Pena Palace
The fairy-tale palace
The yellow and red palace on the top of the hill, a romantic dream of the 19th century.
Destinations / Portugal /
ItineraryA weekend in Sintra & Lisbon: palaces, castles and tram 28
- 2 days
- 9 stops
- Feb 2018
Before we start · intro, costs & tips
Two days from Lisbon in February: a full day in fairy-tale Sintra, from the colourful Pena Palace to the initiation well of Quinta da Regaleira, then a morning in Lisbon on tram 28.
Getting there: the train from Lisbon's Rossio station to Sintra takes 40 minutes. Take an early one. In Sintra, the 434 hop-on hop-off bus links the palaces.
6 stops · swipe or tap a card
Sintra National Palace
The palace in the middle of town, with its two giant white chimneys and tiled rooms.
Moorish Castle
The walls of the old castle running along the ridge, with views to the ocean.
Quinta da Regaleira
The initiation well
Gardens full of symbols, grottoes and the spiral initiation well that goes deep into the ground.
Myths & Legends Centre
An interactive museum about Sintra's legends, in the town square.
Lisbon
Back to Lisbon by train for an aperitivo at The Insólito rooftop and dinner at The Decadente.
3 stops · swipe or tap a card
Santa Justa & tram 28
The Santa Justa lift, then the old yellow tram 28 up through Alfama.
Miradouro de Santa Luzia & the Sé
The tiled terrace over the rooftops of Alfama, and the cathedral.
Pharmacia
Lunch in an old pharmacy turned restaurant.
Good to know
Buy a 24-hour Lisbon travel card: it covers the metro and the Sintra train.
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