisbon.
Getting to Sintra from Lisbon is very easy.
Navigating in Sintra
Exploring and reaching the attractions in a day, can be very challenging.
Sintra is very hilly, has serpentine roads and the palaces and attractions are way from each other.
Access is forbidden by your rental car. Please remember this traffic rule. You can’t drive to Pena Palace and Moorish Castle (as of 2021). Only professional tour companies, taxis and public buses can climb to the palace and castle.
On top of that, parking is never available (Quinta da Regaleira) in most of the time (National palace of Sintra).
Parking in the town of Sintra during high season -Mar to Sept- is very difficult and it’s never for free.
Most of the roads and streets are narrow, one way only in a circle around Sintra. This means that if you´re looking for a spot to park you will need to go around in circle for 20 minutes for each attempt. This post is constantly updated, having into account new rules and the changes in traffic ways around Sintra. What to see in and how to explore Sintra 2022 is updated frequently, as we are locals.
In spite of being a desired major tourist attraction, Sintra is old and small, although very charming . Therefore, is not prepared to receive the amount of happy travelers every day.
Places to see in Sintra
- Queluz Palace
- Sintra National Palace
- Sintra Castle
- Quinta da Regaleira
- Palace of Pena
We will not place any order of preference. However, you will get an idea after reading our brief description of the top attractions in Sintra. The posted photos can help you understanding what you might like to do and what to see in Sintra.
First, let us be clear. The attractions in Sintra mentioned above are open to visitors every day of the week. We have compiled tips that we think will be very useful to explore Sintra.
Second, it’s almost humanly possible to explore these tree attraction in a single-day trip from Lisbon.
Palace of Queluz
Palace of Queluz
Sintra, Queluz Palace exterior
It is not located near the top attractions, not even in Sintra, but in the Sintra vast district.
One of the official residences of the Portuguese royal family since 1740 (until 1910). A rich full of light luxury palace, home of a few generations of the royal family. It’s still possible to see the reminiscences of the glorious parties and banquets drawn here in the past. Queluz Palace was decorated according to the seasons of the year. Stage of parties, classical music concerts and opera hosted important guests European royalty.
A 18th century European-style palace, inspired on the architecture of Versailles, although on a smaller scale.
It is a huge building with dozens of beautiful amazing rooms and an impressive well-kept garden. A Palace in harmony with the gardens, decorated with lead-made statues of Greek and Roman Gods and Goddesses.
In our opinion, if you’re looking for what to see in Sintra, for sure it is one of the best attractions in Sintra. Queluz Palace is often overlooked by tourists, but well worth a visit.
If you love horses, there’s a surprise for you in Queluz Palace. The grounds of Queluz Palace are also used as home to the Portuguese Equestrian Art School. Read more about the horse shows.
Queluz Palace deserves a closer look, when choosing what to see in Sintra.
This palace has another advantage as it’s not too crowded, providing a calm experience to do.
Queluz, Sintra
Tips about Palace of Queluz:
- Average visiting time 1H40M
- Excellent place to take good pictures.
- Without difficulties and physical barriers, adapted for wheelchairs.
- Average price per person 10 Euros.
- Easy parking.
- Easy to reach by rental car.
- Open every day of the week
Please inquire TopTenTours if you want an in dept guided private tour from Lisbon to Queluz Palace and other attractions in Sintra
National Palace Of Sintra
Palace of Sintra
View to national Palace of Sintra
National Sintra Palace. Most people get confused about the names of palaces in Sintra. Don’t confuse this one with the Palace of Pena. We are now referring to the National Palace of Sintra, located in the heart of the town. Also known by locals as Palácio da Vila.
Recognized from afar for its two original white cone shaped chimneys. The major magnet for visitors inside are two majestic rooms. The Swan’s room and the Coat of Arms room, with an extraordinary tile panels.
Although being a small medieval-style palace, it was used by royalty during the summer. It was like a retreat for the Portuguese Kings and Queens and their guests. For this reason, it was adapted and transformed as trends and centuries has passed.
