Do not go to Lisbon without seeing Sintra: a day trip guide
Castelo dos Mouros, Sintra, Portugal (ISO 3200, 16 mm, f/10, 1/2500 s)
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Sintra is located in the Portuguese Riviera and about an hour’s train ride away from Lisbon city center itself. If you have some extra time during your stay in Lisbon (blog post here), it is highly recommended you spend a day taking in the sights around Sintra. Here you can find ornate gardens, mountain views, intact castles, and lush forests. To get there, take the train from Rossio-Lisboa station on the Linha de Sintra line and get off at Sintra station (14 stops, about 40 minutes). There are usually trains every 30 minutes. You can find a Google map of the places I will discuss at the end of this post.
Also, For a more relaxed start to the day, you can consider the option of booking a private day trip with a local driver. It’s a comfortable door-to-door option that lets you skip the crowds at the train station and even stop at interesting places on the way to Sintra, if time allows.
Given the elevation of many of these attractions, there are taxis and buses everywhere to take people up and down the mountain for a fee. Furthermore, the 434 Sintra bus offers service from the train station, town center, Castelo dos mouros, and Pena Palace. If you have the time and the fitness, this can be done entirely on foot (expect at least 10,000 steps!).
Upon arrival to Sintra station, head down Avenue Dr. Miguel Bombarda (southwest direction), there will be signs pointing you towards Sintra National Palace. Try to take some of the small alleyways off the beaten path to get there to get a good look at the architecture and stunning displays in this area. The Town Palace as it is called is a royal residence and currently a museum. The palace is representative of Gothic, Manueline, Moorish, and Mudéjar architectures and was damanged during the 1755 Lisbon earthquake, but restored to it’s original memory.
Quinta da Regaleira, Sintra, Portugal (ISO 1000, 35 mm, f/2.8, 1/1600 s)
Just down the way is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Quinta da Regaleira. Though it contains a palace, it is most known for its maze of lavish gardens, ponds, waterfalls, and grottos. Give yourself enough time to explore all of the footpaths throughout the gardens and admire the ornate structures that are dispersed everywhere. Make sure you don’t miss the Initiation Wells, one of which possesses a 27-meter long spiral staircase. The entire well possesses markings that are linked to Tarot mysticism.
Quinta da Regaleira, Sintra, Portugal (ISO 2000, 23 mm, f/11, 1/25 s)
Head back towards Sintra station, but look for signs towards Castelo dos Mouros (Castle of the Moors), a 10th century castle built by the Moors. The view from the inner walls is stunning where you can see all of Sinta, and even the distant cities of Mafra and Ericeira. The castle itself is in excellent condition, as it has been rebuilt a few times following conquests and the 1755 earthquake of Lisbon (once again). The perimeter of the castle measures half a kilometer and is 412 meters above sea level. Make sure you walk the entire wall to get 360 degree views of the entire area.
Seixal is a small town on the Northern Coast of Madeira, an autonomous region of Portugal. The seaside village is perched on a peninsula that juts out into the Atlantic Ocean. Home to a population of just 656, its beach, Porto de Abrigo do Seixal beach, is well known. Natural swimming pools can also be found here and kayaks are able to be rented out.