How to plan a perfect Lisbon to Sintra day trip

Amongst the forested hillsides not far from Lisbon is the town of Sintra and its beautiful and colourful monuments including palaces and castles. With its fairytale-like landscapes and fascinating historic sites, it’s no surprise that a Lisbon to Sintra day trip has become a popular thing to do for those visiting Lisbon.

Just 45 minutes away from Lisbon by train, Sintra is one of the best things to do near the capital city of Portugal and is well worth visiting during your trip to Lisbon.

But, many people (myself included) struggle to know how to spend a day in Sintra when there are just so many different things to see.

After spending a day in Sintra myself, I’ve not only put together some top tips on visiting Sintra, a guide on how to get to Sintra from Lisbon but also this guide below which includes everything you need to know for how to plan the ultimate day trip to Sintra from Lisbon.

Whether you’re wondering how to get around Sintra, which places in Sintra are a must-see, or just how to get there, you’ll find all this information below.

Visiting Sintra promises to be an unforgettable day trip and perhaps one of the highlights on your Lisbon itinerary. Read on to find out how to plan the perfect Sintra day trip!

How to get to Sintra from Lisbon

Lisbon to Sintra by train

Getting the train from Lisbon to Sintra is my recommended way of travelling between the two places on a day trip to Sintra.

It’s easy, cheap and pretty reliable.

The only real downside is that the trains get busy, so if you’re not one of the first ones you’ll likely have to stand the whole way.

Top tip: I highly recommend getting a Viva Viagem card for your trip to Lisbon. These cost €0.50 and can be topped up and reloaded during your trip. You then simply use this as your ticket on buses, trains, trams and the Lisbon ferries. It’s a really good idea to get this in advance of going to Sintra. Otherwise, you’ll have to wait in long ticket lines at the station and could end up missing your train!

You can get the train from Lisbon to Sintra from two train stations: Lisbon’s Rossio train station and Lisbon Oriente station.

Rossio station is the most popular one when travelling to Sintra since it has a more central Lisbon location.

The Lisbon to Sintra train costs €2.30 each way for adults and runs roughly every 20 minutes during peak times. You’ll get from Lisbon to Sintra in about 45 minutes.

You can check the Lisbon to Sintra train schedule here:

• Lisbon Rossio train station to Sintra train station timetable
• Lisbon Oriente to Sintra train schedule

I have a bigger guide with more information on how to get to Sintra from Lisbon here.

Buses to Sintra

The Lisbon to Sintra bus is another option and you can take the Scotturb buses.

The buses usually depart from the Sete Rios bus station (Terminal Rodoviário de Sete Rios) in the northwest of Lisbon. But depending on where you’re staying there may be other bus connections you can get.

The bus from Lisbon to Sintra typically takes around 45 minutes to 1 hour, depending on traffic conditions and is usually only a couple of euros.

You can use your VivaViagem card to pay for the bus or pay in cash for the correct amount.

The buses run throughout the day pretty regularly but I personally think it’s much easier to get the train to Sintra from Lisbon.

Taxis to Sintra

If you’re wondering “Can you uber from Lisbon to Sintra?” the answer is yes.

A taxi from Lisbon to Sintra is another way to plan your Sintra day trip however it will be one of the most expensive ways to get to Sintra from Lisbon.

Taxis are readily available throughout Lisbon, with stands at major transportation hubs and you can flag one down on the street. Alternatively, you can use Uber too.

The cost of a taxi from Lisbon to Sintra will depend on factors like the exact distance, the time of day, and additional charges such as luggage or tolls.

The journey duration from Lisbon to Sintra by taxi typically takes around 30 to 45 minutes, although it may take longer if there is traffic.

Driving to Sintra from Lisbon

Alternatively, you can also drive to Sintra from Lisbon but this isn’t really the best option in my opinion unless you have limited mobility which makes other methods much harder.

Driving from Lisbon to Sintra can be done in about 30 minutes via Highway A37. And the Lisbon to Sintra distance is around 30 km depending on where exactly you’re departing and going to.

I use comparison sites like DiscoverCars and RentalCars to book my car rentals as it’s easy to check prices and compare the best deals!

However, the old town of Sintra, and the roads and parking spaces to get to and between the attractions in Sintra, are really not great for driving for most people.

The roads around Sintra get very busy with all the buses, Tuk-Tuks and other cars going around its one-way system with narrow roads and not much room for overtakes.

Plus, there’s limited parking and so driving between the places to see in Sintra is just going to end up being more hassle than it’s worth.

Getting around during your Sintra day trip

Sintra National Park is a big park and you can easily rack up the miles walking between places. You’ll also have to walk up and down hills as well as walking around each of the attractions in Sintra so, for most people, walking between places is perhaps not the best idea.

