Visiting Sintra with Kids: Is it Really that Magical?

When I started researching places to visit in Portugal with kids for our Thanksgiving trip, I came across Sintra quite a bit. Everyone made it sound like such a fairytale. And they even talked about how much kids would love Sintra.

Although I was a bit skeptical (it sounds like a full-day thing…can my kids hang that long?), the photos of the area were enough to talk me into wanting to go. I mean, it looks gorgeous, right?!

So on our first full day in Lisbon, Portugal, we headed off on a day trip to Sintra with our 2-year-old, 4-year-old, and 6-year-old.

For our full Portugal with kids itinerary, check out this post. But you came to read all about Sintra with kids, so let’s get to it. Here’s everything you need to know:

_{Disclosure: You may see affiliate links throughout this post, which means these are the things I handpicked! If you purchase something through these links, I will get a small commission at absolutely no extra charge to you. And that sure means a lot to me, so thank you in advance!}

What’s So Special about Sintra, Portugal?

Sintra, Portugal, is a melting pot of sorts, full of historical significance from many different eras. We’re talking about remnants from as early as the 9th-6th centuries BC. (Yes, you read that right…BC!) All the way through the artistic movement, Romanticism, in the 1800s and beyond.

Each of those times throughout history brought something unique to Sintra. So much so that it was actually named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995.

The Sintra you see today is a little bit of it all from over the years. As you explore the city, you’ll come across castles, palaces, and estates full of rich history. And it’s all situated in a dramatic and absolutely beautiful landscape.

Getting from Lisbon to Sintra

On the morning of our trip, we made sure to get up early! This is KEY when it comes to beating the crowds in Sintra.

We jumped on the 8:11 AM train at the Rossio Station in Lisbon. And a short 40 minutes later, we arrived in Sintra. Yep, visiting Sintra from Lisbon is as easy as that.

And you can’t mess this up! You literally go from endpoint to endpoint on the track, so you don’t have to worry about missing your stop.

Because we had a Lisbon Card, all of our public transport, including the round-trip train ticket for Sintra, was covered. So, once we saw which track the train was leaving from, we just got to go right through the turnstiles without having to worry about purchasing a ticket.

If you don’t have the Lisbon Card, it’s very easy (and cheap!) to purchase a round-trip train ticket from the kiosk or desk at the train station.

Getting Around Sintra with Kids

You can get around Sintra by bus, by foot, or by private transfer. It is highly recommended that you do not drive to Sintra, and after being there, I could definitely see why.

If you do decide to drive, make sure to arrive very early. Parking is limited and the streets are tiiight, especially with other cars on the road. Plus you’ll have to park in remote areas, as there is no public parking near the main sights and roads are closed to traffic in the historic city center.

We spent the day getting around by bus or by foot. We really wanted to experience a tuk-tuk ride (even though it would’ve been a bit expensive), but the kids were too little, so we weren’t allowed.

Now, you could technically get around by foot the entire time you’re in Sintra. But that walk up the hill to Pena Palace would have to be a beast, especially when visiting Sintra with kids. We did more than our fair share of walking throughout the day, so we didn’t regret buying that bus ticket for one second.

Let me go into a little more detail on getting around Sintra with kids:

By Bus

Once we arrived in Sintra, we knew our first stop was going to be Pena Palace. And we knew we wanted to take the 434 Sintra bus to get there. But where do we find the bus?

After wandering around for a second, we realized that it’s as simple as this: when you get off the train and leave the station, turn to the right. A block or two away, you’ll find the 434 bus!

There was a vendor standing outside of the bus selling tickets. We purchased our tickets, which included unlimited use of all Sintra buses for the day, then hopped aboard.

The ride takes about 20 minutes or so (it was longer than I had imagined it would be). And getting up to Pena Palace was quite the adventure for me personally. My kids saw my motion sickness in full effect for the first time…ha!

It’s a curvy ride surrounded by trees. I made it there in one piece though, so that’s all that mattered. The motion sickness subsided quickly. And I didn’t have nearly as much trouble during the ride down the hill.

By Foot

Other than using the bus system, we also did a lot of walking. And when I say “a lot,” I mean a TON. Our watches logged 80 flights of stairs, over 20,000 steps, and almost 10 miles during our time in Sintra alone if that tells you anything!

