Sintra Hiking Guide: Historical Town to Quinta Da Regaleira to Castelo dos Mouros (Moorish Castle) to Palacio de Pena (Pena Palace)
Welcome to our Sintra Hiking Guide! Here we share our suggestion for a Sintra hike over spectacular trails while also exploring the key monuments that make this beautiful Portuguese town famous. This is a must-do stop in the Lisbon, Portugal area!
Length: 10km total
Elevation Gain: 659m
Time Required: Minimum 8 hours (includes time to explore 3 monuments)
Trail Type: Out & Back
Technical Difficulty: Easy. Some steep stairs is the only challenge.
Fitness Difficulty: Moderate. Involves A LOT of elevation gain.
Getting There: If you have a rental car, you can drive, or avoid the traffic and take the train. The station is less than 1km from the start of this Sintra hike.
Parking: Paid parking is available in Sintra at various locations. Note that parking enforcement in Sintra is stricter than in most of Portugal, so make sure you park in a designated spot.
Toilets Available: Yes at all stops and along the route.
Need to Know:
This is a non-traditional hike for us, in that it’s in a built up area. Sintra is a town of palaces and castles that was popular with the European aristocracies over the years. But there are beautiful trails winding up the mountain through lush forests and gardens, and the trails are not overly busy since most folks take tourist buses up the mountain.
You’ll love this hike if you’re a history buff, or if you like plenty of opportunities to visit cafe’s and restaurants. You do have to pay entrance fees at all three monuments on the itinerary, although the hike itself is free. All in all we say it’s worth it to pay the entry fees. And I’m a guy who doesn’t like museums…but this is more like visiting 3 fantasy movie sets.
Note that your tickets for stops 3 & 4 below must be purchased for a specific entry time, so pay attention to walking times and allow yourself a cushion to avoid any issues when entering each monument.
Route Finding:
We did not use an All Trails or other set route. Instead, we just followed the signs and used Google maps. If you’re not comfortable winging it, stop at the train station and get a pedestrian map.
Tickets/Admissions:
The tourist office at the train station can also help you with booking tickets to the attractions on this hike. We were hiking in the off season (Oct 1), so getting advance tickets wasn’t required, but if you’re visiting in peak season (May to September), it’s mandatory to buy your tickets ahead of time to avoid long ticket lines. Tickets are also cheaper if booked online ahead of time. Links are provided below.
Gear Requirements:
Make sure you have plenty of water, good walking shoes, and your camera before starting. Also bring snacks or cash to buy them along the way.
Let's go hiking!
Suggested Intenerary
1. Explore Sintra's Historical Centre & Breakfast
We started at noon with brunch at one of the tourist cafe’s right across from the Sintra National Palace. Very yummy! Walk around the historical centre of Sintra before you settle on your cafe (we explored for about 1/2 an hour before we stopped). There are some really nice bakeries, and the town is fun to explore although definitely touristy. We’d advise starting earlier than we did to allow for more time at each stop and also to ensure you finish your hike in the daylight (which we did not!).
2. Quinta da Regaleira
(€12 Adults/€7 Kids & Seniors/0-5 yrs FREE)
(Walk Time: 10 to 15 minutes/Explore Time: 1.5 hours)
Walk to the Quinta da Regaleira via the Ave. Almeida Garrett above the historical centre. My advice is to skip the palace/museum and explore the fascinating gardens. There are references to freemasonry, The Templars, and the Rose Cross everywhere. Built by businessman Carvalho Monteiro with the help of architect Luigi Manini, it features a spiral Initiation Well, ponds, fountains, and a labirynth of caves under the gardens. I half expected to see Tom Hanks dressed in tweed sprinting through the tunnels!
Buy Tickets Here: https://regaleira.byblueticket.pt/
3. Sassetti Hiking Trail
(FREE)
(Walk Time: 45 mins to 1 hour)
Now you’re going to head back towards town before turning uphill to the Villa Sassetti Hiking Trail. Note: this route is more direct than the options on All Trails. It took us a few minutes to find the trail, but once we did, what a treat! It’s a mix of cobblestone, regular trail, and stairs cut into the rocks as it winds it’s way around private properties, past cliffs, a cafe with toilets, and through the forest. We even saw rock climbers scaling a cliff!
4. Castelo dos Mouros (Moorish Castle)
(€10.20 Adults/€8.50 Kids & Seniors/0-5 yrs FREE)
(Explore Time 1 hour).
Remember that your ticket is good for entry at a specific time, so make sure you time things correctly! When you get to the Moorish Castle, be prepared for incredible views (and heights) from the 10th century ruins that were built when the North Africans occupied the Iberian Peninsula. This site really takes you back to another age.
Buy Tickets Here: https://bilheteira.parquesdesintra.pt/categoria/45/parks-and-monuments
5. Palacio de Pena
(€17 Adults/€15.30 Kids & Seniors/0-5 yrs FREE)
Walk Time: 20 to 30 minutes/Explore Time 2 hours
Remember also that your ticket is good for entry only at a specific time, so make sure you time things correctly! The path we took was seriously uphill, so make sure you have water. Also leave plenty of time to explore the palace. When touring the interior, they route you through all areas (even the kitchen and servant stairs!) and the views of the exterior and surrounding hills are spectacular. If you’re hungry, visit the patio cafe here to fuel up for the walk back to town.
Buy Tickets Here: https://bilheteira.parquesdesintra.pt/categoria/45/parks-and-monuments
6. Head Back to Sintra
(Walk & Explore Time: 1 hour)
We hiked through the palace gardens (called Parque da Pena) which are spectacular in their own right, then back via the Villa Sassetti trail. It was getting dark, so we had to use our cell phone flashlights to find our way. Again, if you start earlier than we did, you should be able to avoid hiking in the dark. Once back to town, we wandered around the touristy part of Sintra, and rewarded our efforts with a great dinner at Restaurante Alcobaça (recommended).
Great write-up! On my bucket list for sure.