Once you arrive in Sintra you will need to find somewhere outside the old town to park. Since 2018 the cobbled narrow and steep roads of Sintra are out of bounds for drivers without a permit. Permits are mostly reserved for residents only.
On the residential side of Sintra, 1.5km east of the old town, close to the Portel de Sintra train station, is a large car park and is the best option during the summer. The maximum fare per day is €1.50. There's a "Park and Ride" system in place, show your parking ticket to the driver and you'll get a free transfer to Sinta town centre where bus connections wait to take you further on. Buses run every seven minutes or so.
There's also a fair-sized car park closer to the town train station, just behind the Pingo Doce supermarket. From there, it's an easy stroll to catch the local bus to take you to where you want to go.
Enjoy the flexibility and freedom of a Sintra tour in a 100% electric, eco-friendly storytelling vehicle with GPS audio guidance. It's a talking car! The vehicle is your tour guide and a reliable copilot. While driving, this shows you Sintra in a relaxed, fun and innovative way.
LAS Tours | (233) | 9hrs (approx.) |
The Bus #434 – Circuito da Pena
This circular service is operated by Scott URB and ideal for those arriving from Lisbon by train. The route starts outside of the Sintra train station (NOT Portela de Sintra station), up the hill to Sintra Old Town centre where you'll find the National Palace and most of the towns restaurants, cafés and shops. From here it continues to meander up the steep windy road to the Moorish Castle (Castelo dos Mouros). The bus continues its hike to the Pena Palace (Palácio da Pena) and its surrounding park before descending back down to the train station. At a push then it's possible to do all three attractions in one day however two is sufficient, especially if you're considering having lunch in the town centre. Tickets are bought onboard from the driver.
Return: €7.60 | One Way: €4.10 | Timetable
The Bus #435 – Villa Express & 4 Palacios
The 435 is a circular route which after stopping at the old town goes on to Quinta da Regaleira, the Seteais Palace and the Monserrate Palace. The 435 also starts and stops at the train station.
Return: €5.50 | Timetable | Scott URB Website
E Bikes are perfectly suited to making the hilly Sintra region accessible to all active travellers. Park E-Bike offers bike rental for those who need their independence. They also a series of guided tours for those who look for a more insightful experience shared with others. Pick up your e-bike at their office only five minutes on foot from Sintra Portela Train Station. If you are staying in Sintra, they can deliver your e-bikes to your hotel or accommodation.
Park e-Bike | (33) | 8hrs (approx.) |
Pedal around the hilly roads of Sintra with ease on your very own electric bike. Set your own pace and customise your itinerary to explore the many palaces and monuments in the area. Visitors can rent the e-bike for the whole day to check out landmarks like Pena Palace, Quinta da Regaleira, and Sintra National Palace without worrying about parking or waiting for buses. Rent an electric bike to explore the enchanting monuments of Sintra. Bike locks, helmets, parking spaces at monuments, phone holder and phone chargers all included.
(139) | 7 Hr | ✔ Free Cancellation
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A self-guided e-bike tour is a fun way to discover this region of Portugal. You won’t have to worry about keeping up with a group, and you’ll have the freedom to travel at your own pace. The GPS unit means that you won’t get lost, and as it’s an electric bike, you won't get tired legs. Routes vary, but potential highlights include Quinta da Regaleira, National Palace of Sintra, Pena Palace, the Moorish Castle and Sintra-Cascais Nature Reserve. The package includes a Garmin GPS unit so you won’t get lost. Different routes available for all levels of ability.
(15) | 5-8 Hr | ✔ Free Cancellation
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This is the best way to discover and explore the Sintra-Cascais Natural Park. During this tour you’ll visit some of the wonderful beaches and mountains of this natural park. By bicycle we’ll visit the wonderful Sintra village, known as the “land of fairy tales”, where we’ll taste the local sweets (Queijadas de Sintra and Travesseiros), we’ll pass by fantastic castles and palaces. Sintra is definitely a mythical place! With the addition of the wonderful Cascais Coast and its countless and charming beaches on this tour, we can say that it is equivalent to “putting the icing on the cake”. This tour it will be the highlight of your trip to Lisbon. Train tickets from/to Lisbon and Cascais included.
(163) | 8 Hr | ✔ Free Cancellation
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Sintra's vintage tramway resumed its seasonal service from the centre of Sintra, close to the Museu de Arte Moderna, to Praia das Maças on the coast. This rickety old tram squeaks and judders eleven and a half kilometres (7mi) picturesque route up and over the Parque Natural de Sintra-Cascais, passing through Colares and Banzão along the way. Bones are shaken for about 45-50 minutes before reaching the final destination. For a more rapid and comfortable, yet less fun, option take the Scotturb bus.
Old Tram Sintra - Praia das Maças Timetable
Adult: €3.00 Single, OAP & Child: €2.00 Single, Infant <6: FREE
Avenue Heliodoro Salgado, Sintra, Portugal. |
38º 48' 12.0" N | 08º 37' 17.62" W
+351 219 238 789
dtur@cm-sintra.pt | Website
There are a number of hiking trails well signposted between the historic centre and the various attractions of Sintra and surrounding area:
• Santa Maria Trail (Centre to Moorish Castle/Pena; 1770 metres, 1 hour)
• Lapa Trail (Centre to Pena; 1450 metres, 45 minutes)
• Seteais Trail (Centre to Seteais, Pena/Moorish Castle; 2410 metres, 1½ hours)
• Vila Sassetti Trail (Centre - Pena/Moorish Castle; 1850 metres, 45 minutes).
