Welcome to Sintra

Portugal's ancient mystical home of Romanticism, Moon Godesses, Enchanted Forests and Opulent Palaces.

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YOUR SINTRA ADVENTURE STARTS HERE

Welcome to MADABOUTSINTRA.COM, the web's most comprehensible guide to Sintra and the number-one day-trip destination from Lisbon. Here you can uncover the town's mysteries and plan your adventure to suit your itinerary. Find out where to go and how to get there. Discover the best ways to travel to Sintra and onwards to Sintra's top attractions. Avoid queues and book online before you travel at your convenience. Enjoy the benefits of having entrance tickets sent to your phone. Enjoy the benefits of saving time and money with the Sintra Pass and the Lisbon Card. Sintra's magical places have inspired people for thousands of years and are now awaiting you.

AN INTRODUCTION TO SINTRA

North of Lisbon and close to the Atlantic is the fairytale town of Sintra, (formerly "Cintra"). For centuries Sintra's beautiful setting amongst the forests of the Serra de Sintra and moderate climate has been a draw for royals, poets, romantics and visitors alike. Lord Byron once described Sintra as a "glorious Eden". Sintra has more palaces, fine houses, castles and other places of interest to shake a proverbial stick at. There is an aura of playfulness here with a touch of the absurd, eccentricity and kitsch, enough to make architectural Puritans shudder‚ yet easy to fall in love with. In 1996 Sintra's uniqueness was recognised by UNESCO and added to its list of heritage sites.

Millennia of occupation in the town, and the surrounding area, has left an abundance of monuments and attractions to visit. Most of which are within easy reach using local public transport. From the train station, dedicated buses whisk visitors to Sintra's top attractions. Bus number #434 is a circular route linking Sintra train station, the old town centre, the Moorish Castle and Pena Palace. Whereas the bus number #435 will take you to the Quinta da Regaleira, Palácio de Seteais and Palácio de Monserrate. There exists a plethora of guided and private tours to choose from for a more informative and unique experience. Well-signed hiking routes criss-cross the region over beautiful landscapes allowing visitors to walk in the footsteps of the ancients.

There's also a broad choice of places to eat to choose from. Our detailed restaurant reviews and cuisine guide will advise you on the best places to suit your requirements. Hopefully, our insightful website will inspire you to stay longer than a day and experience Sintra to the full. Sintra also makes an excellent base for exploring the surrounding region. The beautiful coastline is an enjoyable tram ride away. Local buses can take you to Cascais, Estoril, Ericeira, Lisbon and Mafra. Alcobaça, Batalha, Fátima, Óbidos and Tomar are all within easy reach by hire-car, whilst avoiding Lisbon's chaotic traffic MADABOUTSINTRA.COM is at hand with Hotel reviews and the best deals for car rental.


Day Itineraries
Sintra's colourful town centre and telephone box

Sintra Vila Velha (old town centre)


TOP ATTRACTIONS IN SINTRA

Monserrate Palace

Beautiful eclectic architecture with landscaped gardens

Moorish Castle

A mighty 10th Century fortification dating from pre-Christian times

Pena Palace

One of the most iconic and eccentric Portuguese buildings

National Palace of Sintra

Portugal's oldest palace pre-dating the country itself

Quinta da Regaleira

A place full of mysticism, romance, wonder and magic

National Palace of Queluz

An impressive 18th-century palace, a homage to the Baroque style

Capuchos Convent

A beautiful 16th-century convent harmoniously blended into the landscape

Cabo da Roca

The most westerly point in mainland Europe with breathtaking scenery

Sintra Old Town

SINTRA'S HISTORIC CENTRE

Sintra has two distinctive districts; the new part and the old. The new part surrounds the train station Portela de Sintra. The old village is located in São Martinho up the hill and west of the Sintra train station. The Largo Rainha Dona Amélia in the centre of the old town would be the first place you'll encounter if you've arrived by coach from Lisbon or taken the bus from the train station. Flanked on three sides by restaurants, gift shops and overpriced wine shops and, dominating the other side, stands the imposing Palácio Nacional de Sintra. It has distinctive champagne bottled-shaped chimneys. The pillory or Pelourinho standing on its three steps next to the Largo Rainha Dona Amélia is a 20th-century copy made in 1940 by José da Fonseca. The original Pelourinho was destroyed in 1854. [ More About ► ]

What to see…

Fountains Sintra Myths & Legends Interactive Centre

SINTRA'S OLD TRAM (ELÉCTRICO DE SINTRA)

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 11.5km (7 mi) through the picturesque 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.
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


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Sintra - Praia das Maças Old Tram (Eléctrico de Sintra)

Sintra - Praia das Maças Old Tram (Eléctrico de Sintra)

Museu Arqueolgico de São Odrinhas

MUSEUMS OF SINTRA

Over past epochs, Sintra's diverse history has accumulated several artefacts, curiosities; creating a broad cultural heritage. Treasures from various eras can be found within the towns museums and art galleries. Sintra boasts unique collections of fossils, art pieces and toys.

