One of the most beautiful experiences of our trip was the day trip to Sintra, Portugal. The train ride from Lisbon’s central Rossio Station is easy, convenient, and relatively short. In just around 40 minutes, you find yourself in a completely different setting, greener, cooler, and almost fairy-tale-like.
Good to know: A round-trip train ticket costs around €5, and trains depart from Lisbon approximately every hour.
What’s Worth Seeing in Sintra
If you’re planning to visit Sintra, it’s best to start early in the morning, as the area gets very crowded, especially around the most famous attractions.
The most iconic landmark is the Pena Palace, a colorful palace built on top of a hill that looks like it came straight out of a movie. Unfortunately, we didn’t manage to visit it because of landslides, but even from afar, you immediately understand why it’s considered Sintra’s most famous landmark.
One of the places truly worth visiting is Quinta da Regaleira, with its stunning gardens, hidden tunnels, and the famous Initiation Well, which feels like something from a fantasy film. This is not a place you simply walk through, you explore it. We arrived without many expectations and ended up completely lost among the gardens, secret passages, and underground routes. The famous well is even more impressive in person, and overall the entire experience feels incredibly unique.
If you’re looking for something a bit wilder, Castle of the Moors offers breathtaking views and a more authentic experience surrounded by nature. Walking along the ancient walls with panoramic views all around is unforgettable. If you enjoy hiking and don’t mind uphill walks, this is definitely one of the spots worth experiencing.
The historic center around the Sintra National Palace is one of those places that doesn’t require a plan. We wandered around without a destination, explored the small shops, stopped for coffee breaks, and simply embraced the rhythm of the town. If you have extra time, it’s worth staying there a little longer before heading to the more famous attractions.
If we visited Sintra again, we would definitely add Monserrate Palace to our itinerary, which we unfortunately didn’t have time to see. Compared to the other attractions, it seems much quieter and combines beautiful architecture with gardens that are truly worth exploring.
Good to know: Distances and uphill walks in Sintra can be challenging, so it’s difficult to explore everything on foot. There are buses connecting the main attractions, and you’ll also find many tuk-tuks around the area. Tuk-tuk prices are relatively high, but the advantage is the flexibility. You can create your own schedule and move around at your own pace. We decided to hire a tuk-tuk for seven hours so we could explore comfortable, without rushing. You’ll find plenty of tuk-tuks gathered outside the train station. If we visited again, we would probably choose no more than two attractions and enjoy them properly without feeling rushed. Sintra isn’t really a place you visit just to “check off” landmarks, it’s a place where you allow yourself to get lost in the atmosphere and nature.
Where to eat in Sintra
As soon as we arrived in Sintra, we left the train station behind, walked along the main road, and came across a traditional bakery and pastry shop whose interior felt like a cozy home in a Greek village. We had coffee and tried almost everything, with the chicken Quiche Lorraine standing out the most.
After finishing our exploration around Sintra, we ended up at a traditional local tavern known mostly by locals, where we tasted incredibly delicious meat dishes at prices much better than in Greece. The tavern is called Tasca d’ Ana. Honestly, if you go, you’ll remember this recommendation for ever!
If you ever find yourself in Lisbon, don’t think twice. Take the train to Sintra, leave behind the fast pace of the city, and give yourself the time to wander. Because that’s exactly how you discover the true magic of Sintra.
You can see more from our trip to Sintra, Portugal, in our Instagram highlight stories #Sintra.
