Lisbon to Sintra Day trip: The PERFECT 1 day Sintra itinerary

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Are you planning a trip to Portugal and want to know the best way to take a day trip from Lisbon to Sintra?

We have been to Lisbon several times over the last few years and one thing we always add to our Lisbon itinerary is a day trip to Sintra.

Sintra is just 30 minutes from Lisbon by train and offers something completely different to the city vibe with historical palaces, castles and incredible scenery making you feel like you’re in a completely different country.

This itinerary for a day trip from Lisbon to Sintra will cover everything you need to spend a day in Sintra. The guide includes how to get from Lisbon to Sintra, the best places to visit in Sintra and hotel, restaurant and activity recommendations for your time in Lisbon.

Where to stay in Lisbon

The best area to stay in Lisbon based on our experience is Baixa. There are a huge range of hotels in Baixa and it is within walking distance of many of Lisbon’s main attractions including the Santa Justa lift and Rua Augusta.

The last time we visited Lisbon we stayed at Eurostars Lisboa Baixa and would highly recommend it to anyone spending a day in Lisbon. The hotel is central, stylish and within walking distance to many of Lisbon’s main attractions – making it perfect for a short stay in Lisbon.

Is a 1 day trip from Lisbon to Sintra enough time?

Taking a day trip from Lisbon to Sintra will be enough time to see the major sites in Sintra without feeling overly rushed.

Because the train from Lisbon to Sintra only takes 30 minutes and runs throughout the day, it means most of your day will be spent in Sintra itself rather than the journey there and back.

There are also organised buses right outside the train station to take you around the main attractions in Sintra so you can really maximise your day in the area.

More broadly, we would suggest spending at least 3 days in Lisbon and using at least one of these days taking a day trip to Sintra or else Cascais depending on the time of year. If you visit during particularly good weather, we would also recommend taking a trip to Cascais, a picturesque town around 30 minutes from the city.

How to get from Lisbon to Sintra

Lisbon to Sintra Train

The easiest way to get from Lisbon to Sintra is definitely by train. We took the train from Rossio station and it cost less than €5 each way and the journey only takes 35 minutes.

You can purchase tickets for the Lisbon to Sintra train in advance so you can arrive to the station without needing to figure out any of the logistics.

Tours from Lisbon to Sintra

The best alternative to taking the train is to book a guided tour from Lisbon to Sintra. This removes any stress from organising your trip and means you can sit back and relax while the tour guide helps you navigate the (very) hilly surroundings of Sintra.

The best tour we have seen is this one which includes transfers from Lisbon to Sintra, and stops at all the main attractions including Pena Palace, Quinta da Regaleira and some time in Sintra Village as well.

Taxi

Surprisingly, a taxi from Lisbon to Sintra isn’t nearly as expensive as the same journey would cost elsewhere.

While we took the train from Lisbon to Sintra when we visited, what we didn’t realise was that there was a train strike taking place shortly after we arrived meaning there was no return train available.

With limited options available, we decided to take a Bolt taxi (similar to Uber) expecting it to cost upwards of €60-70. To our surprise the journey cost less than €20 despite taking almost 40 minutes – to the extent that we actually felt guilty only paying that amount considering the distance.

Crucially then, make sure you have the Bolt app to let you get a taxi when all else fails.

Car Rental

You can also rent a car in Lisbon to get around. We would recommend taking this option if you plan to explore Portugal more broadly but it isn’t a necessity otherwise. Lisbon has excellent public transport so you can easily rely on that to go from Lisbon to Sintra.

If you do decide to rent a car, we would recommend using Discover Cars to get the best rate for your rental.

How to get around Sintra

Bus

By far the easiest way to get around Sintra when you arrive is by bus. Just outside the train station, the number 434 bus will be lined up to take you to the major attractions. Tickets for the bus cost €14 and run throughout the day with buses from A to B in Summer.

The 434 bus is easy to access, convenient and relatively inexpensive compared to some of the alternatives. One thing to note is for you to try to get on one of these buses early to get a seat, particularly if you are prone to motion sickness.

The drive from the train station to Pena Palace for example is very bendy, so you can easily lose balance if you are left to stand on the bus journey.

We would not recommend walking between the sites in Sintra – the roads are very windy and hilly so if you only have a day in Sintra, we would recommend saving as much energy as possible for the sites themselves.

Where to visit in Sintra

If you only have one day in Sintra we would recommend choosing 2-3 main attractions to visit rather than trying to rush between locations. The area is hilly, there is some walking involved and you will need time to eat etc. throughout the day.

Pena Palace

The main place tourists tend to flock to on a day trip from Lisbon to Sintra is Pena Palace. This striking palace stands out with its vivid yellow exterior and unique design. Visitors are drawn to Pena Palace for it’s fairytale feel, perched on top of the hills, this romantic facade can sometimes even be seen from as far away as Lisbon on a clear day.

The 434 bus from the train station will take you to Pena Palace in 10-15 minutes but this is not a journey for someone suffering with motion sickness so make sure to grab a seat.

Once you arrive at Pena Palace, there is a short but fairly steep walk up to the entrance of the palace so we would recommend wearing comfortable shoes to get around the area.

To get access to the interior of the palace you will need to purchase tickets which can be done in advance and are relatively inexpensive with prices starting from around €10 per person.

You can purchase either a park ticket or else a park and palace ticket – the difference being that the park only ticket will let you have access to the grounds of the Palace but not the palace interior itself. It is not essential to go inside the building itself but we would recommend doing this to make sure you get to enjoy the full experience of Pena Palace.

On site, there is a small cafe and gift shop available with a terraced seating area if you need to take some rest after the hilly walk and from there you will also get some beautiful views of the surrounding hills of the area.

From our experience, we would recommend spending at least 1-2 hours at Pena Palace to make the most of your time there.

Quinta da Regaleira

The next stop on your trip to Sintra will be Quinta de Regaleira. As you make your way back down the hill from Pena Palace will you likely spot people queuing for the bus along the road side, across from where you had been dropped off earlier.

The journey from Pena Palace to Quinta de Regaleira takes around 15 – 20 minutes by bus. Again, if you only have a day in Sintra we would recommend purchasing skip the line tickets in advance to maximise your time away from the dreaded queues. Skip the line tickets cost around €20 at the time of writing.

The main thing Quinta de Regaleira is renowned for is its spiral staircase at the initiation well and if you are looking for a photo that is the place to get it.

That being said, there is a lot more to see and do here including the Fountain of Abundance and Chapel of the Holy Trinity. Again, we would recommend spending about 2 hours here to give you sufficient time toe explore the palace grounds.

Other places to visit in Sintra

These were just the places we would recommend visiting on a one day trip from Lisbon to Sintra but if you do have more time available we would also recommend visiting:

• Sintra Village
• National Palace of Sintra
• Castle of the Moors