Last Updated on March 10, 2024
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Whenever I travel somewhere for a few days, I try to squeeze in one day to venture out of the main destination. It wasn’t any different during my time in Lisbon. As much as I was loving every minute there, I wanted to get out of the city to explore. I was looking for a place not too far and with a little different vibe than Portugal’s capital. I wasn’t too original with my choice, when I decided on a Lisbon to Sintra day trip.
It comes as no surprise that the charming town of Sintra is the most popular day trip from Lisbon. Even though it’s just a short train ride away, it offers a completely different experience. Sitting at the foot of Sintra Mountains, the town charms with fairy tale like castles and palaces in the lushest surroundings. The entire area was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Since Sintra is one of the most popular day trips from Lisbon, you can find plenty or tours that will take you there for the day. But it’s also extremely easy to visit Sintra on your own, which will give you complete freedom and you can go at your own pace. Here’s all you need to know about how to plan a perfect Sintra day trip from Lisbon on your own.
How to get from Lisbon to Sintra
Sintra is located 30 km from Lisbon and it’s very easy to visit on your own. Because of lots of traffic and non existing parking in Sintra, I do not recommend driving there, but taking a train instead.
Trains from Lisbon to Sintra leave from Rossio train station frequently (several times per hour in high season) and it takes only 40 minutes to get there (one way ticket costs €2,40). Your stop will be the very last one. The train will stop at Portela Sintra (second to last stop), which is another train station in Sintra, but that’s not the one you want. Stay on and go all the way until the very last station.
Sintra is the most popular day trip from Lisbon and gets really busy, basically year-round at this point. Try to take an early train, so you can get ahead of the biggest crowds. Ideally, you want to get to Sintra before the buses start running right before 9 am so you can hop on the very first one and get the most out of your one day in Sintra.
How to get around Sintra
Bus 434
Once you arrive at the main Sintra train station, take a right and head straight for the bus stop. That’s where you will find the Tourist bus 434, which is one of the ways to get to all the main Sintra attractions. The bus does the loop starting at the train station, making the following stops:
- Sintra Vila ( Sintra’s town center )
- São Pedro de Sintra
- Castelo dos Mouros ( Moorish Castle )
- Palacio National da Pena ( Pena Palace )
- Sintra train station
At the time of my visit (in 2019), there was a one way €7 ticket strictly for the 434 bus, but later it got phased out and replaced by a 24 hour Hop on Hop off bus. In order to ride the Tourist 434 bus, you need to pay €13.50 for a hop-on, hop off ticket, which is valid for 24 hours and allows you to use all the buses in the Sintra area.
You could also get a Train and Bus combo ticket for €16 at the train station in Lisbon, which as the name suggests, covers the train to Sintra and all the buses there.
Recently, a new ticket was introduced “Pena Circuit“, with an option of buying a one-way (€4.55) or round-trip (€8.40) ticket. The round-trip ticket covers the trip from the train station to Pena Palace and back through the center of town. If you decide to use the bus just from the train station to Pena Palace, and walk to other attractions afterwards, you can buy the one-way ticket only. These are both great options, especially if you don’t want to spend the €13.50 for a ticket you won’t utilize.
Having said that, there have been many reports, that they are heavily promoting and pushing the All-day tickets and denying other options exist. Drivers claim, the hop on hop off ticket is your only choice, despite the bus company’s website stating otherwise. My advice is, be firm and let them know you are well aware of the other ticket options.
The 24 hour Hop on Hop off ticket sounds like a good idea, assuming you will be using the bus to get between all the attractions. In reality though, a lot of people use it to get to Pena Palace and then end up walking to Moorish Castle and the town center after that. Whether by choice, or because they get fed up waiting for the bus. In high season, by the time you finish with your first attraction and go to the bus stop, the lines are already extremely long and some buses come so full, they won’t even stop. You need to wait for the next bus, which might or might not have room.
Bus 435
Another option in Sintra is the Bus 435, which also goes from the train station to some lesser known attractions, ending its run back at the train station. These are the stops:
- Sintra train station
- National Palace
- Quinta da Regaleira
- Seteais Palace
- Monseratte Palace
- Sintra train station
Ticket options and prices are the same as for Bus 434.
Taxi/Uber/TukTuk
If you don’t want to deal with the crowded buses and all the hassle that comes with taking them, you can always opt for a taxi, Uber or a TukTuk service. It will definitely be a much more comfortable ride. And if you are traveling with a family or in a group, also cheaper than paying for the bus.
