Sintra - Portugal
About 30 km from Lisbon lies the magical town of Sintra, the trip to the town will make you feel like you are in a fairy tale.
The town of Sintra is one of the most picturesque and magical towns in Portugal and is considered one of the most sought-after destinations for day trips from Lisbon.
The historic center of Sintra is one of the milestones on a trip to Portugal on the way from Lisbon in the south to Porto in the north of the country.
During the trip, you will be exposed to impressive palaces and buildings from different periods, magnificent beaches and cliffs, multi-colored forests, many and varied local delicacies, and of course you will find yourself falling in love with the mysterious and wonderful streets of the town itself, which in 1995 UNESCO even declared the cultural landscape of Sintra as a World Heritage Site .
Many come to the town as part of a very popular day trip from Lisbon, but Sintra is much more than a day trip destination.
The city offers the general public a variety of interesting activities ranging from exotic nature trips to architectural tours.
In general, a trip to Sintra can suit both families and couples who are looking for a romantic corner of nature to spend a day or two in. Culinary people will also have something to taste there, Sintra offers a variety of authentic restaurants and various wine shops.
(As you already understood, it's worth a visit)
We will continue with the milestones in the city and the various attractions you can find,
It is not for nothing that Sinatra is defined as "Disneyland for adults", the palaces and luxury mansions built here for the residence of the Portuguese nobles compete with each other as to who is more beautiful and provide a magical sight and a spectacular experience.
Due to being located on mountains, Sinatra will not allow you to walk comfortably between different attractions and it will require you to rent a car or travel from site to site by bus, each of the attractions in the city is a whole world in itself and therefore to exhaust it requires at least several hours.
Pena Palace - palácio Nacional da Pena
Pena Palace is considered the most famous in Sintra and is definitely one of the most spectacular buildings you will see.
It was originally built as a monastery and was converted in the 19th century into the residence of King Ferdinand II. The entrance to the place opens with the payment desks on the plain from which you have to go up on foot (about 500 meters) or take a shuttle to the entrance to the palace.
Inside you can tour the rooms of the palace and go out to the many balconies, take pictures and be impressed.
The National Park (Valley of the Lakes) - Vale dos Lagos
The National Park of Sintra offers a selection of green and beautiful hiking trails of varying levels of difficulty.
Some of them start at Pena Palace itself, so it is advisable to go to the souvenir shop and get a free map of the park and its routes. The "Valley of the Lakes" is considered one of the easiest and most charming routes in the park, with lakes full of cute ducks, magnificent woods, different landscapes, magical corners by the side of the road and more.
Moorish fortress - Castelo dos Mouros
One of the must-sees in the city, an ancient fortress from the ninth century, surrounded by natural and pastoral woods.
The main remnant of the fort is a long wall and stairs to an overlook of the mesmerizing city.
Monteiro Palace complex - Quinta da Regaleira
A huge and magnificent building that is recognized as a UNESCO heritage site and is an integral part of Sintra's cultural landscape.
The palace is also known as the "Millionaire Monteiro Palace", based on the nickname of its former owner, Antonio Augusto Carvalho Monteiro.
The amazing structure consists of a beautiful palace and a magnificent park that includes lakes, magical sitting areas, fountains, several special buildings and forts, observation points and, of course, the famous well that has become the hallmark of the place.
The most wonderful part of the visit is wandering through the underground paths that cross the garden and its winding and complicated paths that only make you want to lose yourself in the wonders of the garden and see every part of the complex.
Each path leads to a different place - the bottom of the well, small lakes, points under the waterfall, stone paths and caves carved in stone.
The buildings in the estate are ancient and impressive, and the whole place gives the feeling of wandering in an era of royal houses and knights.
You can navigate the place using the orderly signage and the map distributed at the entrance.
For a tour of one of the most spectacular attractions in Sintra without waiting in lines, order tickets in the calendar below
Park and Palace of Monserrate - Parque e Palacio de Monserrate
It is an English mansion that is not located in the city center but is worth the visit, the park and the famous Monserrat Palace were built according to the romantic architecture from the 19th century and are characterized by an ancient and dreamy historical appearance, influenced by many architectural styles such as Gothic, Indian and Moorish.
This palace is also used for a variety of cultural and music events.
The park itself is full of sitting areas and is a nice place to relax in nature.
For your attention - the park is spacious and walking in it is not easy, it involves climbing uphill and walking downhill, including steep stairs, which are suitable for those with walking difficulties.
During the tourist season, shuttles operate in the park to transport visitors between its various parts, but don't rely on the locals in terms of times.
South Bay - Cape Da Roca
About 40 kilometers west of Lisbon, is one of the most special and spectacular places in all of Europe, a bay considered the southernmost point in Portugal and continental Europe (not including the islands).
Beyond the prestige of the place due to being "the most", visitors to the place will get to see cliffs that rise to a height of about 150 meters of power and from which you can watch a spectacular view of the Atlantic Ocean, stretching to the horizon.