For more information about the walking trails of Sintra [ More About ► ]
Cooperativa Rádio Táxis |
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Rádio Táxis de Colares |
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Táxis de Sintra - Estação |
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Táxis de Sintra - Portela |
There are taxi ranks at the train station and in the old town centre by the post office. The minimum charge is between €3 - €4. Taxies are usually quite reasonable in Portugal, in Sintra they're a little more expensive. There is Uber in Portugal which is a cheaper option but there's no guaranteed phone signal in some of the remote areas of Sintra. Therefore it's useful to have some taxi numbers at hand, you can always use a landline to call them if needed.
Tuk Tuk tours start outside the main entrance of Sintra's train station, hopeful drivers eager to win your custom compete to get your attention. Tuk Tuk is an enjoyable way to explore the magical town of Sintra. Discover why UNESCO granted it World Heritage status first hand as you visit some of the fairytale palaces and gardens. Marvel at the romantic architecture of buildings such as the emblematic Pena Palace and Seteais Palace. Hear how Ferdinand II turned a ruined monastery into a castle using a mix of Gothic, Egyptian, Moorish and Renaissance styles. Journey through some of the parks and gardens full of exotic trees and plants. Explore how the artistic town became the blueprint for landscape architecture throughout Europe at sites such as the amazing Quinta da Regaleira. Guarantee now the best price for your Tuk Tuk tour and pre-book:
Train Station Departure | (40) | 2-4 hrs |
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Sintra and Cabo da Roca | (108) | 2-3 hrs |
8.9/10 Fabulous (2,357 verified customer reviews)
This 150-year-old residence is surrounded by gardens with a swimming pool and offers a view of the Moorish Castle. All rooms are tastefully decorated and some have unique bathrooms with colourfully painted tiles. Wooden floors and soft colours are standard in each of the rooms at Hotel Sintra Jardim. They also have a work desk and a satellite TV and some rooms have French balconies or garden views.
Breakfast is served in the dining room with its cottage-style windows. The garden with its refreshing pool offers a quiet setting to read a book. Younger visitors can enjoy themselves with table tennis and the small playground.
Largo Sousa Brandão 1, 2710 - 506 Sintra, Portugal. | 38° 47' 39.0" N | 09° 23' 01.0" W
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9.1/10 Superb (2,357 verified customer reviews)
Located in the historic centre of Sintra, this boutique hotel offers rooms and suites with views of the old town and Sintra-Cascais Natural Park. It has a landscaped garden where guests can relax at the courtyard bar. Its modern, spacious rooms contain flat-screen TVs and are all individually decorated. Each has a private bathroom that comes with free toiletries. Free Wi-Fi is also provided.
The Sintra Boutique Hotel offers a fine restaurant serving contemporary Portuguese cuisine made from locally sourced ingredients. Breakfast can be prepared upon request.
Rua Visconde De Monserrate nº48, 2710-591 Sintra, Portugal. | 38° 47' 45.8" N | 09° 23' 18.3" W
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9.2/10 Superb (667 verified customer reviews)
Hotel Nova Sintra is conveniently close to the train station and coach/bus stops in Sintra. The hotel benefits from a large sun terrace overlooking the Sintra Mountain Range and a romantic patio shaded by large trees. It features recently renovated rooms decorated tastefully and free Wi-Fi. The rooms come equipped with a satellite TV. They are all uniquely furnished with decorative headboards and antique furniture.
Guests can enjoy breakfast on the patio or the sun terrace. Indoors there is a small living room that also functions as a restaurant and lobby area, serving traditional Portuguese dishes. The villa is situated a short walk from Sintra Old Town.
Praça da República, 2710-616 Sintra, Portugal. | 38° 47' 49.9" N | 09° 23' 27.3" W
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Reminiscent of times past, these loverly carriages are a key feature of Sintra. What could be a more idyllic way to discover such a romantic town than by open-top horse-drawn carriage. Feel like royalty as your carriage leisurely clippity-clops along cobbled streets. There are several different tours available. Usually carriages can be hired in the Old Town centre by the National Palace. Make an agreement with the driver of the route and fare. There are also a few who operate within Pena Park.
A whole range of tours and services are offered by Sintratur whose carriages are restored ‘milords’ and ‘jardineira’ from the 1920s.
Contact Details
16 – 2.º Dt.º Av. Heliodoro Salgado, 2710-572 Sintra , Portugal. |
38º 48' 13.4" N 09º 22' 53.2" W
+351 219 241 238 |
geral@Sintratur.com | Website
A fun way to see Sintra is riding the Tourist Road Train that chugs its way past the most emblematic places of Sintra, namely the National Palace of Sintra, Quinta da Regaleira, Moorish Castle and Pena Palace. The bumpy tour lasts 45 minutes and is accompanied by a commentary. There are several stops along the way and makes an ideal low-cost hop-on/hop-off option. However, the cobbled nature of the roads may make doing the whole route in one a little uncomfortable.
Adult: €8.00 Single, OAP & Child: €5.00 Single, Infant <6: FREE
Transportes Parques da Pena Lda, 12 Avenida Doutor Desidério Cambournac, 2710-553 Sintra.
38º 48' 03.5" N | 09º 22' 41.7" W
+351 918 258 001
geral@comboiodeSintra.pt | Website
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