Sintra Trip Overview
Discover 2 fascinating regions of Portugal with our 2-day program.
All tours start in Lisbon at 09:00 and end in the same place, that is, your accommodation in Lisbon.
This opportunity will give you a day to enjoy the village of Sintra with its many monuments, classified by UNESCO as World Heritage, passing through Cabo da Roca and Cascais
On the second day, we will enjoy the stunning Algarve coast.
Heading south from Lagos, explore the Ponta da Piedade viewpoint, with the option of taking a boat trip through the caves (not included in the tour price). Then, head to the southernmost tip of Portugal, Sagres, to visit the São Vicente lighthouse and the Sagres Fortress.
Travel in our vehicles with air conditioning, wi-fi and mineral water.
In order to better serve our customers and make our private tours more pleasant and personalized, we make the schedule more flexible in each location you wish, according to a schedule of the day with our driver.
Additional Info
* Duration: 2 days
* Starts: Sintra, Portugal
* Trip Category: Cultural & Theme Tours >> Cultural Tours
Explore Promoted Experiences
What to Expect When Visiting Sintra, Central Portugal, Portugal
Discover 2 fascinating regions of Portugal with our 2-day program.
All tours start in Lisbon at 09:00 and end in the same place, that is, your accommodation in Lisbon.
This opportunity will give you a day to enjoy the village of Sintra with its many monuments, classified by UNESCO as World Heritage, passing through Cabo da Roca and Cascais
On the second day, we will enjoy the stunning Algarve coast.
Heading south from Lagos, explore the Ponta da Piedade viewpoint, with the option of taking a boat trip through the caves (not included in the tour price). Then, head to the southernmost tip of Portugal, Sagres, to visit the São Vicente lighthouse and the Sagres Fortress.
Travel in our vehicles with air conditioning, wi-fi and mineral water.
In order to better serve our customers and make our private tours more pleasant and personalized, we make the schedule more flexible in each location you wish, according to a schedule of the day with our driver.
Itinerary
Day 1: Sintra Cabo da Roca and Cascais
Pass By: Castelo dos Mouros, Estrada da Pena Parque de Monserrate, Sintra 2710-609 Portugal
Moorish Castle – Sintra
Monuments
Skirting two Sintra mountain ranges, the Moorish Castle dates back to the early days of the Moorish occupation of the Peninsula – the eighth century.
After many attempts, was finally taken by Dom Afonso Henriques first king of Portugal in 1147, and was built the first Christian Chapel of the city, dedicated to St. Peter of Penaferrim.
In the romantic period, in 1860, the walls were restored under the supervision of Dom Fernando II, husband of Dona Maria II, who wooded the surrounding areas, and gave a new dignity to the ancient medieval ruins. Noteworthy is the Moorish Cistern inside and the so-called Royal Tower.
Located about 3.5 km from the historic center of Sintra.
Stop At: Park and National Palace of Pena, Estrada da Pena, Sintra 2710-609 Portugal
Park and National Palace of Pena
Museums and Palaces
Pena National Palace
Visit the fantastic Pena Palace exponent of 19th century Romanticism in PortugalSet on the top of Monte da Pena, the palace was built on the site of a former monastery. Built by D. Fernando de Saxe Coburg-Gotha, who married Queen Dona Maria II in 1836. After falling in love with Sintra, he decided to buy the convent and surrounding lands to build a summer palace for the royal family.
A restaurant has been installed in one of the palace wings, with a terrace offering a beautiful panoramic view over the Sintra Mountains and the coast.
Duration: 2 hours
Stop At: Centro Historico de Sintra, Sintra 2710-616 Portugal
Sintra village from the municipal heritage to the world heritage, properly classified by UNESCO, visit the historical center of the romantic village of Sintra, many buildings and remains of various periods and cultural movements remain.
Duration: 1 hour
Pass By: Sintra National Palace, Largo Rainha Dona Amelia, Sintra 2710-616 Portugal
Sintra National Palace
Museums and Palaces
The Sintra National Palace is unique among the royal medieval palaces in Portugal and the most distinguished building in the village of Sintra.