Instead, there are several other ways to get around Sintra which are great if you don’t fancy all the extra steps, or have a group with kids or older people.

Sintra by e-bike

I decided to book us e-bikes for getting around Sintra and I highly recommend it.

We picked up e-bikes first thing after arriving in Sintra and then were able to whizz about Sintra with little effort up the hills.

We didn’t get stuck in the traffic that the buses, taxis and tuk-tuks were stuck in, and the e-bikes were actually faster uphill than the tuk-tuks!

We also didn’t need to hang around and wait for buses which was great and made our trip to Sintra super efficient.

In addition to checking out some of the top attractions in Sintra, we were also able to e-bike out to the coast and check out Cabo doa Rocha and some of the quieter villages and trails around the National Pak.

I couldn’t recommend getting an e-bike to explore Sintra more!

Book your e-bike for Sintra here.

Sintra tourist bus

The Sintra tourist bus, the 434 runs on a loop between the main things to see and places to visit in Sintra and the town centre.

It’s the cheapest way to get around Sintra but the buses can get extremely busy and you could end up waiting in line for over an hours during peak times and months when visiting Sintra.

The tourist bus in Sintra also doesn’t go to all the attractions such as the Monserrate Palace. For that, you’ll need to take the 435 bus.

Therefore, I don’t really recommend this as a way to get around Sintra.

A bus ticket for the day costs €11.50 and is valid for 24 hours.

Taxis and tuk-tuks in Sintra

Taxis and tuk-tuks are available everywhere in Sintra. Just be sure to negotiate a good price BEFORE you ride, and don’t get ripped off by tourist scams.

You shouldn’t be paying more than €15-20 for the journey (max) and I wouldn’t recommend using Uber. Most Uber drivers don’t like going into Sintra since there is bad traffic. Those that do will be able to charge a higher price due to surge fees so it’ll end up being expensive.

There are also lots of tuk-tuks going around Sintra and they can be a good alternative for getting around. You’ll be able to pick them up in the town centre, the train station and outside the main attractions in Sintra.

The price is usually per person and you can expect to pay €10 per person. There are mixed reviews about using tuk-tuks for getting around Sintra.

Top tips for visiting Sintra in a day

Below are my top tips for visiting Sintra, for more tips on visiting Sintra, check out my longer blog post.

• Get there early
• Don’t drive to Sintra get the train and rent an e-bike
• Buy your tickets in advance to skip the lines
• Plan in advance (like by reading this post!)
• Wear comfortable shoes
• Pack your own water, lunch and/or snacks

Best things to see in Sintra in one day itinerary

Sintra’s Pena Palace is at the top of the hill and is one of the most popular, if not the most popular, places to visit in Sintra. Many people will start their day here early in the morning which is why I recommend you don’t.

Mix it up a bit and make your way up the hill for the end of the day when most people have already visited the palace and are thinking about heading home.

This way you can enjoy wandering around the palace and its beautiful gardens with far fewer crowds which makes for a much less stressful and far more enjoyable experience.

Quinta da Regaleira

Quinta da Regaleira is the closest attraction to Sintra Old Town and is fairly easy to get to on foot (and even easier by e-bike in Sintra).

Although you might not have heard of ‘Quinta da Regaleira’, you’ve probably come across photos of the Initiation Well (Poço Iniciático) which is part of this site.

Dating back to the early 1900s, the villa/palace was designed by Italian architect Luigi Manini and was commissioned by a Brazilian millionaire.

The building is absolutely beautiful in a neo-Gothic and Romantic revivalist style which was heavily influenced by the architect’s fascination with mythical beliefs and secretive religious orders like the Knights Templar and Freemasons.

When you know that history you’ll understand why the estate is full of hidden passages, secret caves, and intriguing nooks and crannies. The whole place has an air of mystery and enchantment.

Quinta da Regaleira is part of Sintra’s UNESCO World Heritage Site. There’s so much more to it than the well which takes you underground. You’ll also find a beautiful palace, a chapel and gorgeous gardens which is where you’ll find the Initiation Well.

Enjoy walking around the park and taking in the beautiful gardens and then head down to the Initiation Well which you might have to queue for if you’re visiting Sintra during spring and summer months (the park’s busiest).

The Initiation Well has a spiral staircase that takes you into an underground grotto and leads to various parts of the garden.

Get your tickets for Quinta da Regaleira in advance to avoid the lines.

• Opening hours: Daily, 10 am – 5.30 pm
• Tickets: Get skip the line tickets here

Castelo dos Mouros

If you’re on an e-bike I recommend you continue along the road and make your way out to Cabo da Roca through the backroads near Colares and out to Cabo da Roca before winding your way back via Moinho Dom Quixote restaurant for lunch or drinks and then cycling back through Sintra National Park to Pena Palace and then onto Castelo dos Mouros before visiting the old town of Sintra and returning your bikes.

