One of the most popular day trips from Lisbon is the famous Sintra National Park. It’s a day full of castles, history, and unbelievable architecture, and one of the best parts is that it’s super convenient to get from Lisbon to Sintra. All in all, this is an awesome day trip out of the city.
There are so many different ways to get from Lisbon to Sintra so let’s explore the different options below to see which one works best for you!
Disclosure: this post contains affiliate links which means that if you decide to use them we get a small commission from the platform at no additional cost to you. Thank you <3
5 best ways to get from Lisbon to Sintra
Sintra is definitely one of the most popular day trips from Lisbon. In our opinion, Sintra is one of the most beautiful places in Portugal and a place everyone should visit at least once. With the Castle of Moors, Pena Palace, and the National Museum you have everything you need to have an awesome day trip to Sintra.
Since it’s a popular route, there are plenty of different options to get between the two cities.
In this post, you will find the different options, ticket prices, links to sites where you can book from, and reasons why we recommend each option. Let’s get right into it.
Lisbon to Sintra by train
Average price: $2-4 one way
Average time: Roughly 45 minutes
Convenience: 5/5
Where to book: Rome2Rio
Taking the train from Lisbon to Sintra is definitely one of the more convenient and cheapest ways to get between the two cities. There are multiple train stops so depending on where you are in Lisbon you can easily be able to hop on the train and get to Sintra in less than 45 minutes.
The best thing about the day trip from Lisbon to Sintra is that the trains run very often (every half an hour or so). It makes it easier to plan your trip or makes it that you don’t even have to plan that far in advance because you can just hop on a train whenever you want!
Book your train ticket to Sintra here.
Lisbon to Sintra by bus
Average price: $1-12 one way
Average time: 30 minutes
Convenience: 4/5
Where to book: Rome2Rio
The train is definitely our first and favourite option for the Lisbon to Sintra trip but the bus is also a good option Especially if you’re close to the Marques de Pombal metro stop. From there it’s easy to get to the bus stop.
The only downside for this trip is that the bus doesn’t leave that often (every few hours) and it doesnt have any other stops in the city. So if you’re not staying close to the Marques de Pombal metro stop and want to take public transport then the train is the better option.
But for some, the bus might be better if you’re in the area. You will have to plan it a little bit with the time though since it doesn’t leave that often.
Book your train ticket to Sintra here.
Lisbon to Sintra with a guide
Average price: $69-76 for the full day
Average time: 8 hours
Convenience: 5/5
Where to book: GetYourGuide
If you’re looking for a day full of adventure where all you have to do is lay back, relax, and enjoy the ride, then you might want to get a guided tour from Lisbon to Sintra!
We highly recommend this tour from Lisbon to Sintra, Cabo da Roca, and Cascais for an adventure-packed day. Both Sintra and Cascais are some of our favourite places to visit near Lisbon so the fact that you can get a guided tour to check out all of these places in one day is amazing. And it’s super affordable for what you get!
If you book a private tour, you can get picked up at your hotel, a guided tour of Pena Palace, and your own guide for the full day. Just remember to bring your own lunch or buy it during one of the “free-time” breaks.
Book your guided tour to Sintra here.
Lisbon to Sintra by rental car
Average price: Anywhere from $20-75 a day + gas
Average time: 30 minutes
Convenience: 2/5
Where to book: Discover Cars
The price for public transport is so cheap in Portugal that we really favour the bus and train over renting a car. We also want to mention that parking in Sintra can be quite challenging and there are even extra fees for parking in Sintra.
So with all that being said, we wouldn’t take a car unless you’ve already rented it. Of course, there are benefits to having a rental such as not having to wait for public transport and all that but for this trip, it isn’t really worth it in our opinion.
If you do rent a car though we recommend going through Discover Cars and then picking it up from the Lisbon Airport since it’s usually the cheapest option. We like using Discover Cars because it compares the different rental companies and shows you the cheapest and best options! They also have great customer service from our experience.
Another good tip is that the further you book the car rental in advance the more likely you are to get a better discount!
Book your rental car from Lisbon Airport here.
Lisbon to Sintra by Campervan rental
Average price: Depends on the season (price guide here)
Average time: 30 hours
Convenience: 4.5/5
Where to book: Portugal by Van
If you get the opportunity to travel Portugal by Van then do it! It’s a great way to see the country and a more affordable way to see the country. Portugal is super camping friendly and there are tons of great campsites near Sintra and along the coast.
If you pick up your campervan in Lisbon you can drive directly to Sintra. It’s probably the closest stop from Lisbon and the first place most people visit when doing a Portugal Silver Coast road trip.
This option of course doesn’t work if you’re just planning a day trip from Lisbon to Sintra. But if you plan to explore the country and explore the coast then definitely consider booking a van from PortugalByVan.
We had the best time in our little house on wheels. It’s such a good way to see parts of Portugal you wouldn’t otherwise.
Other relates questions about Lisbon to Sintra
Is Sintra worth visiting?
Yes Sintra is absolutely worth visiting. There is a reason Sintra is one of the 7 Wonders of Portugal. There is so much to do and see in Sintra including the Castle of Moors, Sintra Palace, and then walking around old town.
What is special about Sintra?
Sintra is special for multiple reasons and has a big historic significance of the Moorish people that have been here since the 10th century. You’ll be surrounded by the fresh smell of Pine Forest while going from historic building to historic building.
Can you do a day trip to Sintra from Lisbon?
Yes, Lisbon to Sintra is one of the most popular day trips you can do in the country. Firstly, because Sintra is simply one of the most beautiful places in the country. Secondly, it’s super easy to get from Lisbon to Sintra that makes it a very popular day trip for most tourists who want to get out of Lisbon for a day.
Can you walk around Sintra?
One of the biggest misconceptions of Sintra is that you need to take a bus or taxi everywhere. If you enjoy hiking and walking you can easily see the whole park by walking from palace to castle to historic building.
There are plenty of nice hiking trails within the pine forest of Sintra National Park! One of the best hikes you can do it to hike from the old town to the Castle of Moors up the trail that weaves its way around the ruins of the castle walls.
You may also like…
- Hiking the Beautiful Praia da Ursa Trail (From Cabo da Roca)
- Lisbon to Sintra: An Unforgettable Day Trip Full of Castles
- 3 Amazing Day Trips From Lisbon You Can’t Miss
- How to get a Digital Nomad Visa in Portugal
- Hiking to the Famous Castle of Moors in Sintra
We hope you have the best time exploring the castles and nature in and around Sintra. Pena Palace in our opinion is one of the coolest places to check out in Portugal. So enjoy this day trip from Lisbon and let us know what you end up checking out in the comments below or DM us on Instagram.
Have fun!
Dom & Jo
Red White Adventures
Love it? Share it!
