Sintra

With its rippling mountains, dewy forests thick with ferns and lichen, exotic gardens and glittering palaces, Sintra is like a page torn from a fairy tale. Its Unesco World Heritage–listed centre, Sintra-Vila, is dotted with pastel-hued manors folded into luxuriant hills that roll down to the blue Atlantic.

Attractions

Must-see attractions

Palácio Nacional de Sintra
Sintra
The star of Sintra-Vila is this palace, with its iconic twin conical chimneys and lavish, whimsical interior, which is a mix of Moorish and Manueline…
Castelo dos Mouros
Sintra
Soaring 412m above sea level, this mist-enshrouded ruined castle looms high above the surrounding forest. When the clouds peel away, the vistas over…
Quinta da Regaleira
Sintra
This magical villa and gardens is a neo-Manueline extravaganza, dreamed up by Italian opera-set designer, Luigi Manini, under the orders of Brazilian…
Palácio Nacional da Pena
Sintra
Rising from a thickly wooded peak and often enshrouded in swirling mist, Palácio Nacional da Pena is a wacky confection of onion domes, Moorish keyhole…
Convento dos Capuchos
Sintra
Hidden in the woods is this bewitchingly hobbit-hole-like convent, which was originally built in 1560 to house friars, who lived in incredibly cramped…
Parque da Pena
Sintra
Nearly topped by King Ferdinand II's whimsical Palácio Nacional da Pena (only Cruz Alta, at 529m, is higher), these romantic gardens are filled with…
Palácio & Parque de Monserrate
Sintra
At the centre of a lush, 30-hectare park, a manicured lawn sweeps up to this whimsical, Moorish-Gothic-Indian palácio, the 19th-century romantic folly of…
Museu das Artes de Sintra
Sintra
This museum features a small and manageable collection of contemporary and modern art, around 80% of which is dedicated to local works. The permanent…