From the first dynasties of the country, Sintra was one of the favorite places of Portuguese kings and queens, although the palace we can see today was an initiative of Dom João I, who rebuilt it, and Dom Manuel I, which enriched the building’s decorative character. and added a new wing.
Visit the interior of the palace, where you will surely discover a little more about the history of Portugal. The decoration is quite remarkable, being a combination of various artistic styles that depended on the respective tastes of the kings who lived here, and designed to give the various rooms different names. In particular, it draws visitors’ attention to the Swan Room, the Armory Room, the Magpie or the Reading Room and the chapel.
Stop At: Quinta da Regaleira, Rua Barbosa do Bocage, Sintra 2710-567 Portugal
Palace and Quinta da Regaleira
Museums and Palaces
Very close to the historic center of Sintra is Quinta da Regaleira, one of the most enigmatic sights of Sintra.
Quinta da Regaleira was built in the early twentieth century by millionaire Antonio Augusto Carvalho Monteiro (1848-1920), who managed to realize one of his dreams here with the help of scenographic architect Luigi Manini (1848-1936). Surrounded by lush greenery, Palácio da Regaleira is a fascinating discovery.
The palace was built in a romantic revivalist style, imitating Gothic, Manueline and Renaissance architectural and decorative forms, mixed with mythical and esoteric symbolism.
A special mention is reserved for the Holy Trinity Chapel, where visitors can take a spiral staircase down to the crypt to discover the monumental initiation pit that, deep down, leads through a cave to an amazing lake hidden in the middle of the gardens. .
Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes
Pass By: Palacio de Monserrate, R. Visc. de Monserrate, Sintra 2710-591 Portugal
Museums and Palaces
Park and Palace of Monserrate
This fantastic Romantic park was created by William Beckford, who fell in love with the Sintra Mountain.
Stop At: Estrada Cabo da Roca, Colares 2705-001 Portugal
Cabo da Roca
Other
If you go to Sintra, don’t miss the chance to visit the westernmost point of mainland Europe, Cabo da Roca.
Located at latitude 38º 47´north and longitude 9º 30´west, Cabo da Roca is an important coordinate for those sailing along the coast, as it is the most westerly point of mainland Europe, a fact borne out by the certificates that visitors take away as a souvenir.
Around 150 metres above the sea, here you can have a panoramic view over the Serra de Sintra and the coast, which makes it worth the visit.
Historical records indicate that there was a fort on Cabo da Roca in the 17th century that played an important part in guarding the entrance to Lisbon’s harbour, forming a defensive line along the coast, especially during the Peninsular Wars. Today there are only traces, as well as the lighthouse which is still an important point for navigation.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Boca do Inferno, Northern section of Cascais, Cascais 2750-642 Portugal
Boca do Inferno is located on the Costa da Guia, west of the village of Cascais, in Portugal.
The name “Boca do Inferno” attributed to this place is due to the morphological analogy and the tremendous and frightening impact of the waves that make themselves felt there.
The characteristic that makes up the rock in the cliff is of carbonated nature. The erosion exerted by the action of rainwater that, containing dissolved carbon dioxide, causes the dissolution of the carbonate. Through this process cavities and caves are formed inside the limestones.
It may well have been an old grotto. With the abasement of the upper layers the cave will have been destroyed, leaving an enormous cavity in the open.
With unique characteristics, it is a place of leisure, where you can enjoy a divine landscape and magnificent sunsets, being only overshadowed by not rare suicides committed in its dangerous and unprotected cliff.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Cascais, Cascais, Lisbon District, Central Portugal
Cascais
Towns and Villages
Situated close to the sea and traditionally a fishing village, Cascais enjoyed an important period of development in the 14th century, when it was a major stopping off point for boats on their way to Lisbon, turning it into a very busy port at that time.
It was, however, in the second half of the 19th century, when sea bathing became a popular activity, that Cascais was given the impetus that transformed it into a very fashionable summer resort. The great driving force behind this transformation was the king of Portugal, Dom Luís I, who, in 1870, converted the Fortaleza da Cidadela into the summer residence of the Portuguese monarchy.
Duration: 30 minutes
No meals included on this day.
No accommodation included on this day.
