[PORTUGAL] How to Plan a Day Trip to Sintra including Cabo da Roca and Cascais

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Sintra is a town nestled in the scenic Sintra mountains which is located about 28 km away northwest of Lisbon. Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site, Sintra has many attractions that are worth visiting including Pena Palace and Park, Moorish Castle, Quinta da Regaleira, Sintra (National) Palace, Monserrate Palace and etc. It is possible to make a day trip to Sintra from Lisbon along with a stopover at Cabo da Roca (the westernmost point of continental Europe) and Cascais (a coastal resort town in Lisbon).

Getting there:

The cheapest and most convenient way would be taking a train from Lisbon and get down at Sintra train station (as seen above). The train travel time from Lisbon to Sintra is less than one hour (about 40 - 45 minutes).

I would not advise to drive to Sintra due to limited car parking in the historic centre, narrow roads (the bus service only operates in one direction) and traffic jam.

Travel pass:

I would highly recommend getting a Train & bus ticket which is loaded onto a "Viva Viagem" card. This is an all-in-one travel pass that offers unlimited number of journey on the day it is bought, up till the last train of the day on the CP Sintra, Cascais and Azambuja lines and all the Scotturb bus network except for the Giro service. In simpler terms, this pass includes train to/from Lisbon/Sintra/Cascais and Scotturb buses in Sintra including the Sintra-Cascais route. The reusable "Viva Viagem" card costs EUR 0.50.

Train & bus ticket costs EUR 15.80 (price in 2021).

Website: https://www.cp.pt/passageiros/en/discounts-benefits/Benefits-and-special-offers/train-bus-ticket

Alternatively, you may consider getting a Sintra Green card which includes Sintra line, Pena circuit and 3 or 4 selected main point of interest (Pena Palace and Park, Sintra Palace, Queluz Palace and a museum of your choice).

Sintra Green card costs EUR 31 or EUR 39.50 depending on Type 1 or Type 2.

Website: https://www.cp.pt/passageiros/en/discounts-benefits/Benefits-and-special-offers/sintra-green-card

Lisboa card also includes free train to Sintra/Cascais. However, it is still more economical to use the card in Lisbon only and buy a separate pass for Sinta.

Getting around:

The most convenient way to getting around in Sintra would be taking a bus. You most definitely have to take bus 434 if you plan to visit Pena Palace or Moorish Castle since it is a challenging uphill hike to these attractions, especially in summer heat. The time and energy are better spent on visiting the attractions than on the journey to the attractions.

Otherwise, you can consider joining a tour, hiring expensive taxi or other mode of private transport in Sintra.

If you are using Lisboa card to get to Sintra, you will have to buy the bus fare in Sintra separately. A single bus ticket costs EUR 3.90 and a Hop-on-Hop-off ticket costs EUR 6.90. The Hop-on-Hop-off ticket only allow travel in one-direction loop once, not unlimited travel within the day. 1-day bus pass costs EUR 11 which allows for unlimited travel on all Scotturb busses. Villa Express 4 Palaces (bus 435) costs EUR 5.

Website: https://scotturb.com/carreiras/tarifario/turisticos-2/

Frequently used bus services in Sintra:

Bus 434: Sintra Palace, Pena Palace, Moorish Castle

Bus 435: Sintra Palace, Quinta da Regaleira, Monserrate Palace

My itinerary in day trip to Sintra:

Lisbon Rossio station -> Sintra station -> Sintra ticket office -> Pena Palace -> Moorish Castle -> stopover at Sintra National Palace -> Quinta da Regaleira -> Sintra station -> Cabo da Roca -> Cascais -> Lisbon (click on pink font for further reading)

Due to time constraint, I would advise to choose only two or three attractions at most to visit in Sintra if you are doing a day trip. I chose to visit Pena Palace, Moorish Castle and Quinta da Regaleira. If you wish to visit more attractions, consider spending a night in Sintra.

Top Five Attractions in Sintra:

1) Pena Palace and Park

Colourful Pena Palace is the most iconic sight in Sintra. The history of this magical site dates back to the 12th century but it was reduced into ruins for many decades, until King Ferdinand II acquired the old monastery and surrounding lands in 1838, and subsequently set out to transform it into a summer palace for the royal family. From the entrance to the park, it is advisable to take a shuttle bus up to the hill where the palace is. The bus ticket is EUR 3 per adult, free for child under age 6. Do try to visit Pena Palace as early as possible as it gets really crowded in later hours. If you have more time, you can visit Pena Park as well which has its own attractions.

What to see: Palace interior (no photos allowed inside), Triton's Tunnel and courtyard. 

