SINTRA - GETTING AROUND

On foot

Sintra will present few problems for younger and more able-bodied tourists, but for those who may have mobility issues, or those who may have trouble walking up steep inclines, you may want to stick to buses, cars, taxis or other forms of wheeled transportation.

Sintra`s downtown is easy to navigate. The walk from Sintra train station to central Sintra is approximately 1,000 feet, and the walk from Portela de Sintra train station is roughly the same distance.

By bus

Scotturb (www.scotturb.com/en) operates two bus routes that connect most sights in and around Sintra, as well as extra routes that connect Sintra with other towns in the area, such as Cascais. Those bus routes are the 434 (`Circuito da Pena`) and the 435 (`Villa Express 4 Palacios`).

Bus Route 434: Buses leave Sintra train station, stopping after four minutes at the Tourist Center in the historic district, then again after five minutes at the Castle of the Moors, and again after five minutes at the Palace of Pena. Then the bus loops back and stops at the same Tourist Center ten minutes later, arriving back at Sintra train station five minutes after that. The entire loop takes 29 minutes to complete. One-way and round-trip tickets are priced under €5 for this route.

Bus Route 434 leaves daily at the following times (as of December 2017): 9:30 and 9:50 a.m.; on the :05, :20, :35 and :50 every hour starting with the 10 o`clock hour, and ending at 6:20 p.m.

Bus Route 435: Buses leave Sintra train station, stopping at the Tourist Center four minutes later, the Quinta da Regaleira one minute after that, Seteais Palace one minute after that, and at the Palace of Monserrate five minutes after that. Then the bus loops back and stops at the aforementioned stops once more before ending at Sintra train station. The entire loop takes 23 minutes to complete. One-way tickets are priced under €2 for this route; a round-trip ticket should be no less than €3.

Bus Route 435 leaves daily at the following times (as of December 2017): every 25 minutes from 9:40 a.m. onward until 5:40 p.m. The final bus of the day leaves 35 minutes after (not 25) at 6:15 p.m.

In addition, Bus Route 403 (Cascais Terminal - Sintra Estacao) takes visitors from Sintra train station to Cabo da Roca and Cascais. Buses leave daily at the following times: 9 a.m., 10:10 a.m., and on the :10 and :40 beginning with the 11 o`clock hour and ending with the 6 o`clock hour (last bus at 6:40 p.m.). It takes 37 minutes to get from Sintra train station to Cabo da Roca, including a loop from Azoia Chafariz stop to Cabo da Roca which takes three minutes. From there, it is an extra 22 minutes to get to Cascais. The entire trip takes an hour and two minutes. Consider purchasing a `daily tour` ticket which allows for bus travel on the entire Scotturb network, including 403, 434 and 435, for under €15.

By tram

Sintra operates a tram service (`Electrico de Sintra`) which consists of renovated tram cars which look quite similar to the ones used when the tramway first opened there in 1904. The trams were brought back as a tourist novelty in 2011 and have operated in the summer season every year since. To give you an idea of the time frame on which the trams operate, the 2017 season began on June 19 and ended on September 24. Trams leave Sintra-Vila at the following times daily: 9:20 a.m., 10:10 a.m., 11 a.m., 12 p.m., 1 p.m., 2 p.m., 3 p.m., 4 p.m., and 6 p.m. Tickets cost €3 for a one-way trip and they can be purchased at the Casa do Electrico de Sintra (Rua General Alves Rocadas, No. 2) and at the Tourism Office (Praca Doutor Francisco Sa Carneiro, +0351 21 923 6114). For more information on the Electrico de Sintra, e-mail dtur.vila.alda@cm-sintra.pt or electricodesintra@cm-sintra.pt.

By taxi

Taxis queue outside Sintra train station, Portela de Sintra train station, and the Sintra-Vila post office. Unlike in some small Portuguese towns, taxis in Sintra run on meters, so be sure that the meter begins when your trip does. Expect the meter to start in the neighborhood of €2 with a €1 increase for each 0.6 miles traveled. A one-way fare from Sintra train station to the Palace of Pena will cost at least €10, and expect to pay €15-€20 each way to get to the Convent of the Capuchos. If you want a taxi to wait for you, the cost will be approximately €15 per hour. Many cab drivers in Sintra can speak English, but if you find your driver does not, you can tell him to wait for you by saying `Aguarde por mim, por favor`.

By bicycle

Considering Sintra is very hilly, it can be difficult for novices to bike through the region, but if you are an experienced cyclist in good physical shape, you will find that the Sintra biking experience gives unparalleled views of the countryside and historic landmarks. There is a local company staffed with English speakers called Cycling Rentals (www.cycling-rentals.com), located at Rua Jose Bento Costa 5A in Portela de Sintra, a short walk from the center of Sintra. Three-day rentals start at €60 before taxes, fees and add-ons.

By car

A car is good to have if you want to explore Sintra-Cascais Natural Park and areas around Sintra, but if you are exploring the main sights in and around the historic center, such as the Castle of the Moors and the Palace of Pena, it`s best to keep your car at the hotel. Sintra`s traffic can be heavy at times, and roads can be narrow as they wind their way up some of the local hills, not to mention parking, which is at a premium. If you are self-driving, note that you will be picking your car up at Lisbon Humberto Delgado Airport when you arrive in Portugal, not in Sintra. If you do decide to rent a car on your own after your arrival in Sintra, Hertz is located north of town, on the outskirts of Lourel, and Europcar is located east of Sintra, in an area called Algueiro-Mem Martins. Remember that if you desire a hotel that includes parking, be sure to specify such a need when booking with TripMasters.