The National Palace of Sintra became officially protected as National treasure in 1919
Buses packed of tourists drop off many visitors here. It doesn’t mean that is the best attraction in Sintra. Maybe it so visited because it is easily reached by big tour buses, like cruise ship tours and others.
How to discover the National Palace of Sintra
- Average visiting time 45 minutes
- 20 Minutes walking distance from Sintra’s the train station
- It won’t be the best place to take good pictures.
- There are some physical barriers. Wheelchair accessible, although difficult.
- Average price per person 10 Euros
- Paid parking available close by. Impossible to park during peak season (Jun-Oct).
- Open every day of the week.
Sintra Castle
Sintra Castle
Sintra Castle, one oh the top 5 attractions in Sintra, Portugal
The Castle of Sintra has the real name of “Moorish Castle”. It was built by the Moors to protect themselves against other threats. Sintra Castle is one thousand years old.
The Moors occupied the Peninsula -Portugal and Spain today- from the 8th century until the 15th. the Portuguese territory was occupied for lesser period, until the 12th.
The term Moor is an exonym first used by Christian Europeans to designate the Muslim inhabitants of the Maghreb, the Iberian Peninsula, Sicily and Malta during the Middle Ages. The Moors initially were the indigenous Maghrebine Berbers. The name was later also applied to Arabs and Arabized Iberians.
Today, the walls of the Castle of Sintra and its towers are still standing. Strategically located on top of one of the peaks of the Sintra Mountain.
It has a breathtaking 360-degree view of the surrounding Sintra’s landscape. On a clear day it is possible to admire, at a distance, the city of Lisbon, the ocean and Cascais.
You will be able to see the colorful Pena Palace on another peak, very up closed. It’s just amazing!
We recommend that you to check the weather forecast before going to Sintra. Although with a moderate climate, Sintra has a micro climate.
Sintra’s Moorish Castle
The best way to explore the Castle of Sintra
- With good weather it’s great for taking amazing pictures.
- Access to the castle has many physical barriers. Irregular stone path and stairs. We do not recommend this attraction to people with mobility difficulties.
- Average visiting time 50 minutes
- Average price per person 8 Euros
- Steep walking distance from train station: 45 minutes climbing.
- No access to private cars
- Open every day of the week
- Access only by public bus, steep walking or private tour companies
Quinta da Regaleira
Sintra Qta Regaleira
Quinta da Regaleira, Sintra by Toptentours
Sintra what to see?
Insights about Quinta da Regaleira
Of Course, Quinta de Regaleira is on our list of top attractions in Sintra. This estate was built by a Brazilian multimillionaire called Carvalho Monteiro in 1910. He was a member of the Freemasonry. An eccentric businessman, but a the same time a colector and philanthropist. Carvalho Monteiro was a true cultured man, educated ahead of his time.
“Quinta” means estate in Portuguese. “Regaleira” is a word that’s related to an offer or a gift. Hard to translate, can be explained as the expression “sight for sore eyes”.
As a palace, you may find it disappointing. However, the architectural harmony with the gardens ( designed by Manini) is worth a visit. The interiors are empty, as the Quinta da Regaleira ownership has gone hand in hand and the spoils were gone.
You may wander around and find the main attraction: the amazing famous well. It’s a spiral staircase with green moss-covered stone walls. A well with no water…delightful!
You will enjoy the romantic vibes, waterfalls and exotic plants.
The famous Initiation well in Sintra – Quinta da Regaleira
Useful information about Quinta da Regaleira
- Average visiting time 1H20 minutes
- Amazing place to take great pictures.
- With some physical barriers. Not adapted for wheelchairs.
- Average price per person 10 Euros
- No parking
- Paid parking when available at a 25 minutes walking distance from the town
Palace of Pena
Palace of Pena
Sintra, Pena Palace
Not to be missed. Simple as that!
In our tips on what to see in Sintra and how to explore it, is not forgetting Pena Palace. For many world travelers this attractions could be the # 1 in Sintra.
It is a beautiful colorful palace, imagined by the King consort Ferdinand II to please his Queen wife . Well decorated, mixing many architectural styles, with its original interior furniture.
