A painted palace, a well that goes down nine storeys, and two chimneys
The palaces sit in a ring above the village, and the bus or your legs get you between them. If you only have one day: Pena early, the Moorish Castle on foot from there, Regaleira in the afternoon.
1. Book Pena's first time slot
The Pena Palace sells timed palace tickets: the essential visit is €20, the park alone €12. A small shuttle from the park gate to the palace is €4.50 return. I'd take the first slot and walk down through the park.
2. Walk the Moorish Castle walls
The Moorish Castle is €12 and a short walk from Pena. Go for the view of Pena from the walls.
3. Look up at the two kitchen chimneys
The National Palace of Sintra is the one with two conical chimneys over the royal kitchen. The essential visit is €13, and it's 10–15 minutes on foot from the station.
4. Go down Regaleira's well early
At Quinta da Regaleira the Initiation Well is a 27-metre spiral stair in nine flights, ending in tunnels. Entry is timed, so book ahead.
5. Reach Monserrate from Colares
Monserrate was Francis Cook's garden of plants from every continent, €12. Parques de Sintra currently suggests coming via Colares because of road works.
6. Save the Capuchos for day two
The Capuchos Convent is €11 and sits further out in the forest, at the end of the one-way Estrada dos Capuchos. Skip it if you have only one day.
7. Don't miss the chalet in your Pena ticket
The Chalet of the Countess of Edla is included in the Pena park ticket, so don't pay twice.
Pillows of puff pastry and wine from the sand
1. Eat a travesseiro at Piriquita
Piriquita has been baking since 1862. Its travesseiro, puff pastry rolled round almond and egg cream, came out of an old recipe book during the Second World War. Eat it warm, standing up.
2. Try a queijada at Sapa
The queijada is a small crisp tart of fresh cheese, sugar, egg yolk and cinnamon, with roots in the 13th century. Sapa on the Volta do Duche is the one I'd pick.
3. Order a Colares red
Colares vines grow in sand, which phylloxera couldn't survive, so they're among Europe's few ungrafted vines. The reds are Ramisco, the whites Malvasia. Buy a bottle at the Adega Regional de Colares.
The classic mistake is buying a box of pastries at 09:00 and carrying it up to Pena.
Easter closures, a Christmas still unannounced, and Saint Peter
1. Plan for closures at Easter 2027
The council tested its centre closure over Easter 2026. Whether it repeats in 2027 isn't published, so I'd arrive by train that week.
2. Check Christmas before you drive
Sintra has run Christmas markets and lights in the village before, but the 2026 programme wasn't out when I checked.
3. Mind 29 June 2027
Saint Peter's Day, 29 June, is Sintra's municipal holiday, unlike Lisbon's Santo António. Expect the village full.
What's on
| When | What |
|---|---|
| December 2026 | Christmas in the village; Sintra has held a Christmas market and lights before, but the 2026 programme is not yet published |
| Easter 2027 (28 March) | The council closed the centre to visitors' cars over Easter 2026; whether it does so again is not published |
| Tuesday 29 June 2027 | Saint Peter's Day, Sintra's municipal holiday |