Lisbon to Sintra: train or day trip?
Updated
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Take the train if you want to see one or two places at your own pace: it leaves from Rossio station and takes about 40 minutes. Book a guided day trip if you want to see Pena Palace, the old town and the coast at Cascais in a single day, because doing all three by public transport does not fit.
Compare your options
| Option | Usual length | Best for | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small-group day trip to Sintra | 8 to 9 hours | Seeing the highlights without planning transport | Check prices on GetYourGuide |
| Sintra and Cascais in one day | 8 to 9 hours | Adding the coast and Cabo da Roca | Check prices on Viator |
| Private tour with driver | Half or full day | Families and anyone who wants to set the pace | Check prices on GetYourGuide |
| Pena Palace timed ticket only | 2 to 3 hours on site | Going by train on your own | Check prices on GetYourGuide |
Going on your own by train
Trains to Sintra leave from Rossio station, in the centre of Lisbon, several times an hour. Sintra is the last stop, so you cannot miss it. The ride takes about 40 minutes and you pay with the same reloadable card you use on the metro.
From Sintra station it is a 10 to 15 minute walk to the old town. The palaces are another matter: Pena and the Moorish Castle sit at the top of a steep, forested hill. Take tourist bus 434, which runs a loop from the station, or a taxi or tuk-tuk. Walking up is possible, but it takes close to an hour and uses up your legs before you arrive.
Do not drive. The roads up the hill are narrow, access to the historic centre is restricted, and parking is close to impossible in high season.
How Pena Palace tickets work
This catches a lot of people out:
- Tickets for the palace interior are sold for a fixed time slot, and popular slots sell out. Buy before you go.
- The time on your ticket is for the palace door, not the park gate. From the gate it is an uphill walk of 15 to 30 minutes, or a short shuttle ride. Arrive at the gate at least half an hour before your slot.
- A cheaper park-only ticket lets you see the terraces and the outside of the palace, which is the famous part. If slots for the interior are sold out, this is a perfectly good plan B.
What to see, in order of priority
- Pena Palace: the red and yellow palace on the hilltop. Go first thing in the morning.
- Quinta da Regaleira: gardens, tunnels and the spiral Initiation Well. A 10 to 15 minute walk from the old town, so no bus needed.
- Moorish Castle: ruined walls with the best views, a short walk from Pena.
- Sintra National Palace: the one with the two white chimneys, right in town.
- Monserrate: further out, far quieter, with beautiful gardens.
Two of these make a comfortable day. Three is a rush. Anyone promising you five has not queued for bus 434.
When a guided day trip is worth it
A tour earns its price when you want to combine Sintra with places that are awkward to reach from it: Cabo da Roca, the westernmost point of mainland Europe, the Guincho coast, and Cascais. A minibus links them in a day. Public transport does not, at least not comfortably.
Check what the tour includes. Many cover transport and a guide but not the Pena Palace ticket, and some only visit the park, not the interior.
Practical notes
- Sintra is cooler, damper and foggier than Lisbon, even in summer. Bring a layer.
- Weekends and July and August are the busiest. Midweek is much calmer.
- If you would rather see the coast only, trains to Cascais leave from Cais do Sodré and also take about 40 minutes.
Our 3-day itinerary keeps the third day for Sintra. For the monuments in the city itself, see Lisbon attraction tickets.
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