Following in the footsteps of the United States Saul Schwartz, as he understands the capital provided by the Portuguese capital. What is the most important thing in Lisbon and around? Is Sintra National Park really worth earning a full day from a busy travel schedule? Saul recommends free hiking and further explore this World Heritage Site.
Saul Schwarz
My wife Fern and I spent four days in Lisbon and Sintra in October, two of which were spent in the historic centre of Lisbon, one in the beautiful Bellem area and one in the Sintra National Park. You can read all about What are you seeing in Lisbon and Bele in this article. Here is our guide to the wonderful day trip to Sintra:
In Sintra, we booked again the “free” tour prompted through the Guru Walk website. Fern and I met our guide at the town hall at Dr. Virgílio Horta. We were happy to meet Gabriel again, one of the most useful guides we have ever used to hike. The trip lasted about 2 hours and was the ideal direction for Sintra. Gabriel offers many tips and suggestions. He also tells us some legends from the past, including the myths of the Secret Portal.
Gabriel began the tour, showing us a series of scenic views, from towns to rippling mountains, romantic architecture and glittering palaces. The entire town is designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
fountain
We walked through several exquisite monumental fountains. The Moorish fountain was built in 1922 and displays lovely blue tiles around its oval vent. Gabriel explains how sound is delivered from one side of the fountain structure to the other. It is located on Volta do duche. Built in 1931, Pisoes Fountain is a semicircular structure on Avenida Almeida Garrett. It is decorated with Renaissance-style circles, decorated with tiled panels and a stone relief, representing the child holding a cup and a pitcher.
Next, we spent some time learning about the National Palace in Sintra. The palace was inhabited by the Portuguese monarchy for nearly eight centuries. Since Gabriel suggested it was the top historic spot in Sintra, we ended up touring the palace after a hike.
The tour ended at Tivoli Palacio de Seteais, which was once a palace and is now a five-star hotel. This is a romantic place with an atmosphere of the 18th century architecture. We had lunch in the large public garden outside the hotel.
We had time to visit one of the palaces in the afternoon. We chose to visit the Sintra National Palace in the heart of the Old Town (Sintra Vila). During the hike, as we looked at the exterior, Gabriel explained that the palace was built in three different periods.
The main part contains a Gothic facade with a large kitchen beneath two conical chimneys. This section was built in the 14th century. The second part is Moorish style, which is by Manuel I. Admission costs 10 euros per adult. The palace is now a museum, but is considered the best preserved royal palace in Portugal.
We first walked through the walled garden outside the palace. The garden includes colorful tiles features. Highlights of the interior include the grand ceiling of the former ballroom painted in the 17th century and divided into octagonal panels with swans. In Sala das Pegas, King Jado is painted with a ceiling of Hipies to condemn the ladies of the court for being addicted to gossip, and he sounds like Hip’s cry. The interior also features beautiful tile walls and dramatic chandeliers. One of the bathrooms has a fancy stained glass window.
- It is useful to have a guide for planning purposes. We used Lisbon – Witness Travel Guide. Accessing city apps is also useful.
- In October, the weather was very clear, but warmer than expected, up to over 80 degrees Fahrenheit. A sun hat is highly recommended.
- In public bathrooms, a maximum fee of 2 euros can be paid. Cafes and restaurants charge similar fees if you are just in the bathroom instead of a meal. For this, it's great to change it in your pocket.
- Almost everyone in Lisbon and Sintra speaks English. The locals seem to have some appreciation for Portuguese.
- Fern and I initially planned to stay in Lisbon for five nights, but our original flight was cancelled and we missed the first day. We concluded that the four nights in Lisbon allowed us to see most of the major attractions and still enjoy a day trip to Sintra.
We spent our third day trip in Sintra, the most popular day trip in Lisbon.
We took the train from Rossio Railway Station, which is very close to Rossio Metro Stop. Although we did not purchase prepaid tickets, the route to purchase tickets was short. The train runs approximately every 30 minutes and takes a few steps along the way. Due to the abnormal delay, the trip took more than an hour, but the return rate was less.
This train ticket is not included in our subway pass and costs only €2.30. The journey was comfortable, but crowded in every direction.
If you want to discover more about Sintra, please check it out Palace of Portugal: Sintra or The real Jurassic park in the heart of Portugal – Lisbon is only an hour's drive away.
Saul lives in Alexandria, Virginia and has lived in Washington, D.C. since 1984. He enjoys traveling around Europe with his wife and family, especially enjoys interacting with local residents and learning about their city and country life.
Saul had previously shared his travel insights with us. Look at his story Visit Southwest Ireland – Limerick, Claire and Galway Or check his trip Modern Athens – Beyond the Acropolis Or he is Vatican: Pope Rome.
