Your Perfect Solo Travel Guide for Sintra, Portugal

Portugal is one of the world’s safest countries and a popular destination among solo travellers. People love visiting places like Madeira, the Algarve, Porto, and Lisbon. From Lisbon, you can enjoy a magical trip to Sintra, which is known for its palaces and castles! 

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Getting to Sintra from Lisbon

Instead of staying overnight in Sintra, you might want to visit during a day trip from Lisbon. It’s extremely easy to travel between the two places and perfectly safe for solo travellers. If you want to travel independently, you can take the train from Oriente or Rossio station in Lisbon. From these stations, there is a direct route to Sintra, and the journey only takes about 40 minutes. Trains depart every 20 to 30 minutes, depending on the day and time. 

If you want to avoid the hassle of public transport, you can take an Uber or Bolt from Lisbon. It’s relatively inexpensive, and the taxi can drop you off right in front of the site you want to visit. If you like to join a group excursion and meet some fellow travellers, there are plenty of tours to choose from. If you prefer to keep things solo, you can, of course, book a private tour, too. Most tours combine Pena Palace with another sight before heading over to Cabo da Roca and Cascais.

Traveling in Sintra

You might wonder how to get around the town when you arrive in Sintra. You can find a bus stop right next to the train station. There are two routes to choose from. One goes in the direction of the Moorish Castle, Pena Palace and the town centre. The other drives towards Quinta da Regaleira and Monserrate. There are single tickets, day tickets, and hop-on and hop-off tickets available.

As soon as you arrive, you’ll also be approached by many tuk-tuk drivers. It’s an easy, but also a more expensive way to see the sights. If you combine it with a tour, it’s worth it as you learn more about the area. Lastly, you can take taxis like Uber and Bolt everywhere in Sintra too. Very convenient and quick! 

Tip: don’t drive a car to Sintra town. The roads are windy and often only accessible by taxis, tuk-tuks, and buses. Unless you visit the coast or the Convent of the Capuchos, a car is not needed!

Top Things to do in Sintra Solo Travelers

Sintra is a town and a natural park known as Parque Natural de Sintra-Cascais. It’s famous for its palaces and the Moorish Castle, which sits high on a hill overlooking the Sintra Mountains. 

1. Pena Palace

Most visitors will make their way to see Palácio Nacional da Pena. The colourful palace was once the summer residence of the Portuguese royal family, and you can see the palace as well as the gardens. The palace gets very busy, so you’ll definitely buy tickets in advance. The gardens are already much quieter, and some parts of the park are super quiet. You’ll need a minimum of two hours to visit Pena Palace, but to see the full extent of the gardens, half a day is recommended. 

2. Castelo do Mouros

Pena Palace is located on a hill in the Sintra Mountains, and right next door, you can visit the Moorish Castle. It’s a short walk in between the two places, but you can take a bus too. If you take the bus, it’s best to stop at the castle first and then visit Palácio Nacional da Pena. Inside and outside Castelo dos Mouros you’ll discover several archaeological highlights, such as silos, the Arms Square and the Keep Tower.

3. Quinta da Regaleira

Another famous spot is Quinta da Regaleira, which is within walking distance from the town centre. The gardens at Quinta da Regaleira are even more magical than Pena Palace, and the highlight for many is the Initiation Well! You’ll walk down a spiral staircase to underground tunnels and a waterfall lake. Everything is linked to the Freemasons and has signs of masonry, alchemy, and tarot. You can also visit the Quinta itself, and the interior is stunning. 

4. Biester Palace

Biester Palace should be at the top of your list if you love hidden gems. The palace might look familiar if you’ve seen Roman Polanskis The Ninth Gate featuring Johnny Depp. Biester Palace is right next to Quinta da Regaleira, and this palace has many links and symbols connected to the Knights Templar, Rome and Christianity. TheTemplar Chapel is stunning, and the interior is well looked after. After years of being abandoned, the palace has reopened, and many people haven’t discovered it yet!

