Sintra

Sintra, in the hills near Lisbon, is a fairy tale: colorful palaces, a Moorish castle, gardens with secret tunnels and forests full of mist. We spent two days here in July 2019.

Tip: The prices and opening hours here are the ones we noted when we planned the trip. Check them before you go.

Tip: Bus 434 does a loop from Sintra station to the historic center, the Moorish Castle and Pena Palace. Between the castle and Pena it is only 350 meters, so it is easier to walk.

Day 1 - Pena, the Moorish Castle and the village

1. Pena Palace

The red and yellow palace on top of the hill. It was where the Portuguese royal family spent their last night before going into exile in 1910, and the interior has been restored to look as it did then. The palace and park ticket was €14.

2. Pena Park

Two hundred hectares of forest and trails around the palace. Our route went from the Temple of the Columns (Templo das Colunas) to the Warrior statue and up to Cruz Alta, the highest point of the Sintra hills, about 20 minutes from the palace and the best spot to photograph it.

3. The Moorish Castle

Walls built by the Moors that snake along the ridge, taken by the Christian crusaders in the 12th century. The views are amazing. Entrance was €8.

4. Sintra village and the National Palace

The historic center, and the Sintra National Palace, with its two huge white chimneys. It is the best preserved medieval royal palace in Portugal, lived in from the 1400s to the 1700s and decorated with azulejos by King Manuel I. We saw it from the outside.

Day 2 - Regaleira, Queluz and Cabo da Roca

1. Quinta da Regaleira

An extravagant 19th-century Gothic mansion built by the richest man in Portugal at the time. The highlight is the garden, with its tunnels, grottoes and the famous Initiation Well, a spiral staircase going deep into the earth. Entrance was €8.

2. Queluz National Palace

A pink Rococo palace with formal gardens, often called the Portuguese Versailles. The palace and gardens ticket was €10, or €5 for the gardens only.

3. Cabo da Roca

The westernmost point of mainland Europe, with cliffs over the Atlantic and a lighthouse.

If you have more time

• Monserrate Palace and Park, a little out of the way and less crowded (€8).
• The Capuchos Convent, a tiny monastery lined with cork (€7).