Visiting Quinta da Regaleira: The Initiation Well and More

Quinta da Regaleira is Sintra’s most mysterious estate: a gothic mansion surrounded by gardens full of grottos, tunnels, towers and the famous spiral Initiation Well. Here’s how to visit, what to see and how to avoid the queues.

Quick answer: book tickets ahead, arrive at opening time, and head straight to the Initiation Well before the queues build. Allow 2 hours. Regaleira is a 10 to 15 minute walk from Sintra’s old town. See Quinta da Regaleira tickets.

About Quinta da Regaleira

The estate was created in the early 20th century for the millionaire António Augusto Carvalho Monteiro and designed by the Italian architect Luigi Manini. The gardens are packed with symbols drawn from alchemy, the Knights Templar, Freemasonry and Dante’s Divine Comedy.

What to see

• The Initiation Well: a spiral staircase descending around nine landings into the earth, linked by tunnels to grottos and a lake. It’s the most photographed spot in Sintra.
• The Unfinished Well: a smaller, rougher well nearby.
• The tunnels and grottos: bring your phone torch.
• The Palace: neo-Manueline rooms and carved stone.
• The chapel and the towers with views to Pena.

Tickets and tours

Buy tickets online to skip the ticket queue. Many Sintra tours include Regaleira with Pena Palace. See Regaleira tours and the best Sintra tours.

Tips

• Well first: the queue to enter the Initiation Well gets long by late morning.
• Shoes: paths and tunnels are uneven and damp.
• Photos: look up from the bottom of the well for the classic shot. See Sintra photo spots.
• Kids love the tunnels. See Sintra with kids.

More: the Pena Palace guide, visiting Sintra and Sintra in one day.

See also: Monserrate Palace.

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