Palácio Nacional de Sintra
The star of Sintra-Vila is this palace, with its iconic twin conical chimneys and lavish, whimsical interior, which is a mix of Moorish and Manueline…
Sintra
With its rippling mountains, dewy forests thick with ferns and lichen, exotic gardens and glittering palaces, Sintra is like a page torn from a fairy tale. Its Unesco World Heritage–listed centre, Sintra-Vila, is dotted with pastel-hued manors folded into luxuriant hills that roll down to the blue Atlantic.
Celts worshipped their moon god here, the Moors built a precipitous castle, and 18th-century Portuguese royals swanned around its dreamy gardens. Even Lord Byron waxed lyrical about Sintra’s charms: ‘Lo! Cintra’s glorious Eden intervenes, in variegated maze of mount and glen’, which inspired his epic poem Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage.
It’s the must-do side trip from Lisbon, which many do in a day, but this can feel rushed and, if time’s not an issue, there's more than enough allure to seize you here for a few days.
Explore Sintra
- Palácio Nacional de Sintra
The star of Sintra-Vila is this palace, with its iconic twin conical chimneys and lavish, whimsical interior, which is a mix of Moorish and Manueline…
- Quinta da Regaleira
This magical villa and gardens is a neo-Manueline extravaganza, dreamed up by Italian opera-set designer, Luigi Manini, under the orders of Brazilian…
- Castelo dos Mouros
Soaring 412m above sea level, this mist-enshrouded ruined castle looms high above the surrounding forest. When the clouds peel away, the vistas over…
- PPalácio Nacional da Pena
Rising from a thickly wooded peak and often enshrouded in swirling mist, Palácio Nacional da Pena is a wacky confection of onion domes, Moorish keyhole…
- Convento dos Capuchos
Hidden in the woods is this bewitchingly hobbit-hole-like convent, which was originally built in 1560 to house friars, who lived in incredibly cramped…
- PParque da Pena
Nearly topped by King Ferdinand II's whimsical Palácio Nacional da Pena (only Cruz Alta, at 529m, is higher), these romantic gardens are filled with…
- PPalácio & Parque de Monserrate
At the centre of a lush, 30-hectare park, a manicured lawn sweeps up to this whimsical, Moorish-Gothic-Indian palácio, the 19th-century romantic folly of…
- MMuseu das Artes de Sintra
This museum features a small and manageable collection of contemporary and modern art, around 80% of which is dedicated to local works. The permanent…
- MMuseu Anjos Teixeira
Set in a former watermill, this small museum displays works by the father-and-son duo of Anjos Teixeira – two of Portugal’s greatest sculptors. Most of…
Top attractions
These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Sintra.
- See
Palácio Nacional de Sintra
The star of Sintra-Vila is this palace, with its iconic twin conical chimneys and lavish, whimsical interior, which is a mix of Moorish and Manueline…
- See
Quinta da Regaleira
This magical villa and gardens is a neo-Manueline extravaganza, dreamed up by Italian opera-set designer, Luigi Manini, under the orders of Brazilian…
- See
Castelo dos Mouros
Soaring 412m above sea level, this mist-enshrouded ruined castle looms high above the surrounding forest. When the clouds peel away, the vistas over…
- See
Palácio Nacional da Pena
Rising from a thickly wooded peak and often enshrouded in swirling mist, Palácio Nacional da Pena is a wacky confection of onion domes, Moorish keyhole…
- See
Convento dos Capuchos
Hidden in the woods is this bewitchingly hobbit-hole-like convent, which was originally built in 1560 to house friars, who lived in incredibly cramped…
- See
Parque da Pena
Nearly topped by King Ferdinand II's whimsical Palácio Nacional da Pena (only Cruz Alta, at 529m, is higher), these romantic gardens are filled with…
- See
Palácio & Parque de Monserrate
At the centre of a lush, 30-hectare park, a manicured lawn sweeps up to this whimsical, Moorish-Gothic-Indian palácio, the 19th-century romantic folly of…
- See
Museu das Artes de Sintra
This museum features a small and manageable collection of contemporary and modern art, around 80% of which is dedicated to local works. The permanent…
- See
Museu Anjos Teixeira
Set in a former watermill, this small museum displays works by the father-and-son duo of Anjos Teixeira – two of Portugal’s greatest sculptors. Most of…
