Lisbon is great, but a Sintra day trip is a popular and fun addition to your itinerary. With its numerous castles, you won’t run out of things to do on your visit. But with so much to see in one small town, you’ll want to plan out your day in advance to make sure you can be efficient and see as much as you want to see with your one day in Sintra.
While ambitious and organized travelers can squeeze in up to five castles in one day, many visitors choose to visit less. But even if you don’t visit every castle, you can still see a lot during a busy day trip.
In this travel guide, I’m going to lay out the itinerary I used from my day trip to Sintra. I did not visit all five palaces, but I did visit four palaces. It was a busy day, but a very good day nonetheless.
Sintra Day Trip Itinerary
This is not the only way to visit Sintra. The internet is full of various itineraries for Sintra, but I wanted to layout my detailed itinerary. I visited four palaces: Pena Palace (gardens only), the Moorish Castle, the National Palace, and Quinta de Regaleira. While I initially thought this was an incredibly ambitious day, I found that I never felt rushed at any sight and quite honestly, I could have done more (but a torrential downpour ended my day a bit earlier than anticipated).
If you still have the energy at the end of this itinerary, I’ll give some more ideas to how to spend your time.
8:11 – Train from Lisbon to Sintra
Of course you’ll want to verify the train schedule before you start your day, but I recommend trying to catch a train from Lisbon around 8:00 am. The train ride to Sintra takes 40 minutes and you’ll want to get to town early to start your day. You can travel earlier, but if you plan to rely on public transportation once in Sintra, know that it typically does not start until 9:00 am. If you plan to catch a taxi, then you may want to travel earlier so you can make sure to be at the gate of your first castle right when it opens.
I used a Navegante card to travel around Lisbon and the good news is that you can use your Navegante card for the commuter trains from Lisbon’s Rossio Station to Sintra. If you are “zapping”, you don’t have to do anything special. Just tap your card on the turn stiles and board your train. The train should cost 2.30 euros each way.
8:51 – Arrive in Sintra
Sintra is the last stop on the train line. When you arrive, get off and follow the rest of the tourists out of the station. If you’re taking a taxi, you can find one just outside the station, but this itinerary is assuming that you are using the buses.
Just around the corner from the station is the Scotturb bus stop. There will inevitably be a line of travelers trying to purchase tickets, but be patient, purchase your ticket and head off to the Pena Palace on bus #434. Note that these buses get very full and if you’re one of the last ones to board the bus, you’ll be standing up by the driver.
Your driver will announce the major stops, so just stay on the bus until you reach the Pena Palace. Undoubtedly, this is where nearly everyone on the bus will get off (though there will probably be a few people who get off at the Moorish Castle).
9:30 – Pena Palace
You should have already purchased your tickets online in advance (I’ll cover more on this later in this article), so present your ticket at the gates and head into the Pena Palace grounds.
There are two options for tickets for Pena Palace. The first option covers the gardens only. This is what I chose to do since I knew I would be visiting three other palace interiors during the day. The second option covers both the gardens and the palace interior. It’s up to you which ticket you choose, but note that if you choose to visit the palace interior, you will have to select an entry time. For this itinerary, I recommend picking an entry at 10:00 am if you plan to visit the palace interior. Anything earlier will be difficult to do with the buses in Sintra.
From the entrance, it can take twenty minutes to walk to the castle entrance. There is a shuttle, but you’ll need to pay for it separately. Lines can be long for the shuttle, so if you don’t mind a bit of an uphill walk, I’d recommend just saving the money.
If you plan to visit the palace interior, keep an eye on the time. You don’t want to miss your entry window. Your visit inside the palace will follow a one way track through the palace interior and out to the Queen’s balcony for a nice view of the palace.
If you don’t buy a ticket for the palace interior, you can still get up close to the iconic palace. There is a separate line to enter the palace, but you can walk out on to the terrace without a ticket to get some great views. This is the top sight in Sintra, so expect to have plenty of strangers in your photos.
Beyond the palace, you have access to the gardens. There are two areas that I recommend you look at. The first is the High Cross which is the highest point in the gardens. I have mixed feelings on this because while you can get some decent views of the surrounding areas, you can’t actually see Pena Palace because it’s blocked by the trees. That was a bit of a let down. The second area is the lakes which can feel more calm and peaceful that the area around the palace. If you follow this itinerary, you’ll walk to the lakes on your way to the Moorish Castle, so don’t detour specifically for them.
