Things to Do in Lisbon Sintra
Open the Menu

Sintra day trip from Lisbon

The best Lisbon to Sintra day trips

Pena Palace, Quinta da Regaleira, the Moorish Castle and the cliffs of Cabo da Roca: here is how to see Sintra in a day from Lisbon, with honest advice on beating the queues, timed tickets and getting there.

By the Things to Do in Lisbon editorial team 8 tours compared Prices checked 19 October 2026

See our 8 picks
Pena Palace in Sintra with its yellow tower and red battlements against a blue sky

Short answer Yes, Sintra is an easy day trip from Lisbon. A guided day tour from about €22–24 per person covers Pena Palace, Quinta da Regaleira, Cabo da Roca and Cascais in 9–10 hours, but palace tickets are usually extra. Going alone, take the train from Rossio and book a timed Pena ticket ahead: the slot has no delay tolerance, so plan to be early.

Our 8 picks for a Sintra day trip

Five guided day trips for different budgets and group sizes, then the three tickets you need if you go on your own. Every tour starts in Lisbon unless it says otherwise.

Sintra tours and tickets compared

Sintra tours and tickets compared
Tour From Duration Group size Pickup Free cancellation Who it suits Why we picked it
Sintra, Pena, Regaleira, Cabo da Roca and Cascais in one day 4.8 (12,174) €24
per person		 9 hours Private group available Pickup available Yes, up to 24 hours in advance First-timers who want everything in one day without driving Over 12,000 reviews at 4.8 and a pickup option, at the lowest full-day price; add palace tickets when you book.
Small-group Sintra and Cascais day trip 4.8 (5,175) €69
per person		 9 hours Small group; Limited to 8 participants Meet on site Yes, up to 24 hours in advance Couples and families who dislike big coaches The best-rated small-group option (4.8 from over 5,000 reviews) for when you want a guide who knows your name.
Half-day Sintra: Pena Palace and Regaleira 4.9 (1,297) €79
per person		 5.5 hours Private or small groups available Pickup available Yes, up to 24 hours in advance Short stays: Sintra in the morning, Lisbon in the afternoon The highest rating in this list (4.9) and the only half-day option, so you keep an evening for fado or a sunset cruise.
Sintra, Regaleira and the Cascais coast from Rossio 4.7 (24,598) €24
per person		 9.5 - 10 hours Not stated Meet on site Yes, up to 24 hours in advance Budget travellers staying near Rossio The most reviewed Sintra tour on GetYourGuide (over 24,000 reviews, 4.7) at the entry price, meeting in central Lisbon.
Sintra and Cascais day tour with free time by the sea 4.5 (4,229) €23
per person		 9 hours Not stated Pickup available Yes, up to 24 hours in advance Travellers who want an unhurried hour in Cascais The cheapest full-day guided option here, with hotel pickup and free cancellation.
Pena Palace and Park entry ticket 4.3 (21,966) €12
per person		 Valid 1 day Not stated Meet on site No Independent travellers going by train The most-booked of all 77 tours we compared, and the one ticket you should not leave until you arrive.
Quinta da Regaleira entry with audio guide 4.3 (5,289) €27
per person		 80 minutes Not stated Meet on site Yes, up to 24 hours in advance Do-it-yourself visitors who want the stories without a guide Saves the ticket queue at Sintra's second big sight and adds the audio guide that explains the symbols.
Castle of the Moors entry ticket 4.6 (3,638) €12
per person		 Valid 1 day Not stated Meet on site No Walkers and view-hunters with a few spare hours A cheap add-on to a Pena visit and often quieter than the palaces.

Prices and ratings as shown on GetYourGuide on 19 October 2026. Prices are "from" prices in euros and can change; the booking page shows the live price.

Things to do in Sintra in one day

Sintra is a hill town about 30 km north-west of Lisbon, where Portuguese kings and 19th-century romantics built palaces in a misty forest. The whole landscape has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1995. In one day you can comfortably see two of the big sights, three if you start early.

  • Pena Palace: the red and yellow palace on the highest hill, with terraces, furnished rooms and a large park. Plan 2–3 hours.
  • Quinta da Regaleira: a gothic mansion with grottoes, tunnels and the spiral Initiation Well. Plan 1.5–2 hours.
  • Castle of the Moors: walls and towers along the ridge next to Pena, with the widest views. About 1 hour.
  • Sintra old town: lanes around the National Palace, with its two white chimneys, and the travesseiro and queijada pastries.
  • Cabo da Roca and Cascais: most guided tours add the clifftop at the westernmost point of mainland Europe and the seaside town of Cascais (see our Cascais guide).

Guided tour of Sintra or on your own?

A guided tour of Sintra takes care of the two hard parts: getting up the hills between sights and timing the palace entries. The guide also tells the stories behind the symbols at Regaleira and the kings who lived at Pena, which is what most visitors say they remember.

Going on your own is cheaper and more flexible. You take the train from Lisbon, then bus 434 up to the Castle of the Moors and Pena. It works if you book timed tickets ahead and leave enough time between them: private cars are not allowed up to Pena, and the walk from the park gate to the palace alone takes about 30 minutes.

