Why Sintra deserves a spot in your Europe itinerary
For many people, Europe is synonymous with centuries-old castles and palaces, the kind that provide the perfect setting for fairy tales and series like “Game of Thrones.” And many European destinations offer such sights. The United Kingdom has Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle. France has Versailles and the Château de Chambord.
But what many may not know is that a certain town in Portugal is home to some of the most picturesque examples of Romanticist palaces that are worth visiting.
If you’ve never heard of Portugal’s Sintra, here’s why you should go there the next time you’re in Europe.
It’s the perfect day trip
A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the town is usually taken as a day trip from Lisbon, Portugal’s capital. It’s roughly a 30-minute car ride or a 40-minute train ride one-way. If you plan on taking the train, head to the Entrecampos station and take the Sintra line. The train will make 14 stops, but you’ll get to Sintra station in around 38 minutes.
You can also opt to ride the bus to Sintra. Buses usually depart from Lisbon’s Sete Rios area, but the trip may take 45 minutes or more than an hour.
Spending one full day in Sintra can be enough if you only want to see an attraction or two. However, if you want to get the full Sintra experience and see as many sites as you can, you might want to consider hanging around for a second day (or even a third).
It’ll give you a breath of fresh air… literally
The historic center of Sintra is located at the foot of the Sintra Mountains, and it’s a short walk away from the Sintra train station. However, to get to many of the palaces and other sights, you’ll have to head up the mountain.
While you can opt to take a short bus ride up to the top, there’s also the option of going through the historic center and hiking up the mountain. It’ll take around an hour to reach the top, and while it is the more tiring option, especially if you’re not wearing the right footwear, it makes for a good workout.
The experience, however, is worth all the extra exercise. Not only will you get to breathe in clean, crisp, cool air the whole time, but the view on the way up will also give you hidden gems, such as Villa Sassetti, a 19th-century Lombard-style villa. While visitors cannot enter the actual villa, the surrounding grounds and gardens are open to the public for free.
Palaces, castle ruins, and villas to explore
Once you get to the top, there is much to explore. The star of the show is the very colorful Pena Palace. One of the Seven Wonders of Portugal, this Romanticist palace started out as a chapel that was eventually transformed by King Ferdinand II into a palace. It is now a museum that showcases its 1910 appearance and original furniture and decorations.
For those who enjoy exploring old ruins, there’s the Castle of the Moors, which is a National Monument in Portugal. It’s also known as the Moorish Castle, and it was built somewhere in the 8th and 9th centuries by the Moors, hence the name.
Its defensive walls continue to stand strong, allowing visitors a glimpse of the castle’s former glory.
There’s also Quinta da Regaleira, which includes a lush park, a Roman Catholic chapel, tunnels, and what is known as the Initiation Wells, which were really more ceremonial in nature. Descending the Initiation Wells and exploring the tunnels can make you feel like you’re in a fantasy movie with a layer of mystery. You’re not exactly sure where you’ll end up as you go through.
The third palace worth checking is the Monserrate Palace, which was built in the 19th century. The architecture blends Romantic, Gothic, and even Indian architecture influences, and the surrounding park is a highlight too as they feature Japanese gardens and Mexican agaves.
Last and definitely not least is the Sintra National Palace. Considered the best-preserved medieval royal palace in the whole country, the Sintra National Palace has Moorish and Gothic influences and features remarkable rooms. An example is the Swan Room, whose ceiling is decorated with painted swans.
It’s a foodie destination, too
All that exploring will surely make you hungry. Sintra, particularly the town center, has a number of restaurants, cafes, and pastry shops to choose from. Bacalhau na Vila, for example, is a good choice if you’re looking to try classic Portuguese food, especially the cod dish known as bacalhau à brás. Made up of salted cod, onions, and matchstick-style fried potatoes, the whole thing is bound together by eggs.
And here’s a quick trivia: It’s the favorite dish of football star Cristiano Ronaldo.
Casa Piriquita, on the other hand, is a well-known pastry shop that serves travesseiro, a pillow-shaped soft, flaky pastry that Sintra is known for. It’s essentially puff pastry filled with a mixture of almond cream, egg yolks, and sugar. The pastry is then baked until crispy before it is dusted with powdered sugar.
Sintra is famous for queijadas—sweet, caramelized tarts made with eggs, sugar, cinnamon, and fresh cheese. The beginnings of this pastry’s industrial production can be traced to Queijadas da Sapa, which continues to make traditional queijadas de Sintra to this day.
How to make the trip to Sintra more convenient
If you’re ready to add Sintra to your next Europe itinerary, here are some tips to keep in mind.
First, wear the right footwear. By now, you’ve realized that going to Sintra means going up the mountains, so there’s bound to be a lot of steep and uneven paths. Wearing the right footwear will save your feet from a lot of pain. Avoid wearing high-heeled stilettos or sandals, and opt for hiking shoes, rubber shoes, or comfortable, low-heeled boots.
Second, book your entrance tickets in advance. Most of the attractions in Sintra require you to buy tickets. Save yourself the hassle and buy them in advance, especially if you’re traveling during peak season, which is from June to September.
Tickets can be bought via the Parques de Sintra website and the Quinta da Regaleira website, or you can also check websites such as Klook.
Lastly, buy a Lisboa Card, which is a sightseeing pass that provides free unlimited transportation and free entry to over 50 attractions in the city. The card will also allow you to enjoy discounts for select attractions in Sintra. For example, having the card will score you a 10 percent discount on Quinta da Regaleira and Sintra National Palace tickets.
For those set to visit Pena Palace, there is the Lisboa Card + Pena Palace Combo that offers free entrance to Pena Palace in addition to the other discounts that come with the Lisboa Card.
The Lisboa Card can be purchased online, or you can also opt to visit an “Ask Me Lisboa” tourist office in locations such as the Lisbon Airport, Praça do Comércio, Cais do Sodré, and Lisboa Story Centre.
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