If you just plan to visit the gardens at Pena Palace, I recommend setting aside about an hour. If you plan to visit the interior of the palace, I’d set aside more time. While it’s true that I visited Pena Palace earlier in the day, it felt that the gardens were less busy than the palace itself and I think it’s absolutely worth strolling the gardens.
When you’re ready to move on, follow the signs throughout the park for the lakes. As I made my way through the lakes, it felt like I was leaving the crowds behind. I passed very few people which was a huge contrast to all of the people hanging around the terraces at the castle. By the lakes, you’ll find a much less used entrance/exit for Pena Palace.
10:45 – Walk to Moorish Castle
Exit Pena Palace by the lake entrance and start the 15 minute walk to the Moorish Castle. The walk is uphill and a little bit steep, but take your time. I’d say the bus is an option, and technically it is, but the buses only run in one direction so to go from Pena Palace to the Moorish Castle, you’d have to take the whole loop and that’s just not efficient.
11:00 – Moorish Castle
The Moorish Castle feels the most different from all of the other palaces on this list. At all of the other palaces, you have the option to tour the interior of the palace. At the Moorish Castle, you’ll be walking along the stone walls and through the remains of the castle. For me, this added a nice variety to my day. On a day where you’re visiting four different castles in one day, you need to look for as much variety as you can.
My visit to the Moorish Castle lasted about 45 minutes. This is enough time to walk the walls, take your photos, and enjoy the views of the surrounding area. My advice is to enter the castle and head to the right. You’ll start at the lower castle and follow the walls to the upper castle. In my opinion, the upper castle has better views, so I recommend savoring them at the end. Plus, you can see Pena Palace in the distance from the upper castle.
11:45 – Bus to National Palace
Now it’s time to head back to the main city center in Sintra. You could walk, but save the time and energy (it’s a steep one hour walk back to town) and catch the bus. Outside of the Moorish Castle is a bus stop for bus #434. Wait here and board the bus. Note that the bus may be busy because the next stop is Pena Palace. Though, if your bus is busy, don’t worry. It is sure to empty out at the very next stop. Ride the bus all the way back to the city center and get off at the stop for the National Palace.
12:15 – Arrive National Palace
This is the first palace interior that I toured in Sintra. The palace starts out pretty average (as far as palaces go), but there is one room that completely blew me away. That room doesn’t come until the end of the visit, so hold your judgments until the end.
Compared to the other palaces that I visited, the National Palace felt the least busy, but I still think it’s worth a stop. Plus, out of all of the palaces on this itinerary, I believe that the National Palace has the best palace interior (although I skipped the interior of Pena Palace).
12:50 – Walk to Quinta de Regaleira
You could take a bus, but it’s a short 15 minute walk from the National Palace to Quinta de Regaleira. I recommend just walking to the final palace of the day.
1:00 – Quinta de Regaleira
Quinta de Regaleira is another palace that’s busy. You’ll need a timed entry to visit and that can make planning your day difficult. I traveled in early March so I was able to purchase my ticket just before entering and not have too much of an issue. During the high season, this may not be possible, so do your research to plan your day carefully. This guide is full of the exact times I used for my visits to the various palaces in Sintra and I never felt rushed. Therefore, I feel like it’s a great starting point for anyone looking to visit four palaces in Sintra.
That said, here’s my recommendation for your visit. About a week before your trip, look ahead to see what ticket options are still available. If you’re here in low season, you’ll probably see many of tickets for every entry time. During high season, if you notice that time slots are getting close to selling out (or already selling out), pick up your ticket and design your day around that entry. As it gets closer and closer to your visit, just keep an eye on tickets. If you have the option to wait until the day of your visit, absolutely wait. That said, you should still purchase your ticket online.
My recommendation is to purchase your ticket as soon as you arrive at the National Palace (not Quinta de Regaleira). Following this itinerary, I entered the National Palace at 12:15. Therefore, I should have purchased my Quinta de Regaleira ticket for 1:00 pm. I didn’t, because it looked like there were enough tickets left and I could just purchase when I was done.
Well as I visited the National Palace, tickets for 1:00 pm at Quinta de Regaleira sold out. I was able to get tickets for 1:30, but I arrived at Quinta de Regaleira at 1:05 and had to stand and wait until 1:30. So the rough estimate is that you’ll want your ticket for Quinta de Regaleira for about 45 minutes after you enter the National Palace.
