PT · Lisbon District · 38.80°N 9.39°W

sintra

Bright palace towers, wooded hills and gardens full of tunnels and stone stairways.

Best time
April–June and September–October are best for the gardens. July–August is very crowded; winter brings mist, rain and wind on the hills.
How long
1–2 days
Getting there
Fly with one stop to Lisbon, usually via Dubai, Doha or Istanbul (about 17–19 hours all in). Trains from Lisbon's Rossio station reach Sintra in about 40 minutes. Portugal is 7 hours behind KL in summer and 8 in winter.
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PT · Lisbon Districtsintra38.80°N 9.39°Wgowherelah.com
Dear group chat,Bright palace towers, wooded hills and gardens full of tunnels and stone stairways.— gowherelahTo: whoever’s drivingSintraPT, Lisbon District
KLsintra
≈ 11,588 km from KL, as the crow flies
Sintra - Palacio da Pena

Photo: Singa Hitam · CC BY 2.0

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Photos: Wikimedia Commons, credited on each.

Sintra is a hill town in misty forest, scattered with fairy-tale palaces, a Moorish castle and gardens full of grottoes. It's close to Lisbon, but the hills are steep, so two or three sights make a better day than five.

Makan

  1. TravesseirosFlaky pastry pillows filled with almond and egg cream, still warm if you're lucky.Map ↗
  2. Queijadas de SintraLittle tarts of fresh cheese and cinnamon, the town's other classic.Map ↗

Things to do

  1. Pena PalaceA red-and-yellow 19th-century palace on a hilltop, surrounded by a huge park of exotic trees.Map ↗
  2. Quinta da RegaleiraA mansion with an Initiation Well, a spiral stairway down into the ground with tunnels out to lakes and grottoes.Map ↗
  3. Moorish CastleStone walls running along the ridge, with views to the sea on clear days.Map ↗
  4. Sintra National PalaceThe palace in the town centre, easy to spot by its two huge white kitchen chimneys.Map ↗

Good to know

  • Book Pena online for a time slot, and allow time for the steep walk from the park gate up to the palace.
  • Private cars can't use the road up to Pena and the Moorish Castle; take the 434 bus, a taxi or a ride-hail car from town.
  • Halal food is thin in Sintra; Lisbon's Martim Moniz is the place for a halal dinner afterwards.

Last checked October 2026. Things change, so check opening times, fees and transport before you go.