Our booking pick: The half-day Sintra tour from Lisbon, free cancellation 24 h. Book this Compare options
Sintra sits on the CP Sintra train line from Lisbon, and the town station is the starting point for the Scotturb buses that serve the monuments. From the station to the hilltop is the hard part: Pena and the Moorish Castle are at the top of the ridge, with the Moorish Castle at 412 metres above sea level per the listing.
You have three good options for the climb: bus 434, a walking trail or a guided tour that handles the transport. Taxis and tuk-tuks also wait in the centre. Below is how each works and when to choose it.
The short answer
Take the CP train from Lisbon Rossio, Oriente or Entrecampos to Sintra, about 35 to 45 minutes. From Sintra station, bus 434 runs a circular route through the town to the Moorish Castle and Pena, and bus 435 goes to Regaleira, Seteais and Monserrate. You cannot drive to Pena or the Moorish Castle. Fit walkers can climb the Santa Maria trail in about an hour. If you would rather not deal with any of it, a guided tour from Lisbon brings you to the sights by minivan or coach.
How do you get from Lisbon to Sintra?
By CP train on the Sintra line from Rossio, Oriente or Entrecampos. The ride takes about 35 to 45 minutes and ends at Sintra station.
Rossio is the most central start, right in the Baixa. Oriente suits you if you stay near the Parque das Nacoes, and Entrecampos is on the way from the northern neighbourhoods. Trains run throughout the day; check the current timetable on the CP website before you leave.
Take an early train. The first hour at the monuments is the quietest, and the morning trains fill up with day-trippers by mid-morning on busy days.
How does bus 434 to Pena Palace work?
Bus 434 is a Scotturb circular route from Sintra station via Sao Pedro and the old town to the Moorish Castle and Pena. Bus 435 serves Regaleira, Seteais and Monserrate.
Board 434 at the station. It loops through Sao Pedro and Sintra Vila, the historic centre, then climbs to the Moorish Castle and Pena before coming back down. The National Palace is 10 to 15 minutes from the station on either 434 or 435. Use 435 for Quinta da Regaleira and Monserrate, which are on the road west of the centre. Route details are on the Scotturb website.
Expect queues for 434 at the station in the late morning. Arrive on an early train and you board easily; arrive at 11:00 in summer and you may wait for the next bus.
Arrive at the Moorish Castle on an early 434 and walk the walls before the crowds. Official fast-track ticket.
Book thisCan you drive to Pena Palace?
No. Private cars are not allowed up to Pena Palace or the Moorish Castle, and the historic centre is for residents only.
If you come by car, leave it in one of the peripheral car parks outside the centre and continue by bus or on foot. The Pena listing repeats the point: there is no private car access to Pena from the historic centre. For most visitors from Lisbon the train is simpler than driving, since the station is already in town.
Taxis and tuk-tuks wait in the centre and can take you up the hill. Agree on the trip before you set off.
Can you walk up to Pena Palace and the Moorish Castle?
Yes, if you are fit. The Santa Maria trail runs 1,770 metres from the Info Parques de Sintra point in Sao Pedro and takes about an hour.
Parques de Sintra marks three trails into the hills:
- The Santa Maria trail: 1,770 metres, about 1 hour, from Info Parques de Sintra in Sao Pedro.
- The Villa Sassetti trail: 1,850 metres, about 45 minutes, from Largo Ferreira de Castro.
- The Seteais trail: 2,410 metres, about 1 hour 30 minutes.
From the village there is also the road route via Rua Marechal Saldanha to the Moorish Castle, steep and about 2 km per the Moorish Castle listing. Walk up in the cool of the morning and take the bus down, or the other way round if your knees prefer climbing to descending. Wear proper shoes; the paths are granite and often damp.
Walked up the hill? The official Moorish Castle ticket gets you onto the walls with the audio guide app.
Book thisIs a guided tour from Lisbon better than going alone?
A tour is better if you want the transport, the order of visits and the tickets organised for you. Going alone is better if you want the Pena interior and full control of your time.
