Romantic palaces & wooded hills
Sintra
Sintra · Fairy-tale palaces in misty hills
PalacesGardensDay trips
A cool, misty hill town where Portuguese royalty and romantics built a fantasy of candy-colored palaces, secret gardens and hilltop castles. Sintra’s wooded slopes hide some of Europe’s most extravagant estates.
Top sightsSights
01
Pena Palace
A riot of red, yellow and tile atop a forested peak.
02
Quinta da Regaleira
A mystical estate with an initiation well and grottoes.
03
Moorish Castle
Ruined ramparts snaking along the ridge.
04
Monserrate Palace
An exotic villa in lush botanical gardens.
05
Cabo da Roca
The westernmost point of continental Europe, nearby.
What to eatFood
Travesseiros
Flaky almond-cream pastries unique to Sintra.
Queijadas
Little cinnamon-spiced cheese tarts.
Pastel de nata
Portugal’s beloved custard tart.
Good to know
- Arrive early — Sintra gets very crowded by midday.
- Buy palace tickets online and use the hop-on bus between sites.
- It is an easy 40-minute train ride from Lisbon.
Getting there
Frequent trains run from Lisbon’s Rossio station to Sintra in about 40 minutes.
Next city
Faro