Sintra and Cascais in One Day from Lisbon

Sintra and Cascais are Lisbon’s two most popular day trips, and you can combine them in one long day: fairytale palaces in the morning, the wild coast at Cabo da Roca, then sunset by the sea in Cascais. Here’s how to do it by tour, by car or by public transport.

Quick answer: the easiest way is a guided Sintra and Cascais tour from Lisbon, which covers transport, timed palace tickets and Cabo da Roca. Doing it yourself? Take the train to Sintra early, visit one or two palaces, then get a taxi or Uber via Cabo da Roca to Cascais, and take the train back to Lisbon along the coast. See Sintra and Cascais day trips.

Suggested route

1. Early train from Rossio to Sintra (about 40 minutes). See Lisbon to Sintra.
2. Pena Palace at opening time. See the Pena Palace guide.
3. Quinta da Regaleira or the Moorish Castle. See Regaleira and the Moorish Castle.
4. Lunch in Sintra’s old town, with a travesseiro pastry.
5. Cabo da Roca, Europe’s westernmost point. See Cabo da Roca.
6. Guincho beach for the wild coast.
7. Cascais for a sunset walk and dinner. See things to do in Cascais.
8. Train back from Cascais to Cais do Sodré (about 40 minutes).

Tour or DIY?

• Tour: stress-free, efficient and includes the coast, which is hard to reach by public transport. See full-day Sintra tours or private tours.
• DIY: cheaper and flexible, but it means queues, taxis and a long day.
• Car: parking in Sintra is very difficult, so a car only helps for the coastal part.

Tips

• Book palace tickets in advance with timed slots.
• Don’t try to see everything in Sintra. Two palaces is plenty in a combined day.
• Weather: Sintra is often misty, while Cascais may be sunny.
• Two days? Stay overnight. See where to stay in Sintra and where to stay in Cascais.

More: Sintra in one day, the Cascais day trip and the best day trips from Lisbon.

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