Sintra & Cascais Guide
$13
Taste, Eat & Explore Sintra & Cascais
Lisbon’s two most popular day trips, from a travel advisor who lives in Portugal
Sintra or Cascais? It’s the question every Lisbon visitor asks me, and my answer is usually both.
I plan these two days for clients all the time, and I’ve watched too many people lose half a day in a bus queue at the wrong palace, or drive up to Pena only to find out cars aren’t allowed. This guide is everything I tell my clients, so you can do both like a local.
What’s inside:
Three ways to plan it: two separate days, one big coastal day, or an overnight stay
Every Sintra palace and garden, with 2026 ticket prices and which ones are actually worth it
The Pena ticket trick that saves you an hour in line
Exactly how to get around Sintra (and why you shouldn’t drive up)
My favourite route from Sintra to Cascais along the coast, with Cabo da Roca, a windmill bar and Guincho Beach
Cycling the coast path out to Guincho, plus where to rent bikes
My go-to restaurants, pastries and sunset spots in both towns
Six handpicked hotels, from a cosy chalet to a clifftop fortress
My perfect day in Cascais, hour by hour
My Google Map with every spot pinned, covering Lisbon, Sintra and Cascais
You’ll get the guide as a web page you can open on your phone while you explore, plus a PDF to download or print.
Planning a bigger Portugal trip? I also design custom itineraries. Just send me a message.