Sintra

Portugal's former royal families summer playground

City Overview

Sintra is a charming municipality just 14 miles outside of Lisbon known for its beautiful palaces and mansions, 19th-century gardens, and surrounding natural beauty. Visiting tourists can explore Sintra’s lavish monuments and unique ambiance in just one afternoon.

Once the home of Portugal’s wealthiest noble families, Sintra is still a very exclusive location, where real estate prices often reach millions of dollars.

The pastel-hued mountain-top city of Sintra is a popular attraction for any visitor to Lisbon.

Sintra is located to the north west of Lisbon, in a mountainous area that rises up from the verdant plain and Atlantic coast.

For over five centuries the Portuguese royal family and leading nobility used the Sintra area as their summer playground.

Much of Sintra is a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site due to the exquisite architecture and its unprecedented preservation.

Getting to Sintra

It takes around half an hour to make the journey from Lisbon to Sintra by car.

The majority travel to Sintra by public transport using the regular train and bus services) our exploration itinerary focuses primarily on the attractions that are offered in the heart of the historic city itself.

Lisbon's commuter railway network (CP Urban Services) provides direct services to Sintra Station. The journey to Lisbon takes 35–45 minutes.

Sightseeing

One of the best things about Sintra is that it’s filled with little secret locations. From enigmatic patterns on the walls to hidden gardens, it makes for an authentic explorer’s galore. But Sintra’s charm, unlike its many secrets, it’s impossible to miss.

Once you enter the historic part of town, you’ll feel like you’re traveling back in time to the 19th century. Every house is old and royal, every store and restaurant are nice and cosy.

Walking around Sintra is an experience in itself, but monuments such as the Pena Palace and the Park and Palace of Montserrat shouldn’t be missed and have something to offer to all kinds of tourists, from traveling families to couples looking for a romantic experience.

The Pena Palace is arguably Sintra’s most famous landmark. You can choose between paying for a ticket and exploring the site with your friends\family or joining a tourist’s tour to get to know more about the palace’s history. Either way, you’re in for a fun afternoon!

Explore the Pena Palace’s garden as it is filled with both native and exotic vegetation and features many artificial lakes and fountains.

Quinta da Regaleira translates to something like “the farm of the satisfaction”. Quinta da Regaleira is a stunning Romantic-period palace and chapel that sits right next to Sintra’s town centre.

While the history of the Quinta da Regaleira is fascinating, we found it particularly satisfying to roam freely through its many gardens, religious sites, and secret tunnels. From bizarre statues inspired by myths of Ancient Greece to austere Catholic chapels, the Quinta da Regaleira has a lot to offer to its visitors.

Local Desert

You should stop at a typical bakery of café in Sintra to try Sintra’s best-known delicacies: the “travesseiro de Sintra” and the “queijada de Sintra.”

Other

Currency - Euro (EUR)

Language - Portuguese

Visas - Not needed for travellers from the US, Canada and Europe

Best Time To Visit - March – October

Timezone - Western European Standard Time (GMT)

Homosexual Activity - Legal