How to Spend One Day in Sintra

How to spend the perfect 24 hours in Portugal’s fairytale town of Sintra. 

If fairytales came to life, they’d be set in Sintra. The UNESCO city, known for the bright gold Pena Palace and ruins of a Moorish Castle peeking out above the clouds, is in every Portugal traveler’s guidebook and – as the crowds illustrate – has a top place on pretty much all itineraries.

But it’s not just the sights that make Sintra a storybook scene; it’s the quiet backstreets and lesser-known paths up to the crowded landmarks that make a trip to Sintra truly magical.

We visited Sintra for one day and night (arriving after a rather tumultuous car breakdown in the middle of nowhere). While we planned for a day and a half, the good old car breakdown left us with just one – count it ONE – day to see this incredible city. Here’s how we did it – conquering Portugal’s beautiful Sintra (including Pena Palace, the Moorish Castle and Sintra’s labyrinth of streets) in just 24 hours.

Note, we spent the night prior here, so we had the luxury of waking up in Sintra. You can also take trains from Lisbon here early in the a.m.

MORNING

Wake up early to grab coffee (dear God, don’t miss this step) and fuel up, because today’s Sintra exploration requires a bit of hiking.

You’ll start at Pena Palace to see that gem before the crowds (er, attempt…), but if you’re reading this blog you probably don’t want to get there the conventional way. Oh no. You want the story … so that’s why you hike!

Sintra has trails throughout the city and into the surrounding hillsides. We took the 1.5-mile Seteais trail, starting near the Quinta da Regaleira (look for the Rampa da Pena sign), bushwacking through some forests before stumbling upon our first peeks at the red-and-gold beacon that is Pena Palace. Sorry to say — even from these early vantage points, you still have a ways to go.

Brace yourself, though, because the closer you get, the more your heart’s racing (and not just from the hills). Pena Palace is fantastical in style with a yellow, red and lavender facade. It sits high above the city with views out to the sea.

The closer you get, the more excited you’ll become – but, unfortunately, you’ll also begin seeing tour buses. All the tour buses. You may be judged for the layer of sweat you’ve developed on your hike (I mean, really, hiking will always trump tour buses IMHO), but fear not: You’ve earned it. Now it’s time to explore Pena Palace, sweaty clothes and all.

AFTERNOON

Pena Palace Tour 

When I say tour, I’m talking self guided. The Palace gets busy even first thing in the morning, so you’ll want the freedom to explore at your own speed (which was quickly for us – I’m not a “crowd” fan). Start outside to get photos before the castle’s exterior is filled with people; the architecture makes for a stunning photo backdrop, as does, well, every part of this colorful sight.

Inside is like most European palaces – historical exhibits, a church, etc. We flew through pretty fast because by 11 a.m., the lines to read about the exhibits were at least three people deep.

Last stop at Pena? The Cruz Alta/ High Cross, part of the Park of Pena and one of the highest points in Sintra. Getting there is a mere 528 meter climb, but it’s a little tricky; follow the signposts diligently to avoid getting lost.

 

Now that you’ve explored every inch of Pena Palace, it’s time for stop two:

The Moorish Castle

You can hike from Pena Palace to the Moorish Castle; it’s about 20 to 30 minutes, depending on how you’re feeling. Yes, it’s another uphill one but, I mean, at least you’re earning that port wine for later, eh?

Your visit here will be much quicker, with a stroll through the castle remains, some views of Pena Palace from afar and a bit more Portuguese history. It took us about one hour to explore this castle. (I’m sure part of that speed was my growing “hangry” spells…)

LATE AFTERNOON

Here’s where the climb’s truly rewarding: At this point, it’s all downhill. {Insert huge sigh of relief.} Wind your way out of the Moorish Castle and back down toward Sintra’s quaint downtown area. While small, this winding maze of stores and restaurants is the perfect way to grab some souvenirs and unwind from your uber-active morning adventures.

EVENING

So you’ve hiked the hills, shopped ’til you dropped, devoured Sintra’s dishes — now what? Now, my friend, you drink. The Bar Fonte da Pipa is a great place to see the real, edgier side of Sintra while unwinding from a wild day. We went on a Friday night and were by far the only tourists. The beer is your standard “buzz before taste” type (aka, bleh beer) but whatever. We drank, we people watched and we spent at least 30 minutes guessing the musicians on the bar’s wall mural below (how many can you name?).

And after that you can finally call it a day. Whether it’s back to Lisbon or a night in Sintra, rest assured you’ve seen the best of the best in this one-of-a-kind destination.

MUST KNOWS

• Pena Palace opens at 9:30 a.m. and those who can’t hike up can find alternative options here
• The Moorish Castle also opens at 9:30 a.m.; alternative transportation options can be found here
• We stayed at the Sintra Boutique Hotel and would highly recommend it
• And last, check here for the train schedule between Lisbon and Sintra

Are you visiting Portugal’s Algarve region, too? Check out my review of the beautiful Algarve seaside resort, Vilalara Thalassa, for some inspiration!