The most surprising thing of all was that our boys had almost no complaints about all the walking. Sure, they were tired by the end of the day (we all were), but I think that speaks volumes about how much fun they had in Sintra, Portugal.

My biggest piece of advice when going to Sintra with kids is this: do not bring the stroller. If I could shout this from a rooftop, I would!

Between the hills, stairs, and cobblestones, a stroller just doesn’t work here. We saw a couple of kids in strollers when visiting Sintra, and I’ll say this much…it didn’t look pretty.

In fact, a tour guide passing us pointed us out to his group and said, “See! No Stroller. Smart!” So, it’s not just me saying this.

What did we use if we didn’t have a stroller in Sintra with kids? Well, my 4 and 6-year-olds walked the entire time. But there was no way our 2-year-old could do that. There’s also no way to talk our 2-year-old into using a standard baby carrier.

Cue the plug for the best toddler gear I’ve ever owned: the Gooseket Sling. It was a lifesaver on our trip to Portugal. (Ok, that’s dramatic. But it really did make our lives much easier on the trip, and it saved our arms from falling off while carrying him around everywhere. Alright, I’m done being dramatic now…for real this time.)

For more tips about visiting Portugal with kids, you can’t miss this post.

What to Do in Sintra with Kids

Here’s the thing. You won’t be able to do everything in Sintra in one day. So, similar to when we go to Disney World, we decided what our priorities were and focused on those (keep reading to see what we chose!).

When planning your day, I would recommend sticking to 2-3 main attractions. I personally felt like more than 3 would have been close to impossible to complete, especially when visiting Sintra with kids.

Once we decided what we wanted to see, we purchased all of our Sintra tickets online the night before for each attraction we wanted to visit. That helped us avoid all the ticket lines throughout our day.

Here’s what we chose to do with our time in Sintra with kids:

Pena Palace

What is Pena Palace?

The site in which Pena Palace stands tall now was once very different. It began as a chapel in the 12th century, which was then turned into a monastery. Unfortunately, the earthquake in 1755 that majorly damaged Lisbon also destroyed the monastery.

Fast forward to the 1840s when the palace was restored and rebuilt under the orders of King Ferdinand II. What you see today is the product that construction: Pena Palace.

The architecture of the building is an enormous nod to the artistic movement, Romanticism. The palace served as a royal summer residence for years before being classified as a National Monument in 1910. It later went on to become a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995.

The gardens surrounding Pena Palace are known as Pena Park. The park includes walking paths, secret paths, pavilions, lakes, and ponds. And since King Ferdinand II was a collector, he made sure to include trees from all the continents when designing the gardens.

Getting to Pena Palace

As I mentioned above, we took the bus up to Pena Palace. You’ll pass the Moorish Castle first, but you will not want to get off on that stop.

Since Pena Palace gets so busy, the earlier you arrive, the better. That’s the secret to getting photos with no one else in them!

Tickets to Pena Palace

Since we purchased our tickets in advance, we hopped right in line when got there. If you do not purchase your tickets in advance, there is a ticket booth.

When purchasing our tickets, we had to choose an entrance time. From everything I read, they’re very strict about getting there on time.

I really thought we were going to be late since the 434 bus sat there for quite a while before heading up the hill. But we made it just in time! And this serves as a word of caution: give yourself some cushion for travel when you pick your entrance time.

One ticket add-on that was available when we purchased our tickets was yet another bus to get from the Pena Palace entrance, up to the palace. We went back and forth on whether we wanted to spend the few extra euros per person, but ultimately, we decided to go for it.

I’ll just come out and say it: I don’t regret spending the extra money for that bus. With how much walking we did that day, any time we weren’t walking was glorious.

Once we arrived at the palace, we got in line and found out that since we were traveling with young kids, we could go through a priority entrance. Between purchasing our tickets online in advance and getting priority entrance, we didn’t have to wait in any lines!

What to Do at Pena Palace with Kids

Since we wanted to make sure we got to do all of the things on our priority list, we kept it simple at Pena Palace. We basically only wandered around the terraces and took in all the beautiful views, vibrant colors, and detailed architecture. It was truly stunning!

