A day trip in Sintra, near Lisbon

Near Lisbon, in Portugal, there are so many places tourists should visit! All the cities are reachable by train and it takes only 30-40 minutes. So, don’t be too much lazy and get around.

One of these towns where you can spend simply a day is Sintra. Even its melodic name suggests the idea of something magic, like a fairytale place. That’s exactly what it is about: an enchanted town surrounded by the forest which lies on the hills above Lisbon. It’s a magical world of fairytale palaces and enchanted forests in the hills above Lisbon.

If you think it cannot be possible, wait to see the Palacio da Pena: it is an extravagant palace having towers in pink, yellow and purple, such as the Disney castle in the amusement park. The watch towers, too, look like fake, but they are really enjoyable.

The creative exuberance, which can be see from the wall walk, is something very unique in that area around Lisbon, that’s why the palace is the most crowded and the most expensive too (13.50€ for the grounds and the inside, and if you go before 11 am you only pay 12.50€). Go there early and if you like walking, you can reach the castle by walk from the train station: it’s only 45 minutes far. You should better ask the tourist office there for maps and directions.

Then of course you can visit the Quinta da Regaleira, a building which is definitely less colorful that the previous one, but it has some magical gardens where you can spend hours relaxing and discovering the underground tunnels, the lake, the hidden waterfall, and towers. One of the tunnels emerge at the bottom of 27 meters where you can climb up the spiral stairs to get back to the garden. It’s so much fun and the entrance is only 6€, so it’s pretty much affordable.