Lisbon to Sintra day trip – things to know before visiting Sintra
- Do not drive to Sintra! – Sintra’s roads are narrow, winding and navigating through them is difficult to say the least. Especially if you visit in high season. Not to mention finding a parking spot, which is nearly impossible.
- Get to Sintra early! – try to arrive before the first 434 bus leaves right before 9 am.
- Tourist bus 434 – this is the most popular way to get around Sintra and between all the major attractions. Geared specifically towards tourists, the bus does the loop with stops at all the major points of interest ( Sintra train station – Sintra Center – Castelo dos Mouros – Sintra Center – Sintra train station ).
- Make Pena Palace your first stop – this is the most popular out of all Sintra attractions, which means it gets really busy. To avoid the crowds, make Pena Palace your first stop of the day. You’ll get there right when it opens and you’ll be ahead of the biggest crowds. When done, you can hop on the 434 bus to go to the Moorish Castle or walk down. Walking seems to be easier, as by then the line for the bus will be long. Also, because of the one way circular loop the bus does, it will take you back to the train station first, before starting the loop again and heading to the Moorish Castle.
- Get a combined ticket – if you plan on visiting most of the attractions, it makes sense to get a combined ticket, versus buying tickets separately. You can save a little bit by combining tickets to 2 or more Sintra attractions, once you decide which ones interest you.
READ MORE: 3 days in Lisbon – best things to do on your first visit
Lisbon to Sintra day trip – Top things to do in Sintra, Portugal
Visit Pena Palace
If you’ve ever seen images of Sintra, chances are, those were of Palácio Nacional da Pena, the colorful Palace perched up on the hill. With its bright colors and fairy tale like appearance, Pena Palace definitely stands out among all the other Sintra attractions. Although there’s much more to see in town, Pena Palace is the reason a lot of people decide to take the Sintra day trip.
Built in the 19th century by Ferdinand II, the Palace served as a summer residence for the Royal family for years. It’s location up on the hill of Sintra Mountains was one of the things he liked, since it offered prime views of the town and all the surroundings. You can spot many different architectural style: from Islamic and Moorish influences, to traditional Portuguese accents like Azulejos.
The Palace has plenty of towers and terraces from which you can enjoy amazing views of the town and surroundings. It was especially magical to be up there and experience the fog slowly clearing, revealing the view of the town below.
When buying Pena Palace tickets, you have a choice of a €20 ticket which gives you access to Pena Palace and the Park or a €10 ticket to the Park alone. However, with The Park alone ticket, you can also access the outside of the Palace, which includes all the terraces. If you do not particularly care about seeing the State Rooms, you can save a bit of money by buying the ticket for the Pena Park only.
You can purchase your tickets from the ticket office at the entrance or an automated machine. If you’d like to skip the ticket line, you can always buy your ticket online in advance here. Tickets to Pena Palace have now (in 2024) a scheduled date and time, so you can only enter at the time you chose when booking. Don’t be late, as you will be denied entry if you miss your time slot.
Opening hours:
- Pena Palace – 9.30 am – 6.30 pm ( last admission 5.30 pm )
- Park – 9 am – 7 pm ( last admission 6 pm for the Park )
Stroll through Parque de Pena
Once you are done walking trough the Palace, take some time to stroll through the adjacent park. The park is huge and it’s very easy to get lost in there, figuratively and literally.
As I already mentioned, with the Park ticket you are also able to access the terraces of the Palace.
The Castle of the Moors
By the time I was ready to move on from Pena Palace to the Castle of the Moors, the line at the 434 bus stop was LONG, so I chose to walk.
The castle dates back to 8 and 9th century, when a huge part of Portugal was occupied by Moors. It faced quite turbulent times once Christians took over, until Ferdinand II, who was very fond of the castle, decided to restore it. It’s been said, that he enjoyed looking at the castle while staying in Pena Palace up on the hill. There isn’t much left of the castle today, as mostly walls and towers remain.
If you are looking for spectacular views of Sintra, look no further than the top of the Castle of the Moors. The steep steps along the wall are definitely worth the climb, because the views of the town below are amazing. Looking to the other side, you can see Pena Palace perched up on Sintra Mountain. Some say, on a very clear day, you are able to see Lisbon from one of the view points.
You can buy your ticket at the entrance or if you’d like to avoid waiting in line, book it ahead of time. You can get your Castle of the Moors Fast Track Ticket here.
