Perfect Sintra Day Trip From Lisbon: Itinerary + Tips

Veganderlust contains affiliate links and is a member of the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. If you make a purchase using one of these Amazon links, I may receive compensation at no extra cost to you. For more info, see the Disclosure Policy.

The Sintra day trip from Lisbon is the most popular day trip from Portugal’s capital. And for good reason, you can visit multiple palaces in one day and get an amazing view of the surrounding area.

As much as I enjoyed my day trip, there are quite a few things I wish I’d known before. So, I didn’t have this perfect day but I put everything I learned in this guide so you can have a perfect day trip.

Table of Contents

How to get from Lisbon to Sintra

There are numerous ways to get from Lisbon to Sintra. I recommend doing a Sintra day trip from Lisbon by train, it’s the most convenient, and arguably the best mode of transport for the day trip.

From the Rossio Station in Lisbon, trains depart for Sintra about every 20 minutes and the return ticket price is less than €5, making it an easy and cost-effective option.

Since the Lisbon to Sintra train runs so frequently, you can just show up at the Rossio train station and wait for the next train. Or you can check the Lisbon to Sintra train schedule online.

My tip is to load some money on your metro card. That way you can skip the queue at the train station’s ticket office. Just tap your metro card at the train checkpoint.

The journey itself is a breeze, it only takes around 40 minutes, and it offers you some time to relax and enjoy the scenic views of the Portuguese countryside before reaching Sintra.

A big crowd of people at the Sintra train station; the train is the best way of how to get to Sintra from Lisbon — A LOT of people take the train; picture from Sintra train station

Sintra day trip from Lisbon itinerary

This is the day trip Sintra from Lisbon itinerary I wish I had done during my one day trip to Sintra from Lisbon.

I recommend catching the tourist bus number 434 or a Tuk Tuk to the Pena National Palace which is on top of the hill. The bus stop is right in front of the train station and there are a lot of Tuk Tuks and taxis waiting right outside the station as well.

Everything afterwards, I recommend walking. If you start at Pena Palace everything afterwards is pretty much downhill. And walking is the best way to take in the scenery.

If you choose the 434 bus, make sure to ask for a one-way ticket. The drivers automatically sell day tickets but I don’t think it’s worth it. At the time of writing this article, the one-way ticket is 4.10€, and the day ticket 12.50€.

Tip: Make sure to buy all your entrance tickets online beforehand. Most attractions give a 5% online discount.

1. Stop: Pena Palace

A colourful castle you can see on a Sintra day trip from Lisbon — The colorful Pena Palace on top of a hill

The National Palace of Pena, or Pena Palace for short, is undeniably the most popular tourist destination in Sintra. It’s the reason most visitors come to the small town in the first place and it’s the first stop on our day trip to Sintra itinerary.

The Palácio Nacional da Pena, as it’s called in Portuguese, is known for its bold colors, fantastical architecture, and sweeping views of the region.

However, it’s important to note that its popularity can be a double-edged sword. In my personal experience, the huge crowds drawn to the palace can somewhat detract from the overall experience.

I didn’t enjoy the crowds pushing through the palace’s intricate interiors. It simply ruined the experience for me. So, if you only want to see Pena Palace, I actually don’t think visiting Sintra is worth it.

If you want to avoid being pushed through the palace in a big crowd, you can also just get a ticket for the park to see the outside of Pena Palace.

Luckily, there are some more amazing sights to come, which make Sintra worth visiting.

2. Stop: Moorish Castle

A castle wall and tower, on one side are bushes and stones, on the other side is a town in the distance, make sure to add it to your itinerary if you do one of the SIntra day tours from Lisbon — The walls of the Moorish Castle

From Pena Palace, it’s just a very short walk to the Castelo dos Mouros, or Castle of the Moors. This 8th-century fortress is perched high on a hilltop and it offers a panoramic view of the surrounding area.

The castle is supposed to be a remnant of the region’s Islamic past, but to be honest besides the name I didn’t recognise any Islamic elements. But the views from the castle walls are absolutely stunning and make it worth visiting.

In general, I think the name castle might be a bit misleading, there’s hardly anything left of the castle, it’s mainly castle walls. However, if you’ve ever wanted to walk on top of a castle wall on top of a steep hill and look down into the valley, the Moorish Castle is perfect for you.

3. Stop: Quinta da Regaleira

The outside of a gothic building, very detailed facade — The main building at Quinta da Regaleira

After visiting the Moorish Castle walk down to Quinta da Regaleira. This is a bit of a longer walk, it takes about 45 minutes, but it’s all downhill on a small road in the forest, so I thought it was quite a nice walk.

The Gothic façade of the palace is stunning, but it’s the magical gardens that are the highlight of any visit. They’re home to the famous Initiation Well, an inverted tower that descends into the earth, representing a journey to the underworld.