Ok, enough about tickets. Let’s talk about the palace itself. You don’t visit Quinta de Regaleira for the palace interior. To be honest, the palace interior is nothing special and I don’t think you’re missing much if you skip touring the palace interior (though if you’re here and paid the entrance fee, go ahead and visit the palace interior just to see it and get your money’s worth). What makes this visit special is the gardens and grounds. The garden is lined with pathways and there are a few neat features to visit.
The Wishing Well is incredibly popular and don’t be surprised if you have to wait in line to enter. My wait was short, only about five minutes, but some people have had to wait for 15 minutes or more. I recommend following the signs and heading straight to the well as soon as you enter the park. You’ll climb down the spiral staircase lining the well and exit through a cave. From there, take your time exploring the rest of the grounds. Find the waterfall, photograph the castle from all angles, climb the Queen’s Tower (and be amazed at just how many tourists fit up there at once), and enjoy the nature.
While I felt like I was able to escape the crowds at the gardens of Pena Palace, I didn’t feel the same way at Quinta de Regaleira. I might have had better luck in the early morning or late afternoon, but by 1:30, there were people everywhere. It never felt truly overwhelming (probably because I was here during the low season), but it still felt busy.
2:00 – Finish Quinta de Regaleira
When you’ve finished at Quinta de Regaleira you have a few options. We’re done with palaces (though if you don’t want to finish, check out my “With More Energy” section). I recommend heading back the way you came to the city center of Sintra. Grab a bite to eat and do some shopping. I don’t have too many recommendations here though because as I walked back to the city center, it started pouring. I got soaked (despite an umbrella and rain jacket) and decided to head back to Lisbon a bit earlier than I initially planned.
Finishing Your Day
Use your Navegante card to board the train from Sintra back to Lisbon’s Rossio Station. The train will take another forty minutes.
With More Energy
If you still have time and energy, there’s two more things you can do in Sintra. The first is to head back to the city center and have a wander through the shops and restaurants. This itinerary, like most of my itineraries, doesn’t have time budgeted for lunch. Head to the city center and eat a late lunch and then shop for some souvenirs.
The second option is great for those who aren’t burned out on castles yet. The Palace of Monseratte is a bit of out of town so you’ll have to take bus #435 or catch a taxi to get there. I debated for a long time about whether or not to include it in my itinerary. It was in my itinerary, then I cut it, then chose to add it when I was in Sintra, but ultimately cut it because I got soaked in a rain storm. The photos look lovely and it’s high on list for a return trip to Sintra, but if you have the time and energy, head out to see it while you’re here.
How Much Time Do You Need for Each Castle
Obviously each traveler is different and some like to take their time as they go through each site. This estimation is based on what I would recommend for the average traveler. Of course you can spend more time at each palace, but this how long I spent at each palace. I never felt rushed and still feel like I got to see everything I wanted.
Pena Palace – GARDENS ONLY – 1 hour 15 minutes
Moorish Castle – 45 minutes
National Palace – 30 minutes
Quinta de Regaleira – 1 hour
Getting Around Sintra
Outside of each palace, you’ll find taxis and tuktuks waiting to take tourists to wherever their next sight may be. For those more concerned with time than budget, this is what I’d recommend. You won’t have to wait for the bus and you can go exactly where you want to go, no matter which order you choose to visit the palaces. Budget about 15 euro per ride.
The other option is the bus. Scotturb runs two loops through Sintra. The first is line #434 which includes stops at Pena Palace, the Moorish Castle, and the National Palace (city center). This is the more popular line and it runs about every fifteen minutes. Bus line #435 connects the city center with Quinta de Regaleira and the Palace of Monseratte. Buses run every 30 minutes.
Buses run in a loop, so they only go in one direction, so make sure you plan your day accordingly.
For a full day, hop on-hop off on both lines, it will cost 13.50 (though you can save a euro or two if you purchase your ticket online in advance). Personally, I think this ticket is excessive for most visitors. Using my four palace itinerary above, you really only need two rides: one ride to Pena Palace and a ride back from Pena Palace.
This is what I attempted to buy, but before I realized what happened, they had already charged me for the 13.50 euro ticket. That was a little annoying as I said I just wanted a return. Honestly, I’d suggest buying a one way ticket as needed and hopefully this will get your point across and save you a few euros.
