Two Days in Sintra
Just outside of Lisbon is Sintra, formerly a royal getaway destination. Sintra is commonly treated as a day trip affair by most travel guides I came across, but that doesn’t give this place justice! We actually traded a day in Lisbon for Sintra and didn’t regret it at all.
Getting There
CP frequently runs trains out of Lisbon to Sintra. For those staying around Baixa-Chiado, Rossio train station is a short walk and is the starting terminus for some of the trains to Sintra. You can either buy a dedicated train ticket or simply tap a rechargeable Viva Viagem card. Make sure to get off at Sintra and not Portela de Sintra (which is one train stop prior) like I almost did (not a big deal if you do, but save yourself the unnecessary walk).
Sightseeing
Day One
After taking one of the 9AM trains from Rossio, we did the manageable ~20 minute walk to Quinta da Regaleira and arrived just around the 10AM opening time of the grounds. The palace was relatively empty at this time of day, and we decided to book it straight to the popular initiation well. We were able to take our time descending the well and take plenty of pictures with few to no people in them. Descending the well and going through the cave that leads to the outside is a really unique experience, and you might see why it was named the initiation well.
We’re super glad we did because the park became exponentially busier by the hour, and the line outside of the well was suddenly extremely long. We continued exploring the estate’s gardens from the top down, which are very well tended with many unique flowers and trees, and stopped for lunch at the restaurant on site before entering the mansion itself. It took us about five hours to explore the entire park.
We then called an Uber for a ride to Cabo da Roca and set out on the hike to Praia da Ursa. When we attempted this hike in mid-February, clovers and hottentot-fig (the latter of which is apparently invasive) were blooming everywhere. The cliff views are spectacular, and the color contrast between the foliage, cliffs, and water was pleasing to the eye. This hike was a definite must-visit in our books! I’ll let the pictures speak for themselves.
Day Two
On the second day we dropped off luggage at our hotel before visiting Sintra’s more famous attractions, Castelo do Mouros and Palácio da Pena. Both of them are pretty difficult to get up to by foot as they are set on the tops of hills, so I recommend to instead buy a one-way loop ticket on the hop on hop off buses by Scotturb. You can purchase this easily once you are in Sintra. The 24-hour pass is only worth it if you plan to visit all the palaces in one day (which I wouldn’t recommend anyway).
We first visited the Castelo do Mouros, whose ramparts felt very Great Wall of China-esque. At the top there are really great views of the town of Sintra, and on clear days you can see out to the Atlantic Ocean.
We then walked the short way up to Palácio da Pena, which is particularly known for its mish-mash of architectural styles. We first wandered through the park grounds, which were quite extensive but not quite as well tended to as those at Quinta da Regaleira. At our assigned time slot we were able to enter the palace itself (see below for more details). Just like the outside, the inside is also quite esoteric and worth visiting. Finally, we made our way to the High Cross, where you can catch a glimpse of the palace from afar.
For dinner I can highly recommend Incomum. While I’m a stickler for trying out traditional foods, Incomum does a fantastic job of combining modern and French cooking influences with local ingredients. Notably, all the dishes we ordered here, from starter to dessert, were fantastic—all of which totaled to a staggering €35 per person (I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw that price!).
Looking Back
The number one tip I can give is to purchase entry tickets in advance! Sintra seems to be extremely popular among Lisboans on weekends, so prepare for larger crowds then even during off-season travel. Note that entry inside the the Palacio da Pena requires a timed admission ticket. We weren’t sure what time we’d get to the palace, so we purchased our ticket online at the front gate and explored the grounds until it was our entry time.
There are also many other mansions, gardens, and hikes in this area that can be done here which would have required at least a third day. Rambling Unicorn has a great post on Sintra hikes. We didn’t make it inside the Palácio Nacional de Sintra and were recommended the Parque e Palácio de Monserrate by our taxi driver.
If you plan to do any hikes, familiarize yourself with Portuguese hiking trail signs to make sure you’re taking the safest trail, particularly on the trail down to Praia da Ursa.
Lodging
We only stayed one night in Sintra, but if we could redo our itinerary we would have done at least two. Staying near the train station is actually pretty ideal if you’re only in Sintra for one or two nights; we were able to arrive early by train, drop our stuff off, and explore during the day before checking in. You also won’t have to take taxis to and from the hotel (although it did seem some of the more remote mansions had their own private shuttle services) as a lot of the buses in the area pass through Sintra train station.
We stayed at Chalet Saudade, a charming recently-renovated mansion located just a flight of steps away from Sintra station. For less than €100 we stayed in a private bedroom with a queen bed and a lovely view of the garden and valley below. The price also included a massive breakfast with freshly baked breads and croissants, eggs, cheese and meat slices, orange juice, and even dessert cake. Honestly this stay was a highlight of our trip!