Before the Portuguese Age of Discovery, no one had sailed west from mainland Europe and therefore, the popular belief was that this point was the end of the world, and beyond that there was nothing but the ocean.
And since at that time they still thought that the world was flat - they thought that whoever continued and sailed west would fall off the edge of the world.
The most convenient way to get to Cabo de Roca is by rental car, but you can also get there by bus from Sintra.
Daily bus trip - hop and off
The tourist bus travel method here will allow you to purchase a day ticket, catch the bus at any stop, get off to visit the nearby attraction and get back on. This method is used in many countries in the world.
Which makes the routes easier due to the steep ups and downs from place to place, since you won't be able to see all the city's sites in just one day, the hop-on-off will help you make the most of it in a better way.
As you have already noticed, Sinatra is full of various attractions and spectacular views,
But how can you go for a walk on an empty stomach...
And so, we've put a little culinary order in order for you, which will help you plan your trip in the town.
Due to the proximity of Sintra and Lisbon, there are very similar culinary characteristics between the two, seafood and fresh fish characterize most of the city's restaurants and you can find them on almost every menu.
In addition, you can find the local zinjinia liqueur, a Portuguese liqueur made by soaking sour cherries in alcohol and adding sugar and other ingredients, it is a drink particularly typical of Lisbon and is popular throughout Portugal.
As mentioned, Portugal is a country with a unique past and history, and therefore, the way of eating it is also absolutely unique.
It seems that the Portuguese people prefer to eat small and measured portions several times during the day than heavy and large meals, and we definitely recommend trying to get into this and taste as much of the local food as possible. The Portuguese love dishes that can be grabbed with a cold beer in the middle of the day and one of the favorite dishes is undoubtedly the francesina sandwich.
A kind of local delicacy consisting of two slices of toasted bread, among which are pork sausages, pork steak and pork cutlets.
The sandwich is toasted and wrapped in yellow cheese, and just before serving, hot beer sauce is poured over everything so that the cheese melts. If you are not kosher observant, this is a delicacy that should not be missed.
To sweeten the coffee, you should try the national pastry Pasteis de Nata - doughy pastel filled with Nutella chocolate.
The city has several recommended restaurants, in almost all of them you will find the foods we mentioned before, alongside grilled delicacies, various breads, excellent Italian food, selected meats and fine wines.
Example restaurants are Arola, Nau Palatina, Taverna Dos Trovadores and Saudade which is considered one of the most recommended cafe-restaurants in Portugal.
Stuff Worth knowing before going on a trip
Car Rental
If you rented a car you can drive to Sintra, leave the car in one The regulated parking lots and explore the city with a Hop On-Hop Off bus or with a local tuk tuk.
(Please note, the roads in Sintra are winding, narrow and most of them are one-way, you will not necessarily be able to get to the various attractions by car and you will have to park in parking lots where places are limited, keep in mind that during the tourist seasons Sintra is packed with visitors)
The trip from Lisbon to Sintra, which is located about 30 kilometers north-west of Lisbon, will take about 30 minutes, a continuous drive through road number A37/A16.
a train
drive from a station Rossio Station In the city center of Lisbon, about 40 minutes drive or from the train station The Oriente, also in Lisbon about 45 minutes drive.
Trains leave Lisbon for Sintra every half hour (or more on weekends), one-way ticket costs €2.25.
Another option is to rent a car in the city of Sintra itself after arriving by train/other means of transportation, in the non-touristy seasons this solution can save you quite a bit of money.
Accommodation in Sintra
As mentioned, many will choose to spend the night in Sintra and leave it for star trips, those of you who choose to spend the night in Sintra itself, will most often request to spend the night in the Old City area, and especially near the City Hall.
For those of you who come with a car, I would recommend staying in more peripheral areas with an inn that includes parking and is accessible to the car.
It should be taken into account that in the summer the demand for all recommended types of accommodation is high, especially for families or for those looking for accommodation for a large group or, alternatively, who have less flexible requirements for the nature of the accommodation, it is recommended to book the accommodation in advance.
When to visit Sintra
Each season has advantages and disadvantages.
Visiting Sintra in winter will be less crowded with tourists and you will be able to find yourself more easily in terms of places to stay and booking places for various sites and restaurants around the city.
On the other hand, the downside is that despite the mysterious atmosphere that winter brings to the town, you may encounter treacherous weather that may ruin your plans, certainly on the walking routes, and at the various observation points.
In the summer season, Sintra is packed with tourists, the weather is pleasant and allows you to walk around in short clothes and enjoy good views in all the sites.
Either way - try to avoid visiting the sites on Sundays, because they are very busy, and the entrance to Cabo Da Roca is closed after a certain number of visitors, and it would be a shame to get there and be disappointed.
In conclusion, the town of Sintra is an important milestone on a trip to Portugal and every traveler who reaches it will only win, order tickets now and enjoy an unforgettable vacation!
