Sintra
Sintra is known for a colorful Romantic palace, a medieval Moorish castle and forested hills, a 35 to 45 minute train ride from Lisbon.
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Sintra sits in the Greater Lisbon region on the Portuguese Riviera. Lisbon's commuter rail runs direct trains to Sintra Station, a 35 to 45 minute ride from the capital. The historic centre of Vila de Sintra is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, known for 19th-century Romanticist architecture: palaces, villas and gardens on forested slopes. Above the town, the Pena National Palace mixes Neo-Gothic, Neo-Manueline, Neo-Islamic and Neo-Renaissance styles in one colourful building, and the medieval Castle of the Moors stands on the hills nearby. Portuguese royalty used Sintra as a summer retreat for centuries, drawn by its cooler, foggier air.
Two nights give you time for the hill sites and the old town at an easier pace than a single day from Lisbon. Popular sites get crowded at peak times, so decide which palaces matter most before you go. The climate is Mediterranean with Atlantic influence: spring and early autumn suit walking best, while winters are wet. Give the hill sites a full day, and more if you want to walk the mountain paths.
Sintra in five
- Book a dated Pena Palace slot before you goPalace tickets are sold for a set date and time, and the Complete Visit runs in time slots for groups of up to 20. Buy on the official Parques de Sintra site and arrive at the main entrance ahead of your slot.Pena tickets compared
- Take the train, then a bus, not a carThe park authority says private cars are not allowed up to Pena or the Moorish Castle, and driving in the historic center is limited to residents. Ride the CP Sintra line from Lisbon, then Scotturb bus 434.Sintra day trip from Lisbon
- Choose two or three sites, not fiveBuying several sites in one Parques de Sintra order takes 5% off for two sites, 6% for three and up to 10% for six, but each site eats hours. Most days hold Pena plus one more.
- Sleep over for the quiet hoursDay groups thin out by evening, and a night buys an unhurried morning start. The municipality adds a tourist tax of 2 euros a night for guests 13 and over, up to 3 nights, so compare totals.Where to stay in Sintra
- Land in Lisbon first, then book Sintra for day twoPalace slots are dated and timed, so an arrival day is a gamble: flights run late and tiredness arrives with you. Treat the day you land as Lisbon time and set Pena for the next morning.Lisbon
Things to do in Sintra
See all attractions in Sintra
Need to know
- Airport
- Lisbon (LIS), then a CP train from Rossio, Entrecampos or Oriente
- Getting there
- CP Sintra line from Lisbon; check the timetable for your date Read more
- Getting around
- Scotturb 434 to Pena and the Moorish Castle; walking trails; no private cars up the hill
- Best base
- Historic center or near the station; Colares for quiet
- Time needed
- 1 long day for Pena plus one more site; 2 days for four
Weather by month
- Rainy days
- Best
- Good
- Mixed
- Poor
- JanuaryPartly cloudy10 rainy daysHigh15°Low9°Mist, quietJanuaryPartly cloudy
Poor
- High
- 15°
- Low
- 9°
- Precipitation
- 92 mm
- Rainy days
- 10
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Mist, quiet
- FebruaryPartly cloudy9 rainy daysHigh16°Low10°Rain, quietFebruaryPartly cloudy
Mixed
- High
- 16°
- Low
- 10°
- Precipitation
- 71 mm
- Rainy days
- 9
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Rain, quiet
- MarchPartly cloudy12 rainy daysHigh16°Low10°Mild, greenMarchPartly cloudy
Mixed
- High
- 16°
- Low
- 10°
- Precipitation
- 107 mm
- Rainy days
- 12
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Mild, green
- AprilRain12 rainy daysHigh18°Low12°Spring flowersAprilRain
Mixed
- High
- 18°
- Low
- 12°
- Precipitation
- 85 mm
- Rainy days
- 12
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Spring flowers
- MayClear7 rainy daysHigh20°Low14°Warm, long daysMayClear
Good
- High
- 20°
- Low
- 14°
- Precipitation
- 52 mm
- Rainy days
- 7
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Warm, long days
- JuneClear5 rainy daysHigh22°Low16°Busy, warmJuneClear
Best
- High
- 22°
- Low
- 16°
- Precipitation
- 26 mm
- Rainy days
- 5
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Busy, warm
- JulyClear2 rainy daysHigh24°Low17°Hot, peak crowdsJulyClear
Best
- High
- 24°
- Low
- 17°
- Precipitation
- 5 mm
- Rainy days
- 2
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Hot, peak crowds
- AugustClear1 rainy dayHigh25°Low18°Hot, peak crowdsAugustClear
Best
- High
- 25°
- Low
- 18°
- Precipitation
- 3 mm
- Rainy days
- 1
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Hot, peak crowds
- SeptemberClear5 rainy daysHigh24°Low17°Warm, calmerSeptemberClear
Best
- High
- 24°
- Low
- 17°
- Precipitation
- 37 mm
- Rainy days
- 5
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Warm, calmer
- OctoberClear10 rainy daysHigh22°Low16°Mild, fog startsOctoberClear
Good
- High
- 22°
- Low
- 16°
- Precipitation
- 87 mm
- Rainy days
- 10
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Mild, fog starts
- NovemberRain12 rainy daysHigh18°Low12°Cool, wetNovemberRain
Mixed
- High
- 18°
- Low
- 12°
- Precipitation
- 105 mm
- Rainy days
- 12
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Cool, wet
- DecemberPartly cloudy11 rainy daysHigh15°Low10°Cool, short daysDecemberPartly cloudy
Poor
- High
- 15°
- Low
- 10°
- Precipitation
- 104 mm
- Rainy days
- 11
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Cool, short days
Average daily high and low in Sintra, 2016–2025. Rainy day: 1 mm of rain or more.