5. Sintra National Palace

Sintra National Palace is the easiest to reach as it’s right in the heart of town. It’s known to be the oldest palace in Portugal, and its rooms are stunningly beautiful. You’ll discover the decorative swan room, the magpie room and the palace bedrooms. The highlight is the arms room with stunning blue and golden decorations. Buying tickets is a must in the high season, and along with Pena Palace and Quinta da Regaleira, it’s one of the most visited attractions. 

6. Monserrate Palace

A place less busy is the Park and Palace of Monserrate. The Moorish architecture is stunning, and the palace is really worth visiting! But the best thing about Monserrate? You guessed it… it’s the gardens. You´ll discover species from all over the world, including a rose garden, special ferns and many types of palm trees. Monserrate Palace is located out of town, but you can easily reach it by bus or taxi.

7. Sintra Town

The village itself is beautiful too, and there are many shops and restaurants. If you want to try some local sweets, try the queijadas de Sintra or the travesseiros. The restaurants serve fantastic meat, fish and vegetarian dishes, accompanied by some Portuguese wine. Dining solo is no problem, and you don’t need to make reservations beforehand.

The old town has many windy streets (some are a bit steep), and it’s great to just walk around and explore. There are some gardens, viewpoints, and even an old tram that rides towards the coast. The streets are perfectly safe, also at night! 

Travel Tips for Sintra

As Sintra is located in the mountains, it can always be a little colder than in Lisbon. Bringing a jumper or jacket is a good idea to stay warm. Sintra also gets very busy, so booking tickets online before visiting is crucial. You may receive a time slot for certain palaces, or they might be fully booked. 

Don’t attempt to see more than three palaces in one day. Two are very doable, but three are already rushed if you want to visit the gardens as well. And these gardens are mostly worth your time! There might be queues leading up to the Initiation Well and inside Pena Palace, for example. Unfortunately, the waiting times will add to your daily schedule. 

Other Sintra Sights

There is so much more to Sintra than palaces and there are even more to discover during your trip! Examples are Queluz Palace and the Convent of Cork that’s hidden in the forest. Whether you want to see highlights or hidden gems in nature, you can find them here! 

And speaking of nature, Sintra-Cascais Natural Park has an incredible coastline! You can see this already at Cabo da Roca, but also at places like Azenhas do Mar and Ursa Beach. If you have time, exploring Sintra is truly memorable! There are many possible day trips from Lisbon, but staying in Sintra is certainly an option, too! 

Solo Travel in Sintra Safety Tips

Portugal is known as one of the safest countries in the world, but it’s always good to be cautious. Saying that, Sintra is such a small village, and the atmosphere is magical. If you like smaller towns, you can even stay here instead of the big city of Lisbon.

Travelling to Sintra is also very safe. You can join a guided tour if you’re unsure, or take a taxi so you don’t need to navigate public transport. If you do take the train, be mindful of your belongings at the stations as it can be busy here.

Best Places to Stay in Sintra for Solo Travelers

There are many hotels and B&Bs in Sintra, and some even look like palaces themselves! Some hotels are amazing for solo travellers so you can stay longer in this fairy tail town. 

You can opt for a hotel in the town that is close to all the attractions. This way, you can easily visit the palaces and be there early. The Sintra coast is also beautiful and there are many beach town where you can enjoy a beach holiday. Examples are Praia das Maças and Azenhas do Mar.

Final Thoughts

Portugal is a very safe country for solo travellers, and in Sintra, you really don’t have to worry about your safety. You can easily join an organised tour, but also head out yourself by taking a train from Lisbon. Changes are that you meet other solo travellers during your trip! 

Sintra is very easy to get around too. Three is a bus than can take you to Pena Palace, the old town and to Monserrate Palace. You can also take public transportation to places like Cabo da Roca and Cascais. Staying a night or two is amazing if you want to see more than two, three palaces. The nature park offers many hikes and the beaches are incredible in summer.

Author Bio: Meet Marga, a travel writer and photographer who was a flight attendant and has travelled extensively for many years. After settling in Portugal, she started the Discover Portugal blog with insightful and engaging travel stories. Her instagram can be found at @Discover_Portugal