Tips for Managing Crowds
Sintra is busy. It is the top day trip for tourists in Lisbon and it shows. Buses can be packed, even in the low season and in some ways it just feels like herding cattle. So how do you deal with this?
First and foremost, you need to pack your patience. There will be loads of other people in Sintra and you need to accept that. Try to give yourself extra time to get wherever you are going.
Next, many of the museums in Lisbon close on Mondays making Mondays the most popular day for day trips to Sintra. If possible, try to go on another day of the week (I’d recommend Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday).
Lastly, plan out your day to minimize visitors. The two busiest palaces are Pena Palace and Quinta de Regaleira. They are busy first thing in the morning and stay busy until the afternoon. Usually around 2:30 or 3:00, crowds will start to thin out. Keep this in mind as you plan your day. It may make more sense to make one of your visits in the late afternoon instead of the early morning.
Sintra Budget Tips
The more palaces you visit, the more money you’ll spend. That much is obvious. But as I was planning my own trip to Sintra, I laid out everything and saw that I could save a bit of money by booking early and booking several castles (that I knew I wanted to visit) at once. Rather than just talking in hypotheticals, I’d like to layout actual numbers.
As a note, this is based on my own trip which included the Pena Palace gardens (I skipped the palace interior), the Moorish Castle, the National Palace, and Quinta de Regaleira. Quinta de Regaleira is managed separately from the rest of the palaces in Sintra and there aren’t any discounts. So, we’ll look at my costs strictly for the Pena Palace gardens, Moorish Castle, and the National Palace.
| Palace | Cost Without Discounts | Early Booking Discount (15%) | Multi-Ticket Discount (6%) | Early Booking & Multi-Ticket Discounts |
| Pena Palce – Gardens Only | 10 | 8.50 | 9.40 | 7.99 |
| Moorish Castle | 12 | 10.20 | 11.52 | 9.59 |
| National Palace | 13 | 11.05 | 12.22 | 10.39 |
| Total | 35 | 29.75 | 33.14 | 27.97 |
So based on this, if you book your tickets more than 3 days in advance for all three palaces, you’ll save seven euros. This is not a lot of money but the 7 euro that you save should account for transportation ticket (so long as you don’t purchase the 24 hour ticket and instead just get tickets as needed).
It’s also good to keep in mind that if you also add on a ticket for the Palace of Monseratte, your multi-ticket discount will go up to 7%. This palace is not covered by this itinerary but the base ticket is 12 euro.
Tickets for Sintra Palaces
I highly recommend purchasing your tickets in advance as it will save you valuable time. The lines at ticket offices can get long and there’s no guarantee you’ll be able to get the time slot you want if you wait until the day of your Sintra day trip.
Pena Palace – If you are visiting the gardens only, your ticket is valid all day. If you are visiting the palace interior, you will need to select a timed entry when purchasing your ticket. Morning visits fill up the fastest.
Moorish Castle – Timed entry is not required. Your ticket is valid all day.
National Palace of Sintra – Timed entry is not required. Your ticket is valid all day.
Quinta de Regaleira – You will need to select a timed entry when you purchase your ticket. Morning visits fill up the fastest.
Palace of Monseratte – Timed entry is not required. Your ticket is valid all day.
When to Visit Sintra
Sintra can be visited all year round. Peak tourist season is during the summer months. Low season is during the winter months, but don’t expect to have the sights to yourself. This may work in other destinations, but in Sintra (and Lisbon), you should expect crowds all year round (though they are more pronounced during the summer months).
In terms of weather, summers can get very hot. Winters are cooler and can have rain. If the weather is the biggest concern, I’d recommend looking to travel in late spring or fall. This should help reduce tourist crowds as well.
Final Thoughts
Sintra is full of great palaces and things to see. Plus, it’s very easy to reach from Lisbon, making it an ideal day trip option for most visitors. But with proper planning, I believe it’s a fantastic way to spend day. Just be prepared to share your day with a lot of other travelers.
Continue Your Adventure
Lisbon: Don’t miss Lisbon on your trip to Portugal. Start your planning with my one day itinerary.
Spain: Portugal shares the Iberian Peninsula with Spain. Take in the architecture of Barcelona, the Alhambra of Granada, the relaxed vibe of Sevilla, or one of the great day trips from Madrid.