We very well could have gone inside the palace (we were told we would have gotten priority entrance for that as well since we were traveling with young kids). And we could have explored Pena Park surrounding the palace.

But we just didn’t feel like we had the time (and when the day was done, we realized that we definitely didn’t have the time. The things that we did do took up the entire day, so I couldn’t imagine adding on much more than we already did).

If you want to do a deep dive into all that is Pena Palace, I would plan on choosing just one other attraction to visit that day.

Castelo dos Mouros (AKA Castle of the Moors or Moorish Castle)

What is Castelo dos Mouros (AKA Castle of the Moors or the Moorish Castle)?

This castle was built in the 8th and 9th centuries by the Moors, who were Muslim inhabitants from North Africa. The castle was built for the purpose of protection, and when you visit it’s easy to see why this location was chosen. The view seems to go on forever as you gaze out over the castle walls.

The castle was later voluntarily surrendered in 1147 when Lisbon was conquered by Afonso Henriques (who became Portugal’s first king). By the time the 15th century rolled around, the castle was no longer in use. And that terrible earthquake in 1755 that I’ve talked about also caused a bunch of damage to the structure.

But, remember Ferdinand II from earlier? Well, he not only ordered the construction of Pena Palace, but he also ordered the restoration of the Moorish Castle. Just like Pena Palace, the Moorish Castle went on to become a National Monument and UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Getting to the Moorish Castle

After leaving Pena Palace, we walked less than 10 minutes downhill to the Moorish Castle. As you’re leaving the palace (looking away from it) you’ll turn to the left and walk down the hill until you see the ticket office for the Moorish Castle.

Once we arrived, we thought we were walking right into the entrance. But in reality, there’s actually quite a long walk until you get to the castle and the part where they scan your tickets.

Along the way, you can admire the beautiful scenery and get a glimpse of what life was like waaay back when. You’ll see archeological sites that include silos, where food was stored, and even gravesites. And you can peek into the Historical Interpretation Centre of the Moorish Castle, which houses an exhibit with different items that were found during the archeological digs.

What to Do at the Moorish Castle with Kids

The first thing we did was…drumroll, pleeeease…stop for a snack break. You know you’re traveling with kids when…ha!

Upon entering the castle, we turned to the left and found a small cafe with outdoor seating. So, we took time to get off our feet and let the boys eat. We had brought along a bento box of snacks in the diaper bag. No one wants hangry kids on a trip like this!

After everyone was fed and rested, we started our adventure. Exploring the castle was so. dang. cool.

The views were seriously amazing. There were very few tourists there when we visited, so we got to experience the castle without it feeling jam-packed. And just knowing that you were surrounded by such history was pretty awe-inspiring.

But there are a few things to be aware of:

• This had to be the place where we logged the most flight of stairs on our watches. My legs were tiiiired after we were done here. And I wouldn’t say I’m in the worst shape ever (not the best though, either!).
• The railings on the stairs were basically irrelevant. They were very short. I think I spent 90% of the time saying (yelling?), “Stay close to the wall!” (Even when they were already by the wall…ha!). That part was a little stressful.
• Something I didn’t know prior to our visit is that Sintra is a very windy area due to its location and elevation. And those strong winds while climbing the steep and sometimes narrow steps added to the challenge.

Overall, though, the boys thought it was very cool to be in a real-life castle. And, in the end, we were happy we visited and felt like it was worth it.

Historic City Center of Sintra

Getting to the Historic City Center of Sintra

After we were done checking out the castle, we jumped back on the 434 bus to go to the historic city center of Sintra.

The bus stop is located right outside the ticket booth at the Moorish Castle. (And right next to the bus stop is bathrooms, so we definitely made sure to take a pit stop there before getting on the bus.)

The bus ride down the hill was much shorter than on the way up. The bus drops you off near the Sintra National Palace.

We opted not to visit the Sintra National Palace due to time constraints. But location-wise with the bus stops, it would definitely be easy to do.

What to Do in the Historic City Center of Sintra with Kids

Some things we did in the historic city center of Sintra were great…but one thing was not so great. Do you want the good news or the bad news first? Let’s start with the bad.

