Sintra is probably the most famous day trip from Lisbon. During our 10-day stay in Lisbon, I visited three times. One visit was on my own while Ben was busy at his conference, and the other two were together.

There is plenty to see and do in Sintra, and some people choose to stay overnight. Luckily for us, our accommodation was close to Sete Rios Station, where there is a direct train to Sintra that takes only around 35 minutes which is very convenient.

 

Pena Palace – Sintra’s Fairy Tale Icon

 
Pena Palace is probably the most iconic place in Sintra. Set high on a hill, it is famous for its bold colours, dramatic appearance, unique architecture, and beautiful views.

I visited Pena Palace on my own. Thankfully, Ben has been here before and reminded me to book tickets early as it is extremely popular.

One downside of travelling solo is that no one takes photos for me. But I unexpectedly discovered Royal Drone, which offers short cinematic videos around the palace grounds. They were only there from 28 March to 10 April, and for €25, I got a fun little video souvenir. I was so happy and it became one of the highlights of my trip! ☺️

I booked about a week ahead and many time slots were already sold out. I bought the “Feel Sintra: Royal Palace” ticket (€42), which included entrance to Pena Palace, National Palace of Sintra, and the hop-on hop-off bus.

When booking, you need to choose an entry time for Pena Palace. I managed to get 10:30am, although ideally I would have preferred 9:30am, the earliest slot. From my research, earlier is better as it gets very crowded later in the day.

I carefully planned my timing… and still panicked.

Online research suggested it would take around 20 minutes from Sintra Station to Pena Palace, but the bus took almost 50 minutes due to the traffic. I arrived around 10:10am, and with a recommended 30-minute walk from the bus stop to the entrance, I genuinely thought I would miss my 10:30am entry. The entry timing was strict, but thankfully I made it.

By the afternoon when I left the palace, the crowds and queues were intense.

 

Cape Roca – At the Edge of Europe

On another visit, Ben and I headed to Cape Roca (Cabo da Roca), the westernmost point of mainland Europe. It is famous for its dramatic cliffs, crashing waves, and endless Atlantic views.

From Sintra Station, we took the bus to Cape Roca with plans to hike down towards Ursa Beach, one of Portugal’s most beautiful beaches. The hike was supposed to be about 4km return, but we didn’t actually make it all the way down.

The descent quickly became much steeper than we expected, with rocky sections, loose ground, and moments that felt genuinely scary. After debating whether to continue, we decided to turn back.

To reward ourselves, we had a piña colada served inside a pineapple. It was my first time trying one, and I chose the alcoholic version. I liked it 😋

 

Quinta da Regaleira – A Mysterious Place

Quinta da Regaleira is another popular attraction in Sintra, but it feels more mysterious, with gardens, tunnels, and unusual architecture to explore. From our online research, many people are surprised by it compared to the more famous Pena Palace.

Just like Pena Palace, entry requires a booked timeslot in advance. We booked 1pm, but our breakfast ran longer than planned, which led to another round of “are we going to be late?” travel stress. Luckily, we made it on time.

Then, we walked around at a relaxed pace. The most famous part is the Initiation Well, a deep spiral staircase that goes underground. It looks like a well, but it was never used for water. Walking down it felt quite unique and a little surreal – like entering another world.

 

Historic Centre of Sintra

I visited the Historic Centre of Sintra twice. It is just a short trip from Sintra Station and also one of the stops on the hop-on hop-off bus. The area is lively, with plenty of restaurants, cafés, and shops to explore.

Sintra is famous for its pastries, especially Travesseiros (also known as Pillows of Sintra) and Queijadas de Sintra. Of course, we had to try both. To be honest, we were not big fans – maybe they were a little too sweet for us.

One thing worth mentioning is that the historic centre is close to the National Palace of Sintra. The entrance was included in my ticket on my first visit, so I thought, why not? Compared to the other palaces, this one felt much quieter and less crowded, which made for a very different experience.

 

To be honest, I didn’t love the rush and traffic in Sintra. We visited during the off-peak season, and I can’t imagine how busy it gets during peak season. I also realised that, for me, the palaces looked more impressive from the outside.

That said, visiting Sintra was still a unique experience, especially Pena Palace, which is definitely a must-visit. It really does look like something out of a fairy tale, and discovering the Royal Drone video experience was such an unexpected surprise. I would have regretted not doing at least a day trip to Sintra from Lisbon.

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