Day trip Sintra Portugal - Private tour / Temporarily unavailable
Magical day trip: Discover the castles and palaces of Sintra
Opt for a day trip to Sintra with private guide by Jinah Trans and travel back in time with your partner, friends or family to a magical world full of history and fantasy. Dreamy castles and romantic palaces adorn the surroundinghills just northwest of Lisbon. The architecture delivers scenes plucked from a movie. However, mystery is not all that this fantastic region has to offer on an exciting sightseeing tour through Sintra.
The love affair of romantic souls in this region stretches over the centuries. Even the famous poet Lord Byron glorified the area.
Byron missed the boat
Lord Byron, British romantic poet (late 18th, the beginning of the 19th century) missed the boat to Malta and ended up in Lisbon from where he travelled to Sintra. His writings describe that he landed in heaven and Sintra became his “glorious Eden”.
Maybe, some 200 years later, this will also be true for you.
Programme
Full day
The best way to see a lot with your partner or family in 1 day
While on a day tour in Sintra, it is virtually impossible to drive around and park with our minibus. The best way to discover Sintra and the surrounding area is by taking the hop-on hop-off bus. Whatever you choose to visit on this day trip, our English-speaking guide will accompany you throughout the day. During this day tour, he will tell you everything you want to know!
Tourist bus 434: takes you from the train station to Palácio da Pena and the Castelo dos Mouros, and back. This is the best method to avoid climbing a very challenging hill.
Tourist bus 435: runs from the train station to Palácio de Monserrate, passes the historic centre, stops at the Quinta da Regaleira and the Seteais Palace (now the Tivoli Palácio de Seteais Sintra hotel).
In the morning
Sights in Sintra that you should definitely see on this city trip:
Palácio da Pena (the Pena Palace): undeniably the romantic signature attraction of Sintra. The exterior is painted and tiled with sumptuous vivid colours and mythological statuesque creatures decorate the walls. The palace interiors offer many examples of rich opulence and decadent extravagance. As a counterpoint to all this, the park surrounding the palace has recuperative shaded walkways, serene hidden lakes and exotic flora.
Best time to visit: in the morning
Late morning
Moorish castle
Castelo dos Mouros (Moorish castle): this idyllic ruin which nestles in a dense forest was originally constructed by the Moors (8-11th century) as an observational stronghold. It offers truly stunning views over the Sintra region!
Noon-Lunch
Palace of Sintra
Palácio Nacional de Sintra (National Palace of Sintra): This Gothic palace in the heart of Sintra has been the preferred residence of the Portuguese nobility for centuries. With the two striking huge kitchen chimneys and varied staterooms one can witness the full history of the palace.
In the afternoon
Monserrate Palace
Palácio de Monserrate (Monserrate Palace): Built by Sir Francis Cook, a rich English merchant of the 19th century, this impressive building reflects an opulent Indian palace. It follows the geometric patterns and symmetry found in Arabic and Mongol architecture and holds magnificent fine marble latticework. Its corresponding park is a peaceful green area to enjoy fully.
Late afternoon
Quinta da Regaleira
Quinta da Regaleira: This impressive castle with a richly decorated facade looks a bit spooky. In the surrounding estate you will find small structures full of symbols and secret messages, mysterious corridors and underground crypts. There are references to the Templars, the Freemasons, Alchemy and the Rosicrucians. The domain also has a very deep well, the "inverted tower", with a spiral staircase that would allow you to descend into the depths of the earth. Thanks, but no thanks… because it seems that unexplainable things happen here…
Good to know
- Some lunch bars offer small snacks at reasonable prices
- Sintra is generally quite busy, so a restaurant visit can take some time. Booking in advance is necessary
- If you want to make the most of the time on your day trip, you can always bring your picnic
Below you will find some price indications for sights and tourist buses (keep in mind that these can change at any time)
- Museum entrance fees; below are price indications for adults for visiting some of the sights:
- Palácio da Pena and park: € 14.00
- Castelo dos Mouros: € 8.00
- Palácio Nacional de Sintra: € 10.00
- Palácio de Monserrate and park: € 8.00
- Quinta da Regaleira: € 8.00
Hop on-Hop off and other tourist buses (price indications are subject to change):
- Tourist bus 434 costs € 6.90 for the entire route
- Tourist bus 435 costs € 5.00 for the entire route
Ask a question
Book well in advance! Why?
Making your reservation in advance is always necessary! Jinah Trans’ airport transfer service and day trips with private driver have become very popular over the years. Therefore, book well in advance so we don't have to disappoint you.
Airport transfers can be booked online. If you don't want to order online, send us an e-mail. Also contact us if you want to plan a day trip. We will be happy to assist you!
