Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
SintraDayTripfromLisbon:
If you insist on taking a car to Sintra, take the IC-19 free-
way out of Lisbon (allow 30 minutes). When you arrive in Sintra, follow
Centro Histórico
signs. Cars are the curse of Sintra—traffic can be terrible and parking difficult. Park your
car and use bus #434 to get around. There's a strip of parking along Volta do Duche, near
the town center (€0.50/hour, 4-hour maximum), and a small lot next to the train station.
The most central free parking lot is on Rua do Porto in the valley just below and north-
east of town (after parking, climb the long set of steps to get up to the main square). If
you decide (probably regrettably) to drive to the sights, you'll take a one-way winding
loop—park as soon as you can, or you'll risk having to drive the huge loop again (because
you can't backtrack).
LoopTrip:
It's possible to make a 70-mile circular trip and drive to all the destinations
near Lisbon within a day (Lisbon-Belém-Sintra-Cabo da Roca-Cascais-Lisbon), but
traffic congestion around Sintra, especially on weekends and during rush hour, can mess
up your schedule.
ContinuingtotheAlgarve:
Drivers eager for beach time can leave Lisbon, visit Sin-
tra, then head back south to drive directly to the Algarve that evening (4 hours from Lis-
bon). To get to the Algarve from Sintra/Cascais, get on the freeway heading for Lisbon
and exit at the
Sul Ponte A-2
sign, which takes you over the 25th of April Bridge and
south on A-2.
The following sights are worth considering if you have extra time. Though doable by pub-
lic transportation, they are best reached either with a tour or by car.
If you're bent on seeing everything west of Lisbon (Sintra, Cabo da Roca, Cascais, and
Estoril) in a long day, consider a slam-bam swing around the peninsula by
bus tour
with
Carris Tours' Sintra tour from Lisbon (€29, €42 option includes entrance to Pena Palace,
both options 5 hours,
www.carristur.pt
;
see
here
)
.
It's possible to make a loop trip around the peninsula using
public transportation,
but it can be frustrating and make for a long day, especially on weekends when fewer
buses run. You'll waste 1.5-2 hours at Cabo da Roca waiting for the next bus, with very
little to do there. Taking an organized bus tour from Lisbon can be your best bet (as de-
scribed above). If you do decide to use public transportation, I suggest leaving Lisbon
early (around 8:30). In Lisbon, buy a one-way train ticket to Sintra. See the sights in Sin-
tra—but instead of buying a €5 ticket on the #434 bus, buy a €10 day pass. This pass
covers both bus #434 up the hill to the Pena Palace as well as bus #403 to Cabo da Roca