Admission fee: 
Palace & Park - EUR 14 (adult), EUR 12.50 (youth/senior), EUR 49.00 (family), free for child under age 6
Park only - EUR 7.50 (adult), EUR 6.50 (youth/senior), EUR 26.00 (family), free for child under age 6
* 5% discount if you buy tickets online
Opening hours: 9.30am - 6.30pm, last entry is 6pm (palace)
Website: https://www.parquesdesintra.pt/en/parks-monuments/park-and-national-palace-of-pena/

2) Moorish Castle

Moorish Castle is a medieval fortification founded in the 10th century during the Moorish occupation in the Iberian peninsular. Most people visit Moorish Castle as a side attraction to Pena Palace. It is only a 5-minutes walk to the entrance of Moorish Castle from entrance of Pena Castle. The natural and serene setting of the Moorish Castle is a welcomed change as compared to the other tourist-crowded sights of Sintra. 

What to see: silos, tomb, Church of Sao Pedro, Christian medieval necropolis, Arms Square, fortification walls

Admission fee: EUR 8 (adult), EUR 6.50 (senior / youth age 6-17), free for child under age 6, EUR 26 (Family - 2 adults + 2 youths)
* 5% discount if you buy tickets online
Opening hours: 9am - 6.30pm, last entry is 6pm
Website: https://www.parquesdesintra.pt/en/parks-monuments/the-moorish-castle/

3) Quinta da Regaleira

Quinta da Regaleira is the most intriguing mansion to explore in Sinta, especially its garden with maze of underground passages, mythological symbols and initiation wells. The two initiation wells are not to be missed, you should at least visit one of them. Have fun discovering the underground passages which connects the wells to the chapel and other locations in the garden.

What to see: initiation wells, the garden with underground passages, the chapel, the mansion

Admission fee: EUR 10 (adult), EUR 5 (youth/senior), free for child under age 6
* 90-min guided tours in pre-defined language is available from Tuesday to Saturday (EUR 15)
** Audio guide is available with additional EUR 3 
Opening hours: Daily 10am - 6.30pm, last entry is 5.30pm
Website: http://www.regaleira.pt/en

4) Sintra National Palace

This former royal palace was the summer residence of the royal family. The two conical chimneys became the hallmark of Sintra. I didn't have time to go in to see the interior of Sintra Palace though.

 

The surrounding area has many restaurants, cafes and shops. It is a good place to have lunch.

Admission fee: EUR 10 (adult), EUR 8.50 (youth/senior), EUR 33 (Family - 2 adults + 2 youths), free for child under age 6
* 5% discount if you buy tickets online
Opening hours: Daily 9.30am - 6.30pm, last entry is 6pm
Website: https://www.parquesdesintra.pt/en/parks-monuments/national-palace-of-sintra/

5) Monserrate Palace and Park

Monserrate Palace and park was transformed into what it looks today by a rich British merchant, Francis Cook in 1863. It became the summer residence of the Cook family. The property and hunting grounds were acquired by the Portugese state in 1949. I didn't visit this palace. The photo above is a stock photo.

How to get to Cabo da Roca from Sintra?

Take bus 403 from Sintra station to get to Cabo da Roca. A single ticket costs EUR 4.30. The ride to Cabo da Roca is a bit long, around 35 to 40 minutes. Try to get a seat or else you would most probably stand all the way to Cabo da Roca as everyone else is probably heading to the same destination. More expensive option would be taking a taxi.

Why you should visit Cabo da Roca?

Cabo da Roca is the westernmost point of continental Europe. You will enjoy the panoramic view over the Serra de Sintra and the Atlantic ocean. The lighthouse and the cliff makes a dramatic setting along the coastline. You can actually hike down to reach the beaches below. Praia da Ursa is a sandy beach to the north and Praia do Lourical is a pebble beach to the south. But the hike is very challenging considering there's a rope access at the last stretch of the trail to Praia do Lourical where people could get stuck.  Thus it is not advisable to do so if you're doing a day trip to Sintra.

Don't forget to take a picture with the monument announcing it as the westernmost point of continental Europe. The inscription on the monument is a quote from Portugal's most famous poet, Luis Camoes, who described the area as " Where the land ends and the sea begins".

How to get to Cascais from Sintra?

Both bus 403 or 417 will stop in Cascais Terminal which is located below the Cascais Villa shopping centre. However, only bus 403 will stop over in Cabo da Roca. Bus 417 route is shorter and quicker than bus 403. Alternatively, you can take a train from Sintra station to Cascaise station.

Cascais Terminal is close to the town centre and only a 5-minute walk to the Praia da Duquesa, the main beach of the town. 

I enjoyed strolling along the waterfront during sunset. 

I had dinner in Cascais before heading back to Lisbon. The restaurant I went to was Maria Pia. It is a seafood restaurant near the 15th century fort in Cascais. The food was delicious and I had a great time enjoying my dinner there.

From Cascais station, I took a train to Cais do Sodre station in Lisbon which is connected to the green metro line. And this marked the end of my day trip to Sintra.