Sintra Travel Forum

We're visiting Portugal for the first time, 7 nights total with a rental car, in July. We're thinking of breaking it down like this: Arrive, Night 1 Lisbon, Nights 2 and 3, Lagos, Night 4, Lisbon again, Nights 5, 6, and 7 Sintra. We'd like to make day trips from Sintra to Obidos and other places. Is that too much time in Sintra and not enough in Lisbon? How long is the drive from Sintra to the airport to catch an 11:00 am flight to London? Or should we stay the last night in Lisbon to make sure we make it to the airport in time?

Recently I posted about my family's trip to Portugal and how I would like to show them Pena Palace but that they cannot walk too much and thus climbing the hills to the palace was not an option. Here is the thread:
http://forum.virtualtourist.com/discussion-419019-1-1-Travel-1-279605-Sintra-discussion.html

I got some great suggestions regarding the bus and such. However after thinking a bit, paying for entrance as well as the bus for 5 people to just look at the palace a bit from the outside seems a bit excessive. Thus I think the best would be to find a good spot in the city where you can get a good view of the palace (from some other big hill or something?)

From outside the entrance and from the town itself, you can't see much of it. Are there any great outlook spots that you all can recommend me?

Thanks!

Can any Portuguese members, residents or visitors to Sintra, please tell me what has happened to the historic Hotel Netto in Sintra?

I photographed it some years ago when it looked in a terrible state but I have seen blogs (and even worse views of it) on the web, in Portuguese, quite recently.

Unfortunately my reading of the language is not good enough to work out what the current situation is.

I would be very grateful for any information.

I have a quick question. Is there anyway to get to see the Pena Palace upclose without having to walk up the steep hills? I traveled with my boyfriend's parents and we went to the main entrance but it still seemed like quite the uphill from there, so we didn't do it - and you could barely see it from the main entrance. I am traveling with my parents next month and we will have the same problem (not really being able to climb up the hills), and so I was just wondering if there is some way to accomplish this or if not.

Thanks!

Hey all :)

I've been looking for info on Sintra, and was very pleased to come across this forum. I hope some of you veterans can help me out with my dilemma.

Me and my girlfriend are off to Lisbon in December for a week, and I am going to propose during the holiday. I've never been to Portugal before, so I have no idea how to go about doing it, but people have told me that Sintra is a very beautiful, romantic place, and so it seems like the ideal thing.

Does anyone have any ideas about where in Sintra would be a good spot?

Basically, I'm not the kind who would like to propose in a restaurant (too many people about), and all in all I'd prefer nobody else was about at all. My girlfriend loves her long walks and panoramic views and things like that, so I was thinking if there was some trail into the mountains we could follow, and maybe at the top, with the whole of Sintra spread out in the valley below, that would be the ideal place... and if we could time it so we caught the sunset, etc etc ;)

If someone knows of such a place/trail, or any ideas along a similar theme, I would be forever grateful.

(by the way, it will probably be on the Wednesday 5th December during the day, so I'm not sure how touristy it will be or anything)

Here's hoping!

Phil

How can I go from Sintra to Azenhas do Mar. Is it worth to go to that village?

I ate in a restaurant/souvenir shop in Sintra some weeks ago. Its name is Pendao and is located in Sintra Vila. Unfortunately I din't write the address of this place. Would anybody know it?

Thanks!

hi, i'll be in sintra at the end of march and i would like to buy some of the beautiful blue and white ceramics (or is it china?) that i've only seen iin pictures. can anyone give me places i should shop/look for this? thanks.

I would like to know something about the Urban train that goes from Lisboa-Santa Apolonia to Sintra...This is what i get on CP site and I want to know if this means that this train is a direct train or do I have to change trains? One emore question I have is what does it mean Dias Uteis- Inverno and Verao? Thank you.

18h13 Sintra

18h52 Areeiro
0h39 *
U
18h59 Areeiro

19h08 Braco De Prata
0h09 *
U
19h15 Braco De Prata

19h19 Lisboa - Santa Apolonia
0h04 €1.60

We're going to Lisbon in August. One Sunday, we plan to take a train to Sintra and then the beach. How can we get from Sintra to Guincho/Cascais beach without a car? Should we take a taxi, train or bus and how much will this cost? Lastly, we would also like to the beach where it has lots of seafood restaurants.

Thanks in advance.