Three tours on this site cover the trip in different ways, all with free cancellation up to 24 hours before, per their listings:
| Tour | Where it starts | Length | What you see | Tickets |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Half-day Sintra tour from Lisbon | Av. da Liberdade, Lisbon, at the Chaumet shop next to Hard Rock Cafe | 5 h 30 min | Pena terraces (exterior), Sintra village tasting, guided Regaleira | Not included, repaid in cash to the guide |
| Half-day small-group tour | Portela de Sintra station, south exit, outside Cafe Perola da Portela | 4 h | Pena grounds and terraces, the town centre, guided Regaleira | Not included, reserved for you, paid in cash to the guide |
| Full-day Sintra and coast tour | Rossio Square north fountain, Lisbon | 9 h 30 min to 10 h | Regaleira, Pena, Cabo da Roca, drive along the Cascais coast | Pena and Regaleira included depending on the option |
Minivan from Lisbon, Pena terraces, a pastry tasting in the village and a guided Regaleira visit, max 8 people.
Book thisWhich Sintra tour fits your trip?
The half-day tour from Lisbon for the easiest door-to-door day, the small-group tour if you will take the train yourself, the full-day tour if you also want the coast.
The half-day tour from Lisbon picks you up on Av. da Liberdade and keeps the group to a maximum of 8, per the listing. It visits the Pena terraces, not the palace interior, then the village with a travesseiro and queijada tasting, then a guided Regaleira visit.
The small-group half-day tour starts in Sintra itself, at the south exit of Portela de Sintra train station. You take the train out, and a van moves you around Sintra. The full-day Sintra and coast tour leaves by coach from Rossio and adds Cabo da Roca and the Cascais coast. None of these is suitable for wheelchair users per their listings, and all involve steep walking.
Meet at Portela de Sintra station, then a van and an English-speaking guide for Pena and Regaleira, max 8 people.
Book thisIs it better to stay in Lisbon or Sintra?
Stay in Lisbon for a single Sintra day; stay in Sintra if you want two days or the monuments at opening time without the train.
Most people see Sintra as a day trip and sleep in Lisbon, which is easy with the train. A night in Sintra pays off if you want to be at the Moorish Castle when it opens, walk the trails without rushing, and see the old town after the day-trippers leave. Evenings in Sintra are quiet, and the hills are often in cloud.
If you have two days, split them: monuments on the hill one day, Regaleira, Monserrate and the town the next. Our Sintra itinerary for one or two days lays out both versions.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the train from Lisbon to Sintra?
About 35 to 45 minutes on the CP Sintra line from Rossio, Oriente or Entrecampos.
Which bus goes to Pena Palace?
Bus 434 from Sintra station. It runs a circular route via the old town to the Moorish Castle and Pena.
Can I park at Pena Palace?
No. Private cars are not allowed up to Pena or the Moorish Castle. Use a peripheral car park and continue by bus or on foot.
Do Sintra tours from Lisbon include entrance tickets?
It depends on the tour. Per their listings, the two half-day tours on this site do not include tickets, which are paid in cash to the guide, while the full-day tour includes Pena and Regaleira depending on the option.
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Choose your ticket
Booked through GetYourGuide. Check the cancellation terms of each option before you choose a date.
Half-Day Sintra Tour: Pena & Regaleira
- Local guide in English, Portuguese, Spanish, Russian or French; small group of up to 8
- Air-conditioned minivan from Avenida da Liberdade in Lisbon and back
- Guided visit of the Pena Palace terraces (outside), then Quinta da Regaleira
Small-Group Half Day: Pena & Regaleira
Meet at Portela de Sintra station, a van up the hill, Pena's grounds and Regaleira with a guide; tickets paid in cash to the guide
Sintra, Pena, Regaleira, Cabo da Roca & Cascais
A coach day from Lisbon: Regaleira and Pena with a guide, lunch in Sintra, then Cabo da Roca and the Cascais coast