The bad news: we didn’t do our due diligence to find a restaurant for lunch ahead of time. We spent so much time aimlessly wandering around the city looking for a restaurant but couldn’t find one that would seat us. Places said that they would have seating for 2 or 4, but that didn’t work for us.

Eventually, we just gave up and decided to eat at the cafe at Quinta da Regaleira. The food there was decent, and we were surrounded by beautiful scenery. But I’m sure there’s a better restaurant in the city center (if I had to guess).

Ok, now the good news: the historic city center of Sintra is so quaint and beautiful. If we weren’t so stressed about finding a restaurant, we really would have enjoyed taking it all in as we walked around.

One thing we did research ahead of time, though, was where to get the best Travesseiros de Sintra. Sintra is known for these (crazy delicious) puff pastries, and we wanted to try the best!

Since we couldn’t find a restaurant for lunch, we figured why not grab dessert first? We were on vacation after all.

Per the recommendation of our hotel concierge, we headed over to Casa Piriquita. Wow! Those things were good! Dare I say I liked them better than pasteis de nata?!

On our way, we also stopped to try ginja, a Portuguese cherry liquor, in a chocolate cup (or at least the adults did). I realize this is a pretty touristy thing to do, but it was worth the one euro spent.

Quinta da Regaleira

What is Quinta da Regaleira?

While the history of Quinta da Regaleira doesn’t go back nearly as far as other places you’ll visit in Sintra with kids, it’s a marvel all on its own.

Quinta da Regaleira was conceived and built in the early 1900s by the owner of the property, who was a wealthy Brazilian Portuguese businessman and Freemason. He enlisted the help of an Italian architect, which allowed his vision to run wild.

The entire estate is very eclectic, as it’s centered around the owner’s cultural, philosophical, and scientific interests. And you’ll find symbols related to alchemy, Freemasonry, the Knights Templar, and the Rosicrucians throughout the property.

Along with the other main sights in Sintra, Quinta da Regaleira became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995.

Getting to Quinta da Regaleria

It took us about 10 minutes to walk from the historic city center of Sintra to Quinta da Regaleria. We used Google Maps to lead the way.

According to the bus map, I believe there is a bus that will take you out there, but we didn’t take the time to find it. I mean, what was another 10-minute walk at that point?! We just kept chugging along.

What to Do at Quinta da Regaleira with Kids

I’ll get straight to the punch: Quinta da Regaleira was my boys’ favorite thing to do in Sintra. And when you go, you’ll see why.

This place is something else! It’s full of secret passages, lookout points, spiral staircases, lush gardens, ponds, waterfalls, buildings with neo-gothic architecture, and so much more.

Mystical is the best word I can find to describe it. Fascinating would be another great word for it.

Our absolute favorite part was the Initiation Well. The line was a little long by the time we got there, but it moved fast. There are employees there that make sure things keep moving.

Once you make your way down the spiral staircase, you walk along a tunnel until you come across the Lake of the Waterfall. The boys were enamored by this area…and so were we!

We could have spent so much more time exploring this place than we did. But it was the last stop of our time in Sintra with kids. And after wandering around a bit, we were ready to get back on the train to Lisbon.

Getting from Sintra to Lisbon

After leaving Quinta da Regaleira, we made the long walk back to the train station.

In hindsight, we should have put more effort into figuring out the bus ride back to the train station since we had a bus ticket that was good for all Sintra buses. I’m sure it wouldn’t have been too difficult, but we were just ready to get back to the train station and started walking.

We took the 40-minute train ride back to Lisbon and arrived just after 5:00 PM. It was a long day, but we all agreed it was worth it.

Sintra FAQ

Wrap Up: Sintra with Kids

Is Sintra with kids really that magical?

Well, I think I already gave you the long answer. So here’s the short answer: YES! It really is that magical. The other blogs out there didn’t lie. And I was so happy we made the trip.

My worries about the boys being able to tolerate a full day in Sintra with essentially no downtime ended up being for nothing. (I’m really good at stressing out about things before they happen, only to find out that I was stressed out for no reason!)

My boys are in their prime imaginative play years, so what kid wouldn’t have a blast exploring castles and palaces? To top it off, the adults enjoyed it all too. It was a win-win.

Visiting Sintra with kids was an absolute dream. If you get the chance to go, take it…and enjoy every second.

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