View down a well, there's a stairwell leading to the bottom — How cool is the inverted tower?

When I visited the inverted tower, I had to queue up for about 20 minutes to get inside. The queuing up was worth it though, you can walk down the spiral staircase and then you end up in an underground cave system with waterfalls.

As you wander through the ground you’ll find hidden tunnels, enchanting grottoes, and beautiful monuments. The garden is massive, you can easily spend hours in it.

4. Stop: Sintra city centre

Sintra National Palace, it looks more like a normal big building — The National Palace of Sintra was a bit underwhelming from the outside compared to the other main attractions

The last stop of the day is the historic town center of Sintra, which is a 13-minute walk from Quinta da Regaleira.

I’ll be honest with you, I’ve rarely seen such a crowded city center. Without the crowds, it would be a lovely old town with a blend of history, culture, gastronomy and little shops.

The main attraction in the town of Sintra itself is the Palácio Nacional de Sintra, the Sintra National Palace. The palace is recognisable by its distinctive twin chimneys. It holds a significant place in Portugal’s rich history and is one of the best-preserved medieval royal palaces in Portugal.

Additional stop: Monserrate Palace

A round palace with intricate details in an Arabic style — The arabesque Monserrate Palace

There’s one more stunning palace in the Parque Natural de Sintra-Cascais, the Monserrate Palace. But as beautiful as this Romanticist palace is, I don’t think there’s enough time to visit all the previously mentioned attractions and this palace.

Monserrate Palace and its beautiful gardens are the furthest away from Sintra town. It would be another 45-minute walk from Quinta da Regaleira. So, the best way to get there is by shuttle bus 435 or by Tuk Tuk. There are plenty of Tuk Tuks waiting in front of Quinta da Regaleira.

Monserrate Palace makes for a great additional stop on a one day Sintra itinerary, if you want to swap one of the other attractions for Monserrate Palace. Or maybe you just don’t need as much time as me exploring the places and you can visit all of them in one day.

Is a day trip from Lisbon to Sintra worth it

Almost every attraction in Sintra is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. There are so many unique sights in a relatively small area. That’s why the small town of Sintra gets millions of visitors each year and it’s one of the most popular day trips from Lisbon.

So yes, the crowds can be enormous, especially during the peak seasons, and this might negatively impact your experience.

But the architectural wonders like Pena Palace, and the Moorish Castle, not to mention the enchanting Quinta da Regaleira with its stunning gardens and hidden tunnels, more than make up for it.

Just the sheer beauty and the historical significance of these sites make Sintra a must-visit destination.

However, to truly enjoy it, you may want to plan your visit outside of peak tourist season. This way, you can avoid the heavy crowds and truly immerse yourself in the magic that is Sintra.

A thin stone tower with a spiral staircase on the outside — Discover hidden gems in the gardens of Quinta da Regaleira

Things I wish I had known before

You can use a toped up metro card for the train ride (safes you queuing up)
Do NOT get the hop-on/hop-off bus ticket. The bus looks like a public bus but they sell overpriced day tickets. You need to ask for a one-way ticket.
If you want to visit the inside of Peña Palace you need a timeslot ticket
Tickets are 5% cheaper if you buy them online (and it saves you queueing up)
You need a whole day to explore everything since all the attractions are so spread out
The bus goes a circle route. I walked to the city centre from the train station, got on the bus and the bus went back to the train station and then continued to all the attractions.
There is one vegan restaurant in Sintra near the train station, which is amazing but it doesn’t compare with the many vegan restaurants in Lisbon.

Advantages of taking a guided tour to Sintra

Do you need a guided tour to see Sintra? Absolutely not! It’s really easy to get the train from Lisbon to Sintra and then the bus to Pena Palace, from there you can do everything on foot.

The only reason for taking a tour, in my opinion, is if you want to combine your day trip to Sintra with a day trip to Cascais. You can see the best spots in Cascais like Cabo da Roca, the westernmost point of Europe.

So, you can make the most out of your day trip and visit as many places as possible. This is great if you’ve decided to answer the question of how many days you should stay in Lisbon with less than 4.

Top Pick

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Day Tour Sintra from Lisbon

✅ Flexible private tour

✅ Hotel pick-up and drop-off

✅ Professional tour guide

✅ Visit Sintra and Cascais in one day

Check Price

Final thoughts: Day trip to Sintra from Lisbon

A day trip from Lisbon to Sintra offers an unforgettable adventure into Portugal’s rich history and vibrant culture. You can visit multiple beautiful palaces in one day.

The best things for me were exploring the fairy tale gardens of Quinta da Regaleira and walking on the walls of the Moorish Castle.

However, I recommend avoiding a visit during the high season. The crowds can be overwhelming, detracting from the beauty of the experience.

Perfect Sintra Day Trip From Lisbon: Itinerary + Tips

How to get from Lisbon to Sintra