Sintra Itinerary: Fairytale Day Trip from Lisbon

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If you’re like me, then you were obsessed with princesses growing up and probably wanted to be one. Well, now’s your chance. Sintra, Portugal is a one-of-a-kind destination straight out of a fairytale. Better yet, it’s less than an hour from Lisbon, making it the perfect destination for a day trip from Lisbon. Sintra was the highlight of my time in Portugal, and you’ll no doubt feel the same way. Use this ultimate Sintra itinerary to plan your visit, and prepare to be blown away by this magical little town.

Here is my Sintra itinerary for one perfect day in this fairytale town.

Best time to visit Sintra

Sintra is crazy popular all year round, so you can expect big crowds no matter when you go. This Sintra itinerary will help minimize crowd issues for your one day trip and include all the best things to do in Sintra.

The palaces, parks, and gardens in Sintra are closed on December 25 and January 1.

How to get to Sintra from Lisbon

The Rossio-Sintra train trip is probably the most popular method to get to Sintra, and it’s the route I took. It departs from the center of Lisbon and near the Baixa and Alfama districts. I think this is the easiest way to get there, but there are several options to get to Sintra.

• Train: The train from Lisbon to Sintra station is a super easy option for your day trip. If you’re near the tourist areas, then depart from Rossio Train Station. There are trains every 30 minutes and the trip takes 40 minutes. Estação do Oriente station is more convenient if you’re closer to the airport, and it takes a little under 50 minutes. You can buy your Sintra tickets right at the station for less than 5 euros per person round trip. Easy peasy!
• Taxi or Uber: The Lisbon to Sintra taxi cost is between €25 – €50 each way, depending on your location in Lisbon and the amount of traffic.
• Guided Sintra Tour: Tour prices vary from €30 – €100, and tickets to enter the palaces are typically not included.
• Driving to Sintra: It is an easy drive to Sintra if you have a rental car, but the roads are congested and parking is limited. I would suggest parking once you get there then spend the remainder of your day walking or using other transportation. You can also hire a driver for your day trip to Sintra to drive you around.

Once you get to Sintra, you can either walk everywhere or utilize their public transportation.

Sintra itinerary: things to do in one day

If you only have a day in Sintra, you probably won’t be able to see everything. I am going to outline my suggested Sintra itinerary to help you make the most of the day.

Depending on how many places you plan on seeing, you might want to buy a combination ticket. Discounts range from 5% off for 2 sites to 10% off for 6 sites. There are family tickets for two adults and two children. All the prices listed below are for adults, but there are discounted rates for children ages 6-17 and seniors (65+). You can get more information on ticket prices and hours right here.

Pena Palace: The Most Instagrammable Place in Sintra

Pena Palace is the most popular thing to do in Sintra, and it’s easy to see why. This beautiful palace looks like something straight out of a fairytale. Pena Palace should be your first or last stop of your Sintra itinerary. I suggest getting there as soon as it opens to hopefully avoid the majority of the crowds. You can also try to come late and stay until close in the hope that it clears out.

This is the one stop that everyone includes in their Sintra itinerary. And for good reason! This place is like catnip for Instagrammers. Just try to be patient and walk the whole way around the premises. You’ll be able to get that Insta-perfect pic!

The Palace was originally built as a monastery in 1503 until King Ferdinand acquired it and began construction of the New Palace in 1843, creating the bright show stopper we see today.

The Pena Park grounds are amazing, too, but it’s at the top of a hill. It’s quite a hike up to the palace so I suggest taking the 434 bus or catching a tuk tuk outside the train station for about €5 per person.

I don’t recommend going inside the palace unless you’re a major history buff because it’s pretty dull and boring compared to the extravagant outside. Besides, there’s way too much else to cover on our one day Sintra itinerary!

Hours & Prices:

• Palace: 9:30 a.m. – 6:30 p.m. (last admission 6:00 p.m.)
• Park: 9:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. (last admission 6:00 p.m)
• Palace and Park ticket cost:: €14 for adults, €6.5 for children & seniors
• Park only ticket cost: €7.50 for adults, €6.5 for children & seniors

Buy a skip the line ticket to avoid any wait at the ticket window.

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Moorish Castle

The Moorish Castle is about a 10 minute walk from Pena Palace. This castle was built in the 10th century, making it the oldest structure in the area and completely different from anything else you’ll see in Sintra.

The Moorish Castle is in ruins, making it more of an archaleogical site than anything. Although this is the closest thing to the Pena Palace, many people choose to forgo this one in favor of some of the next stops on our Sintra itinerary. This is still a worthwhile site though, as you can climb some of the towers, walk along the walls, and enjoy the nice views.