The cultural legacy left by the poets, artists, royals and enigmatic characters who once dwelt here can be found within the homes they bequeathed to history.

What to see…

Air Museum Archeology Museum Natural History Museum

QUEIJADAS DE SINTRA

Variations of Queijadas, sweet cheesecake-type pastries, are found all over Portugal and the Portuguese-speaking world. It is in Sintra they have their origin and are well worth trying if visiting the town. Made from a ricotta-like cheese called Requeijão, egg yolks and a pinch of Cinnamon. They're incredibly rich in texture and sweet, with a fluffy sweet top crust. The exact recipe is a closely guarded secret. There are records of Queijadas being baked at the Convento da Penha Longa since 1227AD. Queijadas were even used as part payment for rent.

The Queijadas da Sapa bakery has proudly been making these little delights since 1756 and continues to be made in the traditional yet time-consuming way. Queijadas can be bought directly from the bakery, (located close to the Sintra train station) or from various other outlets across town. A six-pack makes an excellent culinary souvenir.

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Queijada de Sintra

Fabrica das Verdadeiras Queijadas da Sapa

ONLINE ENTRANCE TICKETS

DAY TRIPS FROM SINTRA

Batalha Monastery

Dating from the 14th century, one of Europe's finest Gothic masterpieces

Cascais

The absolute jewel of the Lisbon coast and favoured resort of Royalty

Ericeira

Beautiful fishing village and surfing Mecca untouched by mass tourism

Estoril

An exclusive resort know by many as Portugal's Riviera

Mafra

Portugal's largest building, the Palace that bankrupted a nation

Ó́bidos

The stunning preserved medieval town once a wedding gift for a Queen

Sesimbra

A delightful seaside resort and fishing village South of Lisbon

Tomar

The home of Portugal's Templar Knights a town entwined in history

Colares Wine Tasting

COLARES WINE TASTING

Colares, located around Sintra, is one of the world's oldest wine-producing regions, if not the most unusual. The Romans introduced viniculture to the area during their occupation, starting in 206 BCE. The grape vines are planted in the coastal dunes and trained low to avoid the Atlantic winds. This terrain proved too harsh for the phylloxera louse that devastated nearly all of Europe's vines in the 19th century. The shortage of competitors led to a boom in the popularity of Colares wines. However, the processes involved in planting and training vines in the sand are arduous. Production has fallen sharply in the last 50 years from 2,500 acres of vineyards in the 1940s to just 50 acres today.

The small amount produced is of excellent quality and wholly distinct. The acidic and tannic nature of the reds means they're aged for many years before being released on the market. Today there is a consorted effort to revitalise the industry, and new vines are being planted. You can savour this unique product and enjoy a fascinating insight into age-old traditions on a visit to a Colares winery. Several Colares wine producers welcome visitors and are eager to share their passion. [ More About ► ]

TRAVELLING TO SINTRA

Lisbon Airport
Grab the Lisbon/Sintra Digital Pass
Train to Sintra
Booking.com

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Bus 434

Sintra's historical centre is 18 miles (29km) west of Lisbon Portela Airport Website

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The speedy A5 and A16 motorways will whisk you west from central Lisbon. A more picturesque routes from Cascais via the Parque Natural de Sintra-Cascais on the A16 and N247.
Latitude - 38º 47' 56.6" | Longitude - 09º 23' 15.9"

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Urban train services (comboios urbanos) from Lisbon's Rossio and Orient stations are regular and reliable.
• Azambuja/Lisboa/Sintra line Timetable
Trains of Portugal Website

Flixbus Operate services from Porto, Coimbra, Faro, Madrid & Toulouse
Flixbus Website, Timetables & Buy tickets online

Rede Expressos Operate national and international coach services in comfort:
Rede Expressos Website, Timetables & Buy tickets online

Carris Metropolitana run services around Sintra and Cascais:
• 1242, 1247, 1248 & 1254 – Portela de Sintra – Azenhas do Mar
• 1248 – Sintra (Estação) – Praia Maçãs
• 1249 – Portela Sintra (Estação Norte) - Magoito (Praia)
• 1250 – Sintra – Praia Grande via Colares
• 1253 – Sintra (Estação) via Cabo da Roca | Circular
• 1623 - Cascais - Portela Sintra (direct)
• 1624 - Cascais - Portela de Sintra (via Azóia & Almoçageme)
• 1629 – Estoril - Portela de Sintra
• 1633 – Ericeira - Portela de Sintra
• 2626 – Mafra - Portela de Sintra
• 1241, 1242, 1250, 1253 & 1254 – Colares - Portela de Sintra
Carris Metropolitana Website & Timetables

ScottURB run services to the palaces:
• 434 - Circular route linking Sintra train station, old town centre, the Moorish castle and Pena Palace.
• 435 - Circular route linking Sintra train station, old town centre, Palácio da Regaleira, Palácio de Seteais and Palácio de Monserrate.
Timetables | Scott URB Website

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