If you are planning to visit Sintra but you do not have much of a budget, you have to take into account that you will have to walk, but the landscapes and the historic center of the city are well worth it.
It is an excursion perfect if you are traveling in Lisbon since it is only 30 km from the Portuguese capital. It is very easy to get to Sintra, you can do it by car, although be prepared to get up early if you want to find a parking space since the places are limited and the usual traffic jams make it a complicated city to get around by car and even more so if you don't you know well The other option is public transport, there are buses from Lisbon that leave you in Sintra in less than an hour.
Once in the city, if you want to save money, move around on foot, although as We have already warned you above that you will have to walk a lot because the monuments are scattered throughout the Sintra-Cascais Natural Park.
To better optimize the trip and be able to do many things, you should organize the Travel early, seeing all the things you can afford to do with the budget you have. A free tour is a good option if you want to save time and money, we recommend this: essential free tour sintra
Although If you do not want to spend a lot on your trip to Sintra, we recommend that you save money to enter the Pena Palace, it is a spectacular building that will not leave you indifferent.
Here are our suggestions for you to save during your visit to Sintra without losing detail.
Historical Center of Sintra
Strolling around the historic center is the best way to get a first image of the city of Sintra. It won't take up much time, and we can also take the opportunity to buy souvenirs or try the typical sweet of the city, the Queijada de Sintra, a small cake made from cottage cheese.
Near the station, in Praça da República, we can see the exterior of the Sintra National Palace, built in the 16th century, it has a mixture of medieval, Gothic, Manueline, Renaissance and romantic styles. It is part of the "Cultural Landscape of Sintra" set, declared a World Heritage Site by Unesco in 1995. Its tiles and its Manueline-style decoration area stand out.
Walking around the National Palace and its cobbled streets of the old city, you will find several museums and the beautiful post office.
Visit the Church of São Martinho
The Parish Church of São Martino was built in 1283, its origin is Romanesque-Gothic, although today it is a fine example of 18th century architecture. Inside, there are three 16th century paintings that represent the life of San Martín de Dume and the original altarpiece from the mid-16th century. It also has a collection of imaginary 18th century silverware and clothing.
Parque da Liberdade
Following Avenida Volta do Duche northwards you arrive at the leafy Parque da Liberdade, on this path you will come across numerous contemporary sculptures. Once in the park, you can take the opportunity to rest or have a picnic.
Continuing along the avenue you will reach the Estefânia area where you can see the Municipal Chamber (City Hall). On this tour, the Fonte Mourisca stands out, with its Neo-Moorish tile decoration. Another interesting source is that of Sabuga.
Walk the magnificent path of Villa Sassetti and visit the surroundings of Castelo dos Mouros
On the way From the historic center of Sintra to the Pena Palace we can choose to walk along the path that leads to Villa Sassetti, passing by his villa you can enjoy its wonderful gardens and views of the Moorish Castle.
The villa, of Italian design, is a stately mansion from 1890 inspired by the castles of northern Italy.Its name comes from the first owner, Victor Carlos Sassetti, and its tower stands out central circular, the granite facades, the collection of antiques inside and its naturalistic garden.
The land surrounding the house is open to the public, its gardens, romantic in style, include water channels and huge trees, it is an incredible place.
Seeing the climbers at Penedo da Amizade
After leaving the gardens and we We move along the path that is located at the foot of the Penedo de Amizade, a rock wall under the Castle of the Moors and where there are countless climbing routes. As a curious fact, at the beginning of the path there is a small outdoor climbing wall, it is a perfect place for climbing lovers.
If we cross the bridge we link up with a wide path, to the left, the path leads us to the entrance to the castle and the western access to the Pena Palace.
Enjoy the views from the Miradouro da Ferraria
From the viewpoint we can see part of the historic center of Sintra, as well as the river basin that separates this part of the new zone.
Las vistas is a perfect place to enjoy the views of the city of Sintra, in addition, getting to the viewpoint is a nice and short walk through the alleys of Sintra. In the viewpoint there is a restaurant that makes a delicious Bacalhau com natas.
Without a doubt, it is a privileged place to be dazzled by the enchanting panoramic views over the Historic Center and the rural landscape located north of Sintra, framed by the sea in the background.
Praia da Ursa
Praia da Ursa (Big Dipper Beach) is probably the beach The most beautiful in Portugal, it has a wild character, full of pinnacles and limestone cliffs. It is difficult to access and is an obstacle for any visitor, the descent from the car park along the cliffs to the beach takes more or less 1 hour. The beach owes its name to Rocha da Ursa, a huge rock formation that, seen from the ocean, looks like a bear with a cub on its lap. This beach is not supervised and has no facilities, it retains a wild character that makes it unique.
300 meters from Praia da Ursa beach is Cabo da Roca -the "promontorium magnum" of the Romans and the westernmost point of continental Europe, the views from here are incredible.
Praia grande
Another of the beaches that you can visit in Sintra is Praia grande, the most large off the coast of Sintra. It is one of the most visited places throughout the year, surfing and bodyboarding championships are held here.
One of the curiosities of this beach is that it has dinosaur footprints on its cliffs. The beach is supervised during the summer, it is a very lively area, there are a lot of small bars and restaurants.
If you go to Sintra and you don't have much time, visiting this beach is highly recommended since it is very close to the historic center of the city, it is easily accessible, and surfers will really enjoy it. Located within the Sintra-Cascais Natural Park, it is undoubtedly a beautiful place to end your visit to Sintra.