Also surrounded by a huge garden, green park and lakes. If you have the time, it’s well worth a visit. It can take a whole day just to visit the palace and discover all the secrets of the gardens. No surprisingly, most of people just visit the near surroundings and inside of the Pena Palace.
An unforgettable place that will stay in your memory forever.
See Sintra from different perspectives
Useful information about Palace of Pena
- Average visiting time 1h40- only palace and surrounding area outside.
- Amazing place to take good and lots of pictures.
- With some physical barriers. Not adapted for wheelchairs, difficult to travel.
- Average price per person 14 Euros.
- Not accessible to private cars.
- Access only by public bus, steep walking or private tour companies.
We provide two tours to Sintra from Lisbon that include the Palace of Pena, besides any custom made tour to Sintra or elsewhere.
Firstly, a memorable tour entirely dedicated to the Wonders of Sintra, more demanding, recommended for fit people, walking and Nature lovers.
We believe it’s the only way to explore the secrets of Sintra with a local. Like all of our tours, we pick you up at your hotel in Lisbon and provide you a learning private experience.
Secondly, the tour to Sintra from Lisbon is Sintra Cascais and Cabo da Roca tour. Very light and for all ages. Likewise the previous one, it’s one of the most famous day trips from Lisbon.
Must try in Sintra
As long as you are here, you should try the Sintra’s local pastry. Sweet, delicious and unique, there are two local specials: queijadas and travesseiros. (picture bellow).
There is a bakery right in town of Sintra in business for 160 years. They bake a different pastries, and the most famous “queijadas” and “travesseiros”. No mater what attraction you want to explore in Sintra, a coffee break in this pastry shop is really worth it.
By now, you should start to get an idea of what to see in Sintra besides the top attractions. Sintra is also known for its pastry.
Coffee break in Sintra
How to discover the National Palace of Sintra
- Average visiting time 50 minutes
- 20 Minutes walking distance from Sintra’s the train station
- It won’t be the best place to take good pictures.
- There are some physical barriers. Wheelchair accessible, although difficult.
- Average price per person 10 Euros
- Paid parking available close by. Impossible to park during peak season (Jun-Oct).
- Open every day of the week.
What’s the best time to visit Sintra?
All year around is a good to see Sintra and its attractions, views and landscape. It’s never extreme temperatures, neither to hot nor to cold.
In Sintra, the summer is warm, dry and with an almost cloudless sky except in the morning.
The winter is cooler, with some precipitation and partially overcast. During the whole year, the weather tends to be windy in the early morning and at the end of the day. Throughout the year, the temperature in Sintra generally varies from 11 °C- 51 F to 25 °C – 77 F. Very rarely below 6 °C -42 F or above 30 °C-85 F.
Don’t be tricked by the warm morning in Lisbon. If you’re coming from Lisbon for a day in Sintra. For sure, it will be much cooler in Sintra, for sure!
In Conclusion: What and how to enjoy Sintra
Our goal is to share our local knowledge to help you decide what to see in this wonderful place. Therefore, it’s up to you to decide what and how to seen in Sintra!
This post was written taking into account our 10 years of experience, dealing with happy travelers. You may read about our journey and history.
We know the difficulties and challenges to reach the different attractions in Sintra, as being locals. GPS and Google Maps are not always trustful in Portugal. Even less in Sintra, but it helps you to navigate in Sintra.
Final Tips
You can buy tickets online for the attractions in Sintra. Entrance tickets to Queluz Palace, Palácio Nacional de Sintra and Sintra Castle are available. Use their unique and secure Official website.
Buy your tickets in advance to save time. There are no “skip the line” entrance for tickets’ owners in any of the mentioned attractions. This is the simple truth, no matter what’s said in blogs or online travel agencies.
Finally, tickets for Quinta da Regaleira are available, although in a different website.
We will take care of the process of buying tickets if you prefer to take one of our comfortable private tour. We know the best slots to get in, the best hours to avoid the crowds.
Hoping that this post had been a good help, we wish you a great trip to Portugal.
Relax and enjoy sintra!