However, service here is super slow, so if you want to fit in all three Sintra attractions, I recommend grabbing food at one of the restaurants in Azóia, or bringing your own lunch with you.

If you’re on foot then head to Castelo dos Mouros next which is about an 18-minute walk away. If you’re in a taxi or getting tuk-tuks it’s about a 20-minute drive which is longer than you’d think due to the one-way traffic system that is in place.

The Castle of the Moors is an underrated gem that deserves far more recognition and one of many people’s highlights of a trip to Sintra even though a lot of people skip it.

The Moorish Castle sits on top of a hill and was constructed by the Moors during the 8th and 9th Centuries when they ruled the Iberian Peninsula. In the 19th century, King Ferdinand restored the castle to its former glory and though it’s only really the walls remaining, it’s still super interesting to see.

There are a few entrance points to the Castle of the Moors and whichever one you take will include a nice walk through a forested area up to the start of the castle walls. The final climb up to the castle walls is a little bit steep but there are some interesting information boards about some of the buildings of the castle.

There’s also a small museum which you can enter to learn more about the castle before you get to the entrance gates.

Once you enter the castle, you can climb up onto the walls and walk around for various viewpoints.

You can get a view of the surrounding countryside, the ocean, down onto the National Palace of Sintra and out towards the Pena Palace too!

While it may not be as famous as some of the other castles in Sintra, it is, in my opinion, an absolute must-see.

A visit to Castelo dos Mouros typically takes just an hour or so. It’s conveniently located within a short walk from Pena Palace at the hill’s summit, your next stop, making it an easily accessible addition to your day in Sintra.

• Opening hours: Daily, 9.30 am – 6.30 pm
• Tickets: We got our skip the line tickets from here

If you didn’t bike out to the coast and then grab lunch, head down into the old town of Sintra and get some lunch at one of the restaurants.

Or, if you followed one of my top tips for visiting Sintra, enjoy your lunch in the park before carrying on, up the hill, to the Pena Palace.

Pena Palace Sintra

With its vibrant yellow and red exterior, Sintra’s Pena Palace is not just an iconic attraction in Sintra but also one of Portugal’s most renowned landmarks. I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve visited a website or seen a poster talking about Portugal and it’s got a picture of Sintra on it.

The Pena Palace is known for its beautiful Romanticist architecture and overlooks the town of Sintra.

During the 19th century, it was one of the main residences of the Portuguese royal family and became part of the Sintra UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995.

As you come up to Pena Palace from the park gates, you might see a big queue, this queue is usually for those waiting to get inside the palace which I personally think can be skipped.

Tickets for just Pena Park (palace exterior)

In my view, the outside is more impressive and there’s only so much walking around an old palace filled with expensive stuff that I can handle. I’d recently got my fix in Glasgow and Edinburgh, so we skipped this.

Having said that, I know some people LOVE that, so if you want to go inside the palace, then make sure you book a ticket that includes that too. The interior of the palace has mostly been left exactly the way it was when the royals left in 1910. You’ll find beautiful art and furnishings.

Tickets to Pena Palace inside + outside

If you choose to walk around the exterior of the palace, you’ll also get access to the courtyards, views and gardens and it’s well worth it rather than standing in line to get inside. I recommend heading up to Cruz Alta which is the highest point on the castle grounds and has a great view!

You’ll also be able to get up to the palace’s exterior and see the bright yellow and red that’s made the castle so photogenic. There’s a trail you can follow that goes around the exterior of the palace and I highly recommend walking it.

Though this is the last stop on my Sintra day trip itinerary, and it’ll likely be a little less busy towards the end of the day than if you’d gone in the morning, I still recommend booking your tickets in advance online just in case there’s a queue.

• Opening hours: Daily, 9 am – 6 pm
• Tickets: Skip the line tickets here inside + outside the palace | Tickets for just Pena Park grounds

Best guided tours for 1 day in Sintra

Another option where all the planning for your entire day trip to Sintra is done for you, is to take a guided tour from Lisbon to Sintra.

These are great if you don’t want to worry about timetables, queues and figuring out what to do in Sintra or where you need to be and when.

They’re also great for solo travellers who want to meet new people while travelling in Lisbon and Sintra.

Alternatively, you can book a private tour where it’s just your group, or you can combine a day trip to Sintra with a day trip to Cascais from Lisbon too. That last option is a great way to fit in as much as you can while visiting Lisbon if you’re only in Lisbon for 2 days.

Below are a few of the tours I recommend depending on exactly what you’re looking for when you visit Sintra.

