Sintra: Pena Palace & Regaleira with Tickets & Small Group

Drive into Sintra's Mountains: Pena Palace & Secret Gardens in One Day

You travel by air-conditioned vehicle with a guide and at most seven other travelers, visiting Pena Palace and its park, Quinta da Regaleira with its underground tunnels and Initiation Well, plus photo stops at Cabo da Roca and Cascais. All entry tickets are included, and you get free time in Sintra's old town for lunch. The tour runs eight hours total, departing and returning to Lisbon.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time at each

1. Pena National Palace2h · entry included
2. Quinta da Regaleira2h · entry included
3. Cabo da Roca15m

Explore Sintra and nearby coastal spots

• Walk through Pena Park
• Visit Pena National Palace
• Free time for lunch in Sintra old town
• Tour Quinta da Regaleira with guide
• Explore Initiation Well and tunnels
• Photo stop at Cabo da Roca cliffs
• Stop at Cascais bay for photos

The experience

Driving out of Lisbon toward the Sintra hills, the landscape shifts almost immediately: the city flattens behind you and the air changes. The route climbs into a region packed with palaces and gardens that feel less like tourist stops and more like places people actually lived, ruled, and hid things in. This 8-hour small-group tour moves through three major sites without the usual scramble for tickets or the weight of a large crowd. You're in a vehicle with at most seven other people, which means the guide can actually talk, and you can actually hear.

Pena Palace sits at the top of the mountain, and the walk through Pena Park to reach it is part of the experience, not a warm-up, but the real thing. The park was planted with help from a German botanist, so the trees and plants feel deliberate, almost staged, but in a way that works. You get the ticket and a guided walk through the grounds, then enter the palace itself (no guide inside, but you move at your own pace). The views from up there reach across the whole valley. After that comes free time in Sintra's old town for lunch, you're not herded into a restaurant, you just find somewhere and eat.

Quinta da Regaleira is where the tour gets strange and memorable. The guide walks you in, explains what you're looking at, then lets you loose to find the Initiation Well, which isn't actually a well, but a deep spiral staircase that goes down into the earth and was used for rituals inspired by the Knights Templar. There are hidden tunnels, stone passages, and gardens that feel designed to confuse you on purpose. You wander for as long as you want, which is the only way to really see a place like this.

On the way back to Lisbon, the route stops at Cabo da Roca, the westernmost point of continental Europe: 100-meter cliffs that drop straight into the Atlantic, good for photographs and the kind of moment that sticks with you. Then a final stop in Cascais, a fishing town with a bay, an old center, and local food, before the drive back down to the city. The whole day runs eight hours, which is long enough to feel like you've actually been somewhere and short enough that you're not exhausted by the time you're back.

What’s included

Air-conditioned vehicle transport from Lisbon, entry tickets to Pena Palace and Pena Park with a guided walk through the grounds, entry ticket to Quinta da Regaleira with guide introduction and free exploration time, photo stops at Cabo da Roca and Cascais, and free time for lunch in Sintra's old town. The tour runs 8 hours total.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 08:00

Book up to12h before

AgesAdult (12 and older) · Child (2 to 11 years) · Infant (under 2)

GroupUp to 8

Live guideEnglish and Spanish

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.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Moderate physical levelInfant seats availablePublic transport nearbyNot for heart conditions

Operated by Inside Lisbon

Is this one for you?Best for travelers who want to see Sintra's main palaces and gardens in one day without arranging separate transport, tickets, or timing: the small group size (max 8 people) and included entry fees mean you skip the logistics and move at a pace that lets you actually absorb each place.

Traveler reviews

4.84★★★★★★★★★★

269 verified traveler reviews

5 ★240

4 ★20

3 ★5

2 ★3

1 ★1

Read all the reviews ›

Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (2 to 11 years); Infant (under 2).

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

How long is the drive from Lisbon to Sintra?

The full tour is 8 hours. Sintra is roughly 30 kilometers from Lisbon, so travel time is part of that total.

Do I need to buy tickets separately for Pena Palace and Quinta da Regaleira?

No. Entry tickets for both palaces and Pena Park are included in the tour price.

Is there a guide inside Pena Palace?

The guide walks you through Pena Park and explains the grounds, but inside the palace itself you move at your own pace without a guide.

What is the Initiation Well?

It's a deep spiral staircase descending into the earth at Quinta da Regaleira, used historically for rituals inspired by the Knights Templar. It's not a functional well.

How many people are in each group?

Maximum 8 guests per vehicle. If a booking exceeds 8 people, the group may be split into separate vehicles.

Is there time for lunch?

Yes. Free time is built into the itinerary in Sintra's old town, where you can eat at a restaurant of your choice.

Are there stops for photos?

Yes. The tour includes photo stops at Cabo da Roca (the westernmost cliffs of continental Europe) and in Cascais, a fishing town on the bay.

Can the order of stops change?

Occasionally, depending on ticket availability at the monuments, the sequence of stops may be adjusted.

Is this tour physically demanding?

A moderate level of fitness is recommended. The tour includes walking through parks and gardens and climbing stairs at Quinta da Regaleira. It is not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health.