Sintra, Portugal is a magical place. It is commonly referred to as a “fairytale town”. It is the town where royalty spent their summers, and it shows! The fact that it is just about 45 minutes from Lisbon makes it even better, it is so easily accessible. I have been to Sintra twice and I still haven’t seen it all. The first time I went, it was just a for day trip and I left wishing we’d had more time. The second time, we stayed overnight and I still found myself wishing I had more time! I would advise spending a night or even a weekend in Sintra.
The town of Sintra itself is charming and easy to walk around and enjoy. During my first time there, I didn’t even get to explore the town because we got off the train, grabbed lunch, and immediately started walking up to the Pena Palace. It was like a tease to only be able to explore a small portion of this gorgeous place. For my second visit to Sintra, I didn’t make that same mistake. We enjoyed spending our time walking around and checking out all of the pastry shops, little bars, cute stores, and restaurants. Here are a few of our favorites!
Fabrica Nata
When you spend time in Portugal, you will quickly realize that one of the best treats is a Pastel De Nata. It is an egg custard tart pastry and it is absolutely delicious! The great thing about natas is that they are only about 1 euro and can be found almost everywhere. Like many pastry shops and bakeries, you can watch Fabrica Nata prepare them through the front window. It’s neat to watch the process of how they are made, and after a few seconds I guarantee you won’t be able to walk away without popping inside and buying a few from a fresh batch! They are doling out natas all day, so it is a great place to just walk in and grab a few whenever you need a little treat during exploring. Needless to say, we stopped in a few times during our stay in Sintra.
Casa Piriquita
Across the street from Fabrica Nata, you will find Casa Piriquita. This is the oldest bakery in Sintra and has been there since 1862. We noticed this place right away because a line had formed out front. The bakery is adorable, with a yellow tiled front and charming old school interior. The next morning, we decided to jump right into the hype and were the first people in line to enter when they opened. It did not disappoint, the hype was beyond real. We tried quite a few treats, including the ones we were told it was famous for: the Queijada (another egg based pastry famous in Sintra) and the Travesseiros de Sintra (puff pastry filled with egg, sugar, and almonds). Naturally, we also tried their natas for comparison, which of course were amazing as well.
Tascantiga
This was a great tapas spot we tried for dinner. We were able to sit out on the terrace and enjoy the beautiful weather. They had great wines and we tried a ton of different food, and loved it all. A lot of the tapas were served in adorable little terra cotta pots and the ambiance was just excellent. We would highly recommend a stop here for lunch or dinner.
Incomum
I had originally stopped here by chance on my first trip to Sintra with my girlfriends. We had a prix fixe lunch that was absolutely delicious along with a glass of wine. When I returned with my husband a few years later, I hoped that it would still be there and that it would still be as delicious as I remembered. Luckily, it turned out that I had nothing to worry about! My memory was correct about the quality and overall experience, and we sat outside while enjoying a nice lunch upon our arrival in Sintra. It is a great place to have some lunch and a drink before you head off to explore all that Sintra has to offer. I am sure it would be excellent for dinner as well.
Things to Do & See
As charming and wonderful as the town is, the reason so many flock to Sintra is all of its magical attractions. Castles, palaces, and gardens, oh my! No matter your interests, Sintra has so much to offer.
Pena Palace
This palace atop a huge hillside overlooking the entire area is simply stunning. It is one of the most ornate and interesting places we’ve ever been lucky enough to see. Its bright colors stand out among the green of the hills, and as you catch glimpses through the trees above on your walk up the path, it is breathtaking. We walked up to the castle on both of my visits to Sintra. I find walking to be a great way to go because you can take your time to admire the surrounding grounds and beautiful gardens, as well as getting so many incredible views of the palace and nearby Moorish Castle. If walking just isn’t for you, there are plenty of other options like tuk-tuks, tourist trains, buses, and cars.
Once you arrive at the palace, it is hard to believe how grand it actually is. It is a massive complex with incredibly ornate architecture & tons of little details everywhere. The outside and surrounding gardens are unbelievably beautiful, but I would highly recommend paying to get full access to the interior and courtyards. It is self-guided, so can be as quick or long as you like, and allows you to see how the Portuguese royalty used to live. Fully decked out in regalia, the palace has a rich history and looks more like something out of a fairy tale than real life. Stepping out onto the balconies, you get incredible vistas of Sintra down below and quickly realize the strategic importance of the palace placement. When we were finished with our tour, we decided to take a tuk-tuk back down the hill so that we would have more time to enjoy the town. The Pena Palace is not to be missed on your trip to Sintra.
Quinta De Regaliera
I didn’t hit this one on my first trip, so I was thrilled that when we stayed the night we had time to check this place out the following morning. After being first in line at the bakery that morning, we set ourselves up to be among the first people in the Quinta De Regaliera as well. Once inside, we set straight off for the famous well, since we had heard that a queue typically forms as the day goes on. Luckily, we had no issues and were able to descend down the spiral stairs along the walls with only a few other visitors. Coming back above ground through a few tunnels, we spent the next few ours exploring the rest of the estate. The buildings themselves are works of art, full of magnificent craftsmanship and details. The gardens are absolutely gorgeous, with beautifully maintained plants and flowers, a few ponds, and countless statues. Everywhere you turn there are more beautiful things to see, it would be easy to spend more than a full day exploring the stunning grounds.
Where to Stay
If you’re going to spend the night in Sintra, it is also important to know where to stay. I am in love with the place we stayed on our visit.
Caso Do Valle
We stayed at Casa Do Valle and we couldn’t have been happier. The grounds of this bed and breakfast were incredibly beautiful. From the pool area you could view the Pena Palace, the Quinta De Regaliera, and the Moorish castle up on the hills. They served breakfast in our room and we were able to take it outside and sit overlooking the beauty of Sintra during breakfast. It was an extremely easy walk into town, about 3 minutes, and it had gated parking. The hotel also had a lot of experiences to offer, such as hiking, wine, beer, pastry tasting, yoga, sauna, etc. I hope that we are able to go back one day and spend some more time in Sintra enjoying those experiences.
More to Offer
Although I have now spent 3 full days in Sintra I am still left wanting more. Here are a few more things that are on my agenda for future visits but may be higher on your list for your first or second time.
Beaches
Another huge perk of Sintra is that it is not far from nearby beaches. We didn’t stay long enough to check them out, though, as we continued south on our Portugal road trip. But I have heard and read wonderful things about the beaches near Sintra and would love to explore them someday.
The Moorish Castle
I have yet to personally make it to this one, so I guess we’ll have to go back to Sintra! The castle itself is supposed to be wonderful to see, it is also said to have some excellent views back towards the Pena Palace which I am sure would be very cool to see. I believe there is a way you can also walk from one to the other up through the hills. We will definitely take the time to do this next time we return.
Monserrate Palace
The palace and gardens look like a wonderful place to walk around and explore and may lack the crowds of some of the more “major” attractions which can always be enjoyable.
If youre looking for a tour
If you’re more into a guided day in this lovely place or even just a guided activity or two, you can check out your options here —–> Sintra Tours
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