Hours & Prices:

• 9:00 a.m. –  6:30 p.m. (last admission at 6:00 p.m.)
• Cost: €8 for adults, €6.5 for children & seniors

Quinta de Regaleira & The Famous Well

Quinta de Regaleira is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and it’s definitely one of the busiest attractions. Quinta da Regaleira was completed in 1911, and the house is split over five floors of ornate gothic architecture. Don’t you think the outside kind of looks like a haunted mansion?

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The house is only half the fun here. The gardens are enchanting, as they were styled to represent ancient secret orders, with hidden tunnels, concealed symbolism, and statues of Greek gods at The Gods Promenade.

A highlight of the gardens is the famous Initiation Well. It descends into the ground about 90 feet and connects to a huge tunnel system that runs underneath the property. You can climb down the stairs into well. Take a flashlight (or use your phones) because it can get pretty dark down there where the sun doesn’t reach. After exiting the well, you’ll stumble upon a beautiful oasis called the Lake of the Waterfall. You can then go check out the house if you went to visit the well first.

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Take a map when you get your tickets (or use this one) so you can navigate the grounds. There’s a lot to see, and it’s pretty easy to get lost if you’re directionally challenged like me!

Hours & Prices:

• Opens at 10:00 a.m. all year
• Closes at 5:30 p.m. in January, November, & December
• Closes at 6:30 p.m. in February, March, and October
• Closes at 8:00 p.m. from April to September
• Last entry is 30 minutes before closing from October to March and 1 hour before closing from April to September
• Cost: €8 for adults, €6.5 for children & seniors

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Monserrate Palace

Monserrate Palace is yet another of Sintra’s stunning palaces with equally impressive gardens. The ornate and colorful architecture makes for beautiful pictures with a romantic vibe.

Hours & Prices:

• Park: 9:00 a.m. – 7 p.m. (last admission at 6:00 p.m.)
• Palace: 9:30 a.m. – 6:30 p.m. (last admission at 6:00 p.m.)
• Cost: €8 for adults, €6.5 for children & seniors

Other things to do in Sintra

The options above are typically what people see when they try to conquer Sintra in a day, but there’s still a lot to see in this little town. You might be able to fit some of these into your one day Sintra itinerary, or you might want to stay an extra day. It all depends on how long you stay in each spot. Look at pictures and figure out ahead of time which ones you definitely don’t want to miss because you can easily swap out some of these next options for the ones I already mentioned.

National Palace of Queluz

The National Palace of Queluz is another beautiful place to walk around. People often skip this one because it’s a little further away from the rest of the attractions in Sintra. If this is on your must see list, then make this your first or last stop on your way to or from Lisbon.

Hours & Prices:

• Palace: 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. (last admission is at 5:30 p.m.)
• Gardens: 9:00 a.m – 6:30 p.m. (last admission is at 5:30 p.m.)
• Palace and Gardens ticket cost: €10 for adults, €8.5 for children & seniors
• Gardens only ticket cost: €5 for adults, €3.5 for children & seniors

National Palace of Sintra

Palacio Nacional de Sintra (Sintra National Palace) is right in the historic center so it’s definitely the most convenient palace to see and the most tempting to stop at right away. Despite having housed multiple Portuguese Royal families, it’s now the best preserved of the palaces in Portugal.

Hours & Prices:

• 9:00 a.m. – 6:30 p.m. (last admission at 6:00 p.m.)
• Cost: €10 for adults, €6.5 for children & seniors

Other options for your Sintra itinerary

If you just can’t get enough of Sintra, here are some more options:

• Convent of the Capuchos
• Chalet and the Gardens of the Countess of Edla
• Farmyard of Monserrate
• Pena farm and stables

The Pena Farm and Stables generally share the same hours as the Park of Pena. There are horse rides, pony rides, and carriage tours available from 10 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. Horse rides start at €15 for 30 minutes up to €100 for 6 hours. Pony rides last for 15 minutes and cost €7. Carriage tours are on request. For reservations, email info@parquesdesintra.pt or call +351 21 923 73 00.

Whether you can spend one day, two days, or just half a day, Sintra is absolutely worth the trip. I think one full day in Sintra is perfect if you get there right as it opens and stay until closing. However, many people choose to stay over night for some extra time at this fairytale escape. Others combine it with a half day trip to Cascais or Lisbon.

Whatever you choose, enjoy your time wandering the storybook castles of Sintra, the most enchanting city in Portugal.

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