Opening hours: 9.30 am – 6 pm (last admission at 5.30 pm)
Entrance fee: €12
The town of Sintra
Once you’re done exploring the Castle of the Moors, hop on the 434 bus once again to head to Sintra’s town center. The center is just like the rest of the town, very charming and picturesque. It’s where you’ll find most of the restaurants, cafes and stores. After strolling through the cobble stone streets, which doesn’t take much time, stop at one of the restaurants for lunch.
A place I can definitely recommend for lunch is a little restaurant Tulhas, right off of one of the main cobble stone streets. It’s not big and can get quite busy, especially in high season, but I was able to score one of the outside tables. If you like seafood, you’ll be pleased, as there is plenty of it on the menu. After a delicious lunch of grilled sardines, I was offered a free sample of Ginjinha.
If you’ve never heard of Ginjinha, it’s a liquor made by infusing ginja berries in alcohol. It might not be as world famous as Port wine from Porto, but it is one of the most traditional Portuguese alcohols. It’s mostly popular in Lisbon and surrounding areas. In Lisbon especially, there are plenty of Ginjinha bars, one of the most popular being near Rossio Train station. Plenty of stores sell it too, if you want to take a bottle home.
Visit Palacio Nacional de Sintra
The National Palace of Sintra might not have the most impressive exterior, especially compared with the eye catching Pena Palace, but it’s well worth a visit. The beautiful interior definitely compensates for the rather simple look on the outside.
The Palace holds the title of the most lived in royal residence, as it’s been used by Portuguese nobility from the 15th through the end of 19th century.
Opening hours: 9:30 am – 6.30 pm (last admission at 6 pm)
Entrance fee: €13
Visit Quinta da Regaleira
Quinta da Regaleira is a fairy like estate, considered by many to be the most beautiful sight in Sintra. It has a Palace with stunning exterior, beautiful grounds and gardens, tunnels and many hidden pathways.
One of the biggest attractions there is the Initiation Well. It’s an 88-foot deep well, supposedly built not to collect water, but for ceremonial purposes. When you visit, you can walk down the moss-covered spiral staircase all the way to a hidden tunnel. This is the most popular spot around the Quinta da Regaleira, so expect long lines. It’s best to go there first thing, as soon as you enter.
The admission ticket grants you access to the inside of the Palace as well, but it’s the exterior and the beautiful gardens, that are the highlight of the visit for many. This is a big site, so be sure to pick up the free map to help you navigate. You probably need a couple of hours to see it all.
While Quinta da Regaleira is one of the stops on 434 bus, it’s also a short walk away from the historic center of Sintra. I personally recommend taking the 15 minute or so walk and not bother with the bus.
Opening hours: January-April and October-December from 10 am-6pm (last entrance at 5.30 pm) and in high season from May-September from 10 am-7pm (last entrance at 5.30 pm)
Entrance fee: €12
Go from Sintra to Cabo da Roca
If you would like to combine your Lisbon to Sintra day trip with a visit to Cabo da Roca, this is pretty easy to do. A local bus 1253 (recent replacement for the 403 bus) does a circular route through Sintra with a stop at Cabo da Roca (directly in front of it). One way ticket costs €2,60 – paid directly to the driver.
If you are interested in doing this little side trip, check out Sintra to Cabo da Roca – how to visit on your own for more information.
Keep in mind though, if you would like to include Cabo da Roca in your day trip from Lisbon, you’ll have to give up one or two of the Sintra attractions (depending on your sightseeing pace). There’s simply not enough time in the day to do it all, even if you get to Sintra by 9 am. In my case, I had to skip Quinta de Regaleira, which gives me a reason to come back to Sintra.
Sintra day tours from Lisbon
Visiting Sintra on your own on a day trip from Lisbon is very easy and cheap. But if you are one of the people who don’t want to deal with trains, buses and all the logistics that go along with it, there are plenty of Sintra guided tours you can take from Lisbon. This Sintra, Cabo da Roca and Cascais Full-Day Tour is highly rated and one of the top picks.
If you enjoyed this article, you can download it via the GPSmyCity app – it will give you access to the guide, you will be able to use, even if you’re offline. Download it here.
READ NEXT:
- 3 days in Lisbon – best things to do on your first visit
- Sintra to Cabo da Roca – how to visit on your own
- 10 days in Portugal – the perfect itinerary by train
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