• Sintra, Cascais and Cabo da Roca day tour: Embark on a full-day trip from Lisbon to discover the beauty of Sintra, including the romantic Pena Palace and the picturesque coastlines of Cabo da Roca and Cascais. Immerse yourself in the captivating history and breathtaking scenery of this remarkable region. Rated 4.8/5
• From Lisbon: Sintra, Cabo da Roca and Cascais Full-Day Tour: Discover medieval Sintra, a UNESCO World Heritage site, with a guide. Visit Pena Palace, and admire the views at Cabo da Rocha, and the pools at Azenhas do Mar via minivan pickup and drop-off. Rated 4.8/5
• From Lisbon Sintra, Regaleira, Pena Garden, and Cascais Tour: Immerse yourself in the captivating beauty of Sintra, exploring its narrow streets and iconic landmarks like Quinta da Regaleira and Pena Park, before venturing to Cabo da Roca and the charming coastal town of Cascais, on a highly recommended and popular full-day tour from Lisbon. Rated 4.7/5
• From Lisbon: Quinta da Regaleira, Sintra, & Pena Palace Trip: Depart from Lisbon on a mesmerising guided day tour to Quinta da Regaleira and the historic Pena Palace in Sintra. End your trip by relaxing in the picturesque fishing village of Cascais. Rated 4.4/5

Have more time in Sintra?

My suggested itinerary for one day in Sintra covers the main highlights and things to see, including Cabo da Roca if you’ve hired an e-bike.

However, if you have some spare time, the below attractions are well worth checking out. They’re easy enough to cycle to or you can get a taxi there. But, if you’re using the bus, you’ll need to catch the 435 bus as the regular Sintra tourist bus doesn’t go to the Monserrate Palace.

Palácio Nacional de Sintra / Sintra National Palace

In Old Town Sintra’s main square is the National Palace of Sintra which is another of the places to see in Sintra.

If you’re feeling tired or ready to end the day then you can skip this one, but if you’ve still got some energy to burn, it’s worth a visit to learn more about Sintra’s history.

The site which is now home to the National Palace was once home to a Moorish castle, similar to the nearby Castelo dos Mouros.

This castle was destroyed ad then later reconstructed by Christian Kings during the 15th and 16th Centuries and you can now see two distinctive cone-shaped chimneys.

The palace was a residence for various Portuguese nobility for around 500 years and these days it’s one of the best preserved royal residences.

You can visit the inside of the palace where each room is styled in a way to reflect the specific king who lived there. You can also learn more about the azulejo tiles that Portugal has become famous for as well as the history of Portugal on a wider scale.

• Opening hours: Daily, 9.30 am – 6.30 pm
• Tickets: Skip the line tickets here

Palácio de Monserrate (Monserrate Palace)

The Monserrate Palace in the Cascais-Sintra National Park is another beautiful place to visit on a Sintra day trip.

This palace was originally built in 1790 by an English merchant and the building combines Indian, Moorish, and Gothic influences complete with a dome inspired by the Duomo in Florence.

Originally constructed in 1790 by an English merchant, this majestic palace exemplifies European eclecticism at its finest. Its design showcases a captivating fusion of Indian, Moorish, and Gothic influences, crowned with a dome inspired by the Duomo in Florence.

There are also beautiful botanical gardens where you’ll find one of Portugal’s most extensive collections of exotic plants from around the world.

This palace is generally much quieter than the three attractions listed above in the main Sintra itinerary, so you might even choose to swap this in for one of them.

It’s not particularly easy to get here on foot, but if you’ve rented an e-bike or are using the buses (bus 435) or taxis to get around you can get here using them.

• Opening hours: Daily, 9 am – 7 pm
• Tickets: Tickets in advance here

Visit Sintra’s Old Town

Sintra’s old town is super cute and quite small making it an easy addition to a full day trip to Sintra.

There are narrow cobbled streets and colourful buildings and it’s a great place to pick up some souvenirs from your trip or enjoy some Pasteis de Nata before heading back on the train to Lisbon.

Final thoughts on Sintra 1 day itinerary

If you’re visiting Lisbon, the chances are you’re keen to head to Sintra and see the beautiful National Park, the palaces and the castles of Sintra.

Many people plan a Sintra day trip but it’s important to plan your itinerary carefully to make sure you can see everything you want to see and know the best ways of getting around in advance.

My top pick for getting around Sintra is to rent an e-bike that allows you flexibility, is cheaper than getting taxis all day, and allows you to go further than most day trippers to Sintra do.

Whether you decide to visit the Moorish Castle, Pena Palace or Quinta de Regaleira or all three, visiting Sintra is a super great day trip from Lisbon.

FAQs about how to plan a Lisbon to Sintra day trip

Last Updated on June 2, 2023 by Hannah