Sintra Day Trip from Lisbon: Pena Palace & Regaleira

Drive out of Lisbon to three centuries of Portuguese palaces in one morning

You're picked up in central Lisbon and driven to Sintra's three main sights (Quinta da Regaleira's hidden gardens, Pena Palace's rooms and terraces, and the historic center) with a multilingual guide leading you through each stop. Lunch is your call, then you visit Cascais before returning to Lisbon. Entry to both palaces and transport are included. The whole day runs roughly eight to nine hours.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time at each

1. Quinta da Regaleira1h 30m
2. Pena National Palace1h 30m

Guided tour of Sintra and Cascais

• Meet at Praça dos Restauradores
• Visit historic center of Sintra
• Guided tour of Quinta da Regaleira
• Guided tour of Pena Palace and gardens
• Free time for lunch
• Visit the village of Cascais
• Return to meeting point

The experience

You leave Lisbon heading north toward the mountains, and within an hour the landscape shifts: the city spreads behind you and the air gets cooler as you climb into Sintra's green hills. The guide meets you at Praça dos Restauradores or Alameda Cardeal Cerejeira in central Lisbon, settles the group into an air-conditioned vehicle, and starts talking through what you're about to see. Small groups mean you're not herding through stops with forty other people, which matters when you're trying to actually look at something.

Sintra itself comes first: the historic center, narrow streets, a few minutes to get your bearings before the real stops begin. Then you're walking through Quinta da Regaleira, a 1910 estate that feels less like a palace and more like someone's elaborate garden fantasy. There are grottos, a chapel, stone staircases that lead nowhere obvious, and a guide who explains what you're actually looking at instead of just pointing. After that, you drive up to Pena Palace: the one with the yellow and red walls that looks like it wandered out of a fairy tale and decided to stay on top of a mountain. The palace itself is guided, so you get the rooms, the history, the views across the valley. It's not a quick walk-through. You're there long enough to actually absorb it.

Lunch happens on your own time, somewhere between Pena and Cascais. Your guide can suggest a place, but you choose where to eat and whether to eat at all: some people grab something quick, others sit down for a proper meal. After that, the tour swings toward Cascais, the coastal village that used to be a fishing town and now has cafés, a beach, and the kind of light that makes you understand why painters came here. You loop back to Lisbon the same way you left, arriving at the same meeting point where the day started.

What’s included

Your day includes pickup at your chosen Lisbon meeting point, guided visits to Quinta da Regaleira and Pena Palace with entry tickets, a stop in Sintra's historic center, free time for lunch (your guide suggests options but you choose), a visit to Cascais village, and return transport to Lisbon in an air-conditioned vehicle with a multilingual guide throughout.

Options for this experience

20 options

Spanish-language transportation only08:00This option covers transportation only. Tickets to the Pena Palace and Regaleira are not included.

Portuguese-language transportation only08:00This option covers transportation only. Tickets to the Pena Palace and Regaleira are not included.

English-language transportation only08:00This option covers transportation only. Tickets to the Pena Palace and Regaleira are not included.

See 17 more options

Italian-language transportation only08:00This option covers transportation only. Tickets to the Pena Palace and Regaleira are not included.

English-language ticket for the Pena Palace Garden08:00Tickets for the Pena Palace, covering the Gardens and viewpoint terraces. Interior and Regaleira are not included.

Portuguese-language ticket for the Pena Palace Garden08:00Tickets for the Pena Palace, covering the Gardens and viewpoint terraces. Interior and Regaleira are not included.

Italian-language ticket for the Pena Palace Garden08:00Tickets for the Pena Palace, covering the Gardens and viewpoint terraces. Interior and Regaleira are not included.

French-language transportation only08:00This option covers transportation only. Tickets to the Pena Palace and Regaleira are not included.

Spanish-language ticket for the Pena Palace Garden08:00Tickets for the Pena Palace, covering the Gardens and viewpoint terraces. Interior and Regaleira are not included.

French-language ticket for the Pena Palace Garden08:00Tickets for the Pena Palace, covering the Gardens and viewpoint terraces. Interior and Regaleira are not included.

French-language tour of the Pena Gardens and Regaleira08:00Tickets

Spanish-language tour of the Pena Gardens and Regaleira08:00Tickets included for Quinta da Regaleira and the exterior of the Pena Palace, covering the Gardens and viewpoint terraces. Interior is not included.

Portuguese-language tour of the Pena Gardens and Regaleira08:00Tickets included for Quinta da Regaleira and the exterior of the Pena Palace, covering the Gardens and viewpoint terraces. Interior is not included.

Italian-language tour of the Pena Gardens and Regaleira08:00Tickets included for Quinta da Regaleira and the exterior of the Pena Palace, covering the Gardens and viewpoint terraces. Interior is not included.

English-language tour of the Pena Gardens and Regaleira08:00Tickets included for Quinta da Regaleira and the exterior of the Pena Palace, covering the Gardens and viewpoint terraces. Interior is not included.

Tickets for everything are includedGuide in English · 08:00Tickets included for the Pena Palace, both interior and exterior, and for Quinta da Regaleira

Portuguese-language option with all tickets included08:00Tickets included for the Pena Palace, both interior and exterior, and for Quinta da Regaleira

French-language option with all tickets included08:00Tickets included for the Pena Palace, both interior and exterior, and for Quinta da Regaleira

Italian-language option with all tickets included08:00Tickets included for the Pena Palace, both interior and exterior, and for Quinta da Regaleira

Spanish-language option with all tickets included08:00Tickets included for the Pena Palace, both interior and exterior, and for Quinta da Regaleira

You pick the guide language when booking.

You see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates & prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 08:00

Book up toStart time

AgesAdult (13 and older) · Child (6 to 12 years) · Infant (under 6)

GroupUp to 25

Live guideEnglish, Spanish, French, Italian and Portuguese

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Easy physical levelStroller friendlyInfant seats availablePublic transport nearby

Operated by Lanetours

Is this one for you?Book this if you want Sintra's main sights in one organized day without arranging your own transport or buying tickets separately: the fixed itinerary and small-group format mean you see all three places and still have time to eat without rushing.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English, Spanish, French, Italian and Portuguese.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (6 to 12 years); Infant (under 6).

How long is the drive from Lisbon to Sintra?

About one hour each way, depending on traffic.

Is lunch included?

No. You have free time to eat where you choose, and your guide can suggest restaurants, but the meal is not part of the tour.

What's included in the ticket price?

Entry to Pena Palace and Quinta da Regaleira, guided tours at both sites, transport in an air-conditioned vehicle, and a multilingual guide for the full day.

Can I bring a stroller or pram?

Yes, infants and small children can use a pram or stroller, and specialized infant seats are available in the vehicle.

What if I don't want to visit both palaces?

The tour is designed to include both, but you can confirm options when booking. Some versions may allow you to skip one site.

Is this suitable if I'm not very fit?

The tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels. There is walking at each site, but the pace is guided and you can move at your own speed.

Where do I meet the guide?

At one of two central Lisbon locations: Praça dos Restauradores 24 or Alameda Cardeal Cerejeira 1070-051. Confirm which when you book.

How many people are in the group?

Small groups, which keeps the experience more personal than larger coach tours.