Créé par Emilie, le 7 mai 2026
Votre guide Ryo
© Shutterstock
Where is Sintra located?
It is in the heart of the hills of Serra de Sintra that this city full of surprises is located. It's not so much its city center that is spectacular, but rather the magnificent villas, palaces, castles and houses with incredible architecture that are scattered in every corner of the green landscape surrounding the city. Sintra is located 30 km west of Lisbon, at the gates of the Sintra-Cascais Natural Park.
How to get to Sintra?
From Lisbon
By train: you need to take the train from Rossio station or Estação do Oriente. Allow 40 minutes from the first and about 50 minutes from the second to reach Sintra city center.
From Cascais
By bus: at Cascais bus station, take line 417. You will arrive in about 30 minutes in Sintra center.
From Estoril
By bus: line 418 will take you to Sintra center in about 30 minutes.
Once there
Once you arrive in Sintra center, you'll need to take the tourist bus to reach the palaces. There are two different ones, which don't follow the same route:
Bus 434 follows this route: Sintra Train Station > Historic Center > Moorish Castle > Pena National Palace > Historic Center > Sintra Train Station
Bus 435 follows this route: Sintra Train Station > Historic Center > Regaleira Palace > Seteais Palace > Monserrate Palace > Seteais Palace > Regaleira Palace > Historic Center > Sintra Train Station
What to do in Sintra?
The best way to discover all of Sintra's richness is to stay at least 2 days to have time to visit its main palaces, especially during the summer period when queues can be long. If you're making a day trip, you'll have to select the sites you want to visit. Here are the monuments you'll find on site, with a little guide to help you choose those that appeal to you most!
1- Pena National Palace
This is Sintra's most visited palace and one of the most beautiful in the world. Pena National Palace, built between 1838 and 1885, is an incredible castle located on the heights of the region that will give you a 360° view of the surroundings. Displaying red, yellow, blue and a mix of impressive architectural styles, it is undoubtedly Sintra's highlight and remains a must-see on your visit. This includes the exterior and interior of the palace, as well as its park by taking an additional ticket.
To access the palace, you need to buy a timed ticket: either on site, but expect a long queue, or in advance on the website – the best solution. If you buy your ticket online, present yourself at the park entrance 30 minutes early to have time to reach the palace at the time shown on your ticket.
It's one of the most beautiful palaces on the planet: in high season, there are huge crowds.
Palace hours: 9:30am-6:30pm (last entry at 6:00pm)
Park hours: 9:00am-7:00pm (last entry at 6:00pm)
Prices:
2- The Moorish Castle
This castle is much older than its neighbors. Built by the Moors from the 8th century on a rocky massif, it displays a remarkable state of conservation that allows us to go back in time and discover this monument steeped in history.
It's one of Sintra's main attractions, so there will be many people in high season.
To access the castle and its ramparts, you need to climb quite a bit. It is therefore not recommended to visit them during hot weather, as the route is quite demanding.
Hours: 9:30am-6:30pm (last entry at 6:00pm)
Prices:
3- Regaleira Palace
Certainly the most original palace you'll see in Sintra, Quinta da Regaleira is a castle built at the beginning of the 19th century. Apart from its historical side, it's its stunning architecture and fascinating and mysterious gardens that give it its great reputation. The walk on this site is definitely worth the detour.
It might be interesting to bring a flashlight with you to visit every corner of the park.
Summer hours (April 1 - September 30): 10:00am-7:30pm (last entry at 7:00pm)
Winter hours (October 1 - March 31): 10:00am-6:30pm (last entry at 5:30pm)
Prices:
4- Monserrate Palace
Less known than the previous ones, but equally magnificent, Monserrate Palace reveals beautiful architecture influenced by Gothic and Indian styles, to which we can add a Moorish touch. Built by an Englishman during the 19th century, it's one of the most beautiful examples of romantic architecture in Portugal.
Palace hours: 9:30am-6:30pm (last entry at 6:00pm)
Park hours: 9:00am-7:00pm (last entry at 6:00pm)
Prices:
5- Sintra National Palace
This is Portugal's oldest palace! The first part of the building was built around the 10th century, then the palace was renovated, modified and enlarged over the centuries to become what it is today. Most of Portugal's kings and queens lived within its walls which served as their summer residence. Its interior is richly decorated and its lovely gardens can be visited for free.
Hours: 9:30am-6:30pm (last entry at 6:00pm)
Prices:
Garden entry is free.
6- The Capuchin Convent
It's neither a palace nor a castle, and it's much less visited than the rest of Sintra, but the Capuchin Convent is well worth the detour if you spend several days in the city. A true haven of peace hidden in abundant vegetation, this Franciscan convent carved into the rock dates from the 16th century, and is well worth a visit for its historical aspect.
Hours: 9:00am-6:00pm (last entry at 5:00pm)
Prices:
Some tips for visiting Sintra
- The most visited site is Pena Palace, so it's recommended to visit it first and arrive before opening time if you want to avoid (a little, you'll always have some!) the queues. Buy your ticket in advance online.
- Don't take your car to get to Sintra, the roads connecting the palaces weren't designed for cars and it's very difficult to drive because of the crowds. There are also very few parking spaces in town.
- For a day with some crowds, you'll have time to do about 2 to 3 visits, for example, Pena Palace, Regaleira Palace and Monserrate Palace, or Pena Palace and the Moorish Castle. Adapt according to the time you'll spend visiting.
- Sintra is quite hilly and it's a day where you need to walk quite a bit to reach the palace entrances and visit the gardens. Even if you take the bus to connect the different buildings, you'll have to climb a bit, especially for Pena National Palace and the Moorish Castle. Wear comfortable shoes and bring water with you for the best possible visiting conditions!