Sintra private tour

A Sintra private tour fixes the pace to yours and picks you up at your hotel. It makes sense for families with children, anyone who finds long walks difficult, or groups who can share the price. See the day trips guide for the private Sintra tour we compared.

Sintra tickets: Pena Palace, Regaleira and the Moorish Castle

Each sight sells its own ticket. Pena Palace and the Castle of the Moors are run by Parques de Sintra; Quinta da Regaleira has its own foundation and ticket office. Official adult prices in October 2026: Pena "Essential" visit (palace, terraces, park and chalet) €20, Pena park only €12, Castle of the Moors €12, Quinta da Regaleira €20.

Pena's palace entry is timed and has no delay tolerance: arrive after your slot and you can't go in, and the ticket is not refunded. Regaleira also sells 30-minute entry slots but allows up to an hour's delay. Book Sintra palace tickets online a day or more ahead, from the official sellers or as the GetYourGuide tickets above, and check what your ticket covers: the €12 from-price on GetYourGuide is the cheapest option of several. If you join a guided tour, check whether tickets are included: on most low-priced day trips they are an option you add when booking.

How to get from Lisbon to Sintra

Trains on the CP Sintra line leave from Rossio station in central Lisbon (also from Oriente and Entrecampos) and take about 40 minutes; a return ticket costs €5.10. From Sintra station, Scotturb bus 434 loops through the old town up to the Castle of the Moors and Pena, about every 10 minutes. Private cars are not allowed up to Pena.

On a guided tour you skip all of this: the van takes you from sight to sight and back to Lisbon in the evening.

How to beat the queues in Sintra

  1. Be early for your Pena slot

    Your ticket time is for the palace door, not the park gate, and there is no delay tolerance. Allow about 30 minutes from the park entrance to the palace, or take the €4.50 shuttle.

  2. Check what the tour price includes

    Most day trips from €22–24 list palace tickets "if option selected". Add them when you book, or you will queue at the gate.

  3. Consider an afternoon palace slot

    Parques de Sintra currently says the afternoon is quieter at Pena and suggests the park in the morning. Do Regaleira or the castle first, Pena after lunch.

  4. Wear proper shoes

    Pena's park and the castle walls are steep and uneven, and the paths get slippery after rain. Leave the sandals in Lisbon.

  5. Bring a layer

    Sintra sits in its own microclimate and is often cooler and mistier than Lisbon, even in summer.

  6. Know your meeting point

    The biggest tours meet at Rossio at 8:00 and cannot wait for latecomers. Choose a tour with pickup if you are staying outside the centre.

Questions people ask

Is sintra a day trip from lisbon?

Yes. Sintra is about 40 minutes from Lisbon by train from Rossio station (€5.10 return), and guided day trips leave Lisbon in the morning and are back by evening.

Where to buy pena palace tickets?

Online, before you go: on the official Parques de Sintra website (Essential visit €20 for adults) or as a resold ticket such as the GetYourGuide Pena ticket above (from €12). Buying online lets you choose your palace entry time, and official online tickets can be rescheduled.

Do you need tickets for quinta da regaleira?

Yes. Adult entry is €20 (October 2026), sold in 30-minute time slots with up to an hour's tolerance. You can buy at the gate, but booking online, for example with the audio-guide ticket above, saves the ticket queue.

Can you buy tickets at pena palace?

Yes, there is a ticket office, but the palace runs on timed slots, so on busy days the next free slot can be hours away. Booking ahead is the safer choice. Note that Lisboa Card holders get a discount only at the ticket office, not online.

Is Sintra a good day trip from Lisbon?

It is the most popular one for a reason: palaces, forest and a coastline within an hour of the city. It suits anyone who likes history and views; it is less suited to people who can't manage steep walks, unless they take a tour with transport between the sights.

What to avoid in Sintra?

Arriving late for your Pena slot (there is no delay tolerance), turning up without a timed ticket, and trying to drive up: private cars are not allowed to Pena. Also check whether your tour includes palace tickets before you book.

How do I get from Lisbon to Sintra for a day trip?

Take the CP train from Rossio station (about 40 minutes), then Scotturb bus 434 up to the Castle of the Moors and Pena. Or book a guided day trip that picks you up in Lisbon and drives between the sights.

How many hours do we need in Sintra?

Plan at least 5–6 hours for Pena and Regaleira with travel between them. Most full-day tours take 9–10 hours from Lisbon because they add Cabo da Roca and Cascais.

More Sintra tours with live availability

More options with live prices and availability, straight from GetYourGuide.

Live prices and availability from GetYourGuide load here.

Facts checked on 19 October 2026 against: Parques de Sintra: opening times and prices · Parques de Sintra: Pena Palace · Quinta da Regaleira · UNESCO: Cultural Landscape of Sintra · CP: Sintra line.

Written by the Things to Do in Lisbon editorial team. How we pick tours.