Traveling with Laura

Sintra is one of the most popular day trips from Lisbon. Just 15 miles northwest of the city, Sintra is known for the colorful Pena Palace and hauntingly beautiful Quinta de Regalia, both of which were on my agenda for today. Despite the cloudy skies, I was determined to make the best of my day out of Lisbon.

I started my day with a walk to the Rossio train station in Lisbon. It was still completely dark as I navigated stairs, hills, and tiled sidewalks to catch the 7:01AM train to Sintra. Rossio station is bright and modern and was nearly deserted at the early hour.

My train arrived in Sintra at 7:40AM, and I knew immediately I wasn’t in Lisbon anymore. Sintra is in the hills and has a completely different feel. From the train station, I walked into what I assume is the newer part of town before walking to the historic center. I had been planning a stop at Casa Piriquita for an afternoon snack but decided it would be just as good for breakfast. I enjoyed their famous travesseiro filled with Nutella.

I couldn’t figure out where the bus pick up location was in town so I walked back to the train station and tourist office. Good thing I did because I learned that the buses to Pena Palace can’t get all the way to the palace right now due to damage from recent storms. Long story short, I ended up taking an Uber (much cheaper than a bus pass) to Miradouro de Santa Eufémia, the closest driveable point to Pena Palace. I then had to hike about 25 minutes to get to the entrance via a forest trail. And when I say “hike”, I literally mean steep uphill and downhill climbs. Sintra is very steep and hilly. I walked about 8 miles today, not factoring in elevation gain, and I know I will be feeling it tomorrow.

I didn’t want to go inside the palace because I had read reviews that it’s not worth it. Instead I stuck to the outside and first explored the park surrounding the palace. I took a trail to the high cross and then looped back to the palace. Everything is vibrant green and many of the rocks, trees, and trails are covered in moss.

The trail was much longer and steeper than I expected and I was exhausted already by the time I finally got to Pena Palace. I took some pictures of the colorful exterior and walked around the terraces. It was extremely crowded for a cloudy Tuesday in February; I can’t imagine the mobs on a sunny summer day!

After Pena Palace, I hiked over to the Moorish Castle, also set high on a hill and about 15 minutes (downhill and then back up) from Pena Palace. As if I hadn’t done enough uphill hiking, the castle involves a LOT of steep steps. I climbed up and down taking pictures and enjoying the views overlooking Sintra, the surrounding towns, and the distant coastline. You can also see Pena Palace on the hill above. 

Next up was a hike down into town for a snack. The hike down is just as steep as the one going up, filled with steep inclines and steps in places. After all that hiking, I decided I deserved a scoop of gelato for “lunch”. I had a small scoop of Madagascar vanilla and sat on the steps to enjoy it.

Then it was off to walk some more. Next up was Quinta da Regaleira, a palace built in the early 20th century. The property contains the palace and chapel, as well as numerous grottoes, fountains, and gardens. By this time, I was completely exhausted. I climbed up and down some more, admiring the gardens and stone structures, many of which can be climbed via spiral staircases. I also visited the most famous/popular attraction: the Initiation Well. You start at the top and a circular staircase winds down several levels. Unfortunately, it gets very wet as you go down, with water dripping from above and flowing down the stairs. After that, I knew I was done. And when I decide I’m done with something, I’m really done. I walked back to the mansion and chapel, took a few more pictures, and then walked back into town.

I know being hungry wasn’t helping so I grabbed an outdoor table at Loja do Vinho. I ordered a bruschetta with smoked ham and cheese and (another) Somersby cider. It was good but I was tired, cold, and my legs were feeling the effects of the day. I didn’t really care what I ate at that point.

I finished eating around 5PM and had time to get another pastel de nata from Fábrica da Nata for dessert. This one was better than yesterday’s, but not as good as Sunday’s, if you’re keeping track. I wandered into a few shops and then walked back to the train station for the 5:50PM train back to Lisbon.

Is Sintra worth a day trip? I realize this may be an unpopular opinion, and the weather certainly didn’t help my impressions, but I wasn’t wowed. I found Sintra to be a bit overhyped, crowded, and the actual experience didn’t really live up to my expectations. I’m sure sunny skies would have made for a better day. I’m not disappointed I went, but it felt like checking it off a list rather than truly enjoying it.