How to do one day in Sintra, Portugal

No trip to Lisbon would be complete without visiting Sintra. This village sits just about a 45-minute train ride from the center of Lisbon. It’s full of history and castles. However a trip out to Sintra can be a tad intimidating. There’s so much to see and it can be hard to do it all in one day. But fear not! Here I have your guide on how to do one day in Sintra, Portugal.

How to get there

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Likely if you’re visiting the city of Lisbon, you don’t have a car. However the area is very well-connected with trains. Furthermore, the trains are incredibly cheap in Portugal.

You can catch a train right from the center of the city. This train station is actually where Destination Hostel is located. On my first trip ever to Lisbon, I stayed there.

There are these little kiosks where you buy your train tickets. There are people working who are super friendly, speak English and ready to help you. All I said was that I was going to Sintra and they showed me how to purchase a roundtrip ticket. Like always, I’m always so impressed with how nice Portuguese people are. A roundtrip ticket was 4,40 euros. Really not bad. I had already purchased a card to ride the metro which was 50 cents. You can just keep adding fare to that card. For more detailed instructions on how to get there, read this.

Once in Sintra

Once in Sintra, the next task is getting around. There are lots of things to see. However they are spread apart and walking would take a lot of time. Fortunately, they have a bus that connects all of the major castles. I would recommend getting there early as there will be lines. I arrived around noon and had to wait to get on the bus.

Bus 434 is the bus you want. You can buy your ticket from the office or in line. My ticket cost 6,90 euros and was valid for the entire day. If you only have one day in Sintra, Portugal, this will be your best option. Parking is pretty limited up there.

Stop 1: Quinta da Regaleira

This is an amazing 5-floor residence. On my first trip to Lisbon, I visited this amazing place. I found both the house and the surrounding grounds to be breath-taking.

The house was originally built by a wealthy Portuguese businessman in 1904. It was turned into a public monument in 1998. It has sort of this gothic feel to it. I most enjoyed the gardens which are made up of lakes and grottos. The Quinta da Regaleira is simply amazing.

It costs 6 euros for an adult ticket. It’s open from 10 a.m. to 20:00 (8 p.m.) during the summer and 10 a.m. to 17:30 (5:30 p.m.) during the winter.

Stop 2: The castle of the Moors

The Castle of the Moors is basically this fortress with an amazing view. Be prepared to climb lots of steps! This castle dates way back to the 9th century when the African Moors were in the Iberian Peninsula. King Ferdinand II restored this castle in the 19th century. It has always remained in sort of a ruins state.

It as 8 euros for an adult ticket. In the summer season, it’s open from 9:30 a.m. until 20:00 (8 p.m.). During the winter season, it’s open from 10 a.m. until 18:00 (6 p.m.). It’s open 7 days a week.

My favorite thing was the views. I could see the Pena Palace in the distance, which was cool.

Stop 3: The Pena Palace

This might be my favorite palace in all of Sintra. If you have to choose between these three on your one day in Sintra, Portugal, I would choose the Pena Palace. It could be that I love colorful castles.

The architecture is a romanticism style. So lots of bold colors, which I love. The entrance cost is a tad higher than other monuments in Sintra, so be prepared. It costs 14 euros to visit the castle and the grounds. However if you want to just explore the park and plaza terraces (meaning you don’t really go inside the castle), you can purchase a ticket for 7,50 euros. The palace opens at 9:30 a.m. in the summer and 10 a.m. in the winter. Since it’s one of the most popular ones to see in Sintra, it will likely be crowded during the middle of the day.

The gardens around the palace were also beautiful. There are a lot of them, so be prepared to walk!