Right now in Sintra
Local time, today's weather and the exchange rate, refreshed through the day.
18
- Feels like
- 16°
- Humidity
- 57%
- Wind
- 12 km/h
- Chance of rain
- 0%
Sintra
08:47 PM
Monday, November 2
- Today24°13°0%Monday: Clear. High 24°, Low 13°. Chance of rain 0%.
- Tue22°12°0%Tuesday: Cloudy. High 22°, Low 12°. Chance of rain 0%.
- Wed20°9°0%Wednesday: Clear. High 20°, Low 9°. Chance of rain 0%.
- Thu19°10°8%Thursday: Cloudy. High 19°, Low 10°. Chance of rain 8%.
- Fri18°12°65%Friday: Rain. High 18°, Low 12°. Chance of rain 65%.
- Sat19°17°77%Saturday: Thunderstorms. High 19°, Low 17°. Chance of rain 77%.
- Sun20°17°90%Sunday: Rain. High 20°, Low 17°. Chance of rain 90%.
Updated 06:07 PM local time · Powered by WeatherAPI.com · Weather data by Open-Meteo.com
Every year
- JulSuper Bock Super RockSetúbal, a day trip
- JulNOS AliveLisbon, a day trip
Day trips by train
- Cascaisby bus or carA seaside town with a small bay, fort and promenade for a gentler day after the palaces.Read the guide
- Cabo da Rocaby bus 1253 from Sintra stationThe western tip of mainland Europe, with a lighthouse that has its own ticketed visit.
- Ericeiraby car or bus up the coastA surf town with a white old center, useful as a quieter base north of Sintra.Read the guide
Before you go to Sintra
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Rules for Sintra, checked
- Pena Palace tickets are for a set date and time. Adults: Essential Visit 20 euros, Complete Visit 45 euros, park only 12 euros.Checked Oct 2, 2026 · Source
- Private cars may not drive up to Pena or the Moorish Castle, and driving in the historic center is limited to residents.Checked Oct 2, 2026 · Source
- Sintra's tourist tax is 2 euros per guest per night, up to 3 nights in a row, for guests aged 13 and over.Checked Oct 2, 2026 · Source
Sintra FAQ
Is Sintra worth visiting?
Yes, if you like palaces, gardens and viewpoints, and you accept a hilly day. It is best with a booked Pena slot and one more site, rather than a rushed run through all of them.
Can you do Sintra in a day from Lisbon?
Yes. Pena plus one more site, such as the Moorish Castle or the National Palace of Sintra, fits one long day. Add Monserrate or the coast only if you stay overnight or have a second day.
Do you need to book Pena Palace in advance?
Palace interior tickets are sold for a specific date and time, so book ahead on the Parques de Sintra site. A park-only ticket is listed separately at 12 euros for adults.
How do you walk up to Pena Palace?
The park authority lists three marked trails: Santa Maria (1.77 km, about 1 hour), Seteais (2.41 km, about 1 hr 30 min) and Villa Sassetti (1.85 km, about 45 minutes). Wear shoes with grip, since stone steps get slick.
When is the best time to visit Sintra?
April to June and September to October balance mild weather with fewer crowds than July and August. The hills hold mist in winter, which suits gardens but hides the views from Pena.