Hello, I'm planning a trip to Spain and Portugal this summer. If I only have one day for a side trip from Lisbon, would you recommend Sintra, Cascais or Estoril? Which is the most entertaining destination? Thanks.

Hello!

Please answer my a few questions:

How far is from Pena Palace to Cruz Alta viewpoint ?

How much time does take a hike ?



Kind Regards
Robert

does anyone know if there are any vegetarian-friendly options in or around the sintra area?

I purchaed some tiles at ESPACO D'ARTE ORIZIA, Villa Velha in Sintra last May and have not received them. Everytime I call they give me a different excuse. Has anyone had the same experience or can think Of how I can get my tiles? THANKS.

We are planning to visit Sintra taking the train from Lisbon. What I really want to see is the Palacio de Pena and the beaches around Cabo de Roca. There is also a place (Regalia?) where they had some history about Templars that looks interesting.
First, is there a place that tickets for the Palacio de Pena can be bought ahead of time? We did this for the Alhambra and it saved us quite a bit of time! If not, what are good tips to survive the bus packs?

Second, my husband has a slight physical disability (he walks OK, just not too much climbing - but a little climbing OK). I have looked on the web and have read that there is transportation once you arrive in the train station that will take you up to the Palacio de Pena. Is it apparent where to catch these buses/trains?

Third, what is the best way to get to Cabo de Roca - is there a tram or bus that goes there? I read there was a tram that went to a beach - any suggestions here?

Last, any good places to eat that are less touristy?

ANY ADVISE will be most welcome!

Regards,
Martha

We are planning a day trip to Sintra and I'm wondering if anyone can give their advice of correct my daily plan for a Sunday:

AM: Arrive in Sintra park car in the city if not to crowded, if so park on the outskirts to walk into the old town. Visit of old town and Nacional Palacio da Sintra - open 10h to 17h free on Sundays before 14h (in front of palace, Periquita pastelaria for Travesseiras or Queijadas)
PM: Drive to Castelo dos Mouros - open 9h to 20h 3.5Euros, 3.5km from historical center on Pena Estrada and park car in the lower parking (is it a paying parking?). LUNCH: Picnic on Castelo dos Mouros hillside. Visit of Castelo dos Mouros and walk on the fortress walls (great views on Palacio da Pena one km. further). Continue into Parque da Pena - open 9h30 to 18h 3.5Euros, reach Cruz Alta for magnificient views. Back home passing by Sao Pedro de Panaferrim for a look at the market (2nd & 4th Sunday of the month 8h to 19h).

Is it possible to walk from castelo dos Mouros (or should we take the car to the entrance of the park) into the Parque da Pena and reach Cruz Alta point of view? ...how many hours of walking are we to expect with visiting Castelo dos Mouros and Parque da Pena?
We do not intend to visit the inside of Palacio da Pena, being there in high season we are expecting herds of tourists and were told the inside is pretty long to visit.
Anything we are missing, little nooks or hiddens places we should have a peek at?
All advice is welcome... and well thanked for!

I plan to spend 6 days in Portugal at the end of July and will probably just stay in Lisbon and take day trips to other cities. Can Sintra be done in one day? What other day trips would you suggest?

Instead, would you suggest I spend just 3 days in Lisbon and then the other three somewhere else? I need to get back to Lisbon to catch the sleeper train to Madrid.

Thank you!

I'd like to visit Sintra when coming to Lisbon. I know how to get there by train,but once I'm in Sintra, can everything be explored on foot? Or are the must-sees far away from each other?

Thanks!

Els

I purchased goods in June when visiting beautiful Sintra, Portugal. The name of the shop is Cintra Antiga. I STILL have not received them. Is this typical? I have a few telephone numbers but none work! Any suggestions short of having my purchase credited on my credit card? I REALLY want the goods!
Thanks!

I'd be grateful for any information about the availability, convenience, and cost of taxis in the Sintra region, and any information on busses or other forms of transportation that could get three people around between a hotel, the town, and the major tourist sites in the area within a few miles (i.e., not so far as the coast or Lisbon, i.e., Queluz, Monseratte, etc.) I am planning a trip there for a few days and I do not want to rent a car.

I have seen bus routes mentioned, but where could I find out schedules and fares, in detail or just in summary? If I were to stay in one of the hotels a couple of miles from Sintra center, I would need to take a taxi to get there and back. I am looking for information on how convenient that would be and how much it would cost. I will be putting these questions to a couple of the hotels themselves as well; if I get any helpful responses, I will contribute an answer to my own question here.