Do not go to Lisbon without seeing Sintra: a day trip guide
Castelo dos Mouros, Sintra, Portugal (ISO 3200, 16 mm, f/10, 1/2500 s)
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Sintra is located in the Portuguese Riviera and about an hour’s train ride away from Lisbon city center itself. If you have some extra time during your stay in Lisbon (blog post here), it is highly recommended you spend a day taking in the sights around Sintra. Here you can find ornate gardens, mountain views, intact castles, and lush forests. To get there, take the train from Rossio-Lisboa station on the Linha de Sintra line and get off at Sintra station (14 stops, about 40 minutes). There are usually trains every 30 minutes. You can find a Google map of the places I will discuss at the end of this post.
Given the elevation of many of these attractions, there are taxis and buses everywhere to take people up and down the mountain for a fee. Furthermore, the 434 Sintra bus offers service from the train station, town center, Castelo dos mouros, and Pena Palace. If you have the time and the fitness, this can be done entirely on foot (expect at least 10,000 steps!).
Upon arrival to Sintra station, head down Avenue Dr. Miguel Bombarda (southwest direction), there will be signs pointing you towards Sintra National Palace. Try to take some of the small alleyways off the beaten path to get there to get a good look at the architecture and stunning displays in this area. The Town Palace as it is called is a royal residence and currently a museum. The palace is representative of Gothic, Manueline, Moorish, and Mudéjar architectures and was damanged during the 1755 Lisbon earthquake, but restored to it’s original memory.
Quinta da Regaleira, Sintra, Portugal (ISO 1000, 35 mm, f/2.8, 1/1600 s)
Just down the way is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Quinta da Regaleira. Though it contains a palace, it is most known for its maze of lavish gardens, ponds, waterfalls, and grottos. Give yourself enough time to explore all of the footpaths throughout the gardens and admire the ornate structures that are dispersed everywhere. Make sure you don’t miss the Initiation Wells, one of which possesses a 27-meter long spiral staircase. The entire well possesses markings that are linked to Tarot mysticism.
Quinta da Regaleira, Sintra, Portugal (ISO 2000, 23 mm, f/11, 1/25 s)
Head back towards Sintra station, but look for signs towards Castelo dos Mouros (Castle of the Moors), a 10th century castle built by the Moors. The view from the inner walls is stunning where you can see all of Sinta, and even the distant cities of Mafra and Ericeira. The castle itself is in excellent condition, as it has been rebuilt a few times following conquests and the 1755 earthquake of Lisbon (once again). The perimeter of the castle measures half a kilometer and is 412 meters above sea level. Make sure you walk the entire wall to get 360 degree views of the entire area.
Perhaps the most known attraction in this area is the National Palace of Pena, a Romanticist Castle and one of the Portugal’s Seven Wonders.
Its mix of architecture includes elements from Neo-Gothic, Neo-Manueline, Neo-Islamic, and Neo-Renaissance. It was formerly a monastery but then transformed into a palace for the Portuguese Royal family. It is mostly known for it’s bright red and yellow exterior colors for which it had been restored to, after featuring a mostly gray façade for years.
There are numerous other viewpoints within this area but these are the general highlights of Sinta itself. After this entire day, you’ll be sure to sleep easy on the train ride back, and be proud that you tackled this excursion (mostly) by foot.
PROTIP: If time allows, try to stay a night in Sintra itself, then start the next day early to see the sights and beat the crowds.