Day 2: Algarve “Lagos and Sagres”
Stop At: Marina de Portimao, Rua Simao Correia, Portimao 8500-844 Portugal
Located in the estuary of the River Arade, Portimão is known for its excellent sandy beaches with plenty of warm, calm waters, which make it a very alluring holiday destination.
Portimão has a long fishing tradition that developed particularly between the 19th and 20th centuries with the advent of the canning industry and tourism. Most of the buildings that you see in the streets and squares of the historic centre are from this period, as well as the building that houses the Portimão Museum, a superb refurbishment of an old cannery that received the Museum of the Year award from the Council of Europe in 2010. It pays homage to the people and the city that for centuries have lived exclusively of and for the sea.
Duration: 2 hours
Stop At: Praia da Rocha, Praia da Rocha, Portimao, Faro District, Algarve
Praia da Rocha is a beach in the municipality of Portimão, Algarve (Portugal). This beach has a large expanse of sand, covering a total area of 146 000 m², along 1.5 km of coastline. Next to the beach stands the Santa Catarina Fortress, built in the 17th century to ensure the defense of the Arade river bar.
Duration: 20 minutes
Stop At: Lagos, Lagos, Faro District, Algarve
Lagos is a town in the Algarve region in southern Portugal. It is known for its walled old town, cliffs and Atlantic beaches. Steep wooden steps lead to the sandy cove of Camilo Beach. The nearby cliffs of Ponta da Piedade offer stunning views of the headland and a lighthouse. St. Anthony’s Church, an ornate 18th-century church, is opposite the Governors’ Castle, a castle with a baroque facade and towers.
Duration: 30 minutes
Pass By: Praia Dona Ana, Lagos Portugal
The Praia da Dona Ana is one of the most picturesque beaches of the Algarve, and is a great location for your day on the beach.
The Dona Ana beach is located to the south of Lagos and is situated within the limestone cliffs of the Ponta da Piedade headland. This is a beautiful natural setting; the highly eroded cliffs reveal layers of golden strata, the calm sea waters are an idyllic turquoise colour, and the sands are soft and inviting. Along with the wonderful scenery, there are are all the expected facilities of a popular beach, including beach restaurants, shops and showers!
Pass By: Praia do Camilo, Rua da Costa D’Oiro between Praia Dona Ana Beach and Praia da Boneca Beach, Lagos 8600-544 Portugal
It is a small beach between cliffs, with interesting rock formations. Its waters are clear and calm. Access to the beach is by a long staircase.
Stop At: Ponta da Piedade, Lagos Portugal
The cliffs of the Ponta da Piedade headland is one of the finest natural features of the Algarve. This dramatic limestone coastline is formed of sea pillars, fragile rock arches and hidden grottos, all of which have been chiselled-out by savage winter storms.
The Ponta da Piedade is a bleak and windswept headland, and the beauty of the region is only discovered on descending the cliffs, where the exposed cliffs reveal their golden colour, and the turquoise sea waters lap precariously balanced rock formations. The headland can only be described as stunning.
Duration: 1 hour
Stop At: Fortaleza de Sagres, 8650-360, Sagres Portugal
The village of Sagres was rebuilt on the ruins of the 1755 earthquake – with the port over southwestern continental Europe, where fishermen still sell their catch from the three o’clock in the afternoon, Monday through Friday.
The Algarve has earned a reputation as one of the best surfing locations in Europe, in Sagres one of its central points. Its position at the bottom of Portugal means there is almost always excellent surfing conditions.
The main street – Rua Comandante Matoso – switches the fishing port and beach of Whaling at one end with the main square, all supported by a new urban area of villas and apartments.
Nearby are the ruins of the Fort of Whaling (XVI) damaged by British privateer Francis Drake, 1587, when Portugal was temporarily attached to Spain, and therefore went from ally to enemy of England.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Farol do Cabo de Sao Vicente, En 268, Sagres 8650-370 Portugal
Then head to Portugal’s southernmost tip, Sagres, to visit the St. Vincent lighthouse and Sagres Fortress. Take in the beautiful coastal scenery throughout the day and enjoy informative commentary from your guide.
Duration: 30 minutes
No meals included on this day.
No accommodation included on this day.
