The Best Hikes in Sintra

Sintra isn’t just palaces. The Sintra-Cascais Natural Park has forest trails linking the sights, misty hilltops, mossy boulders and paths down to the wild Atlantic coast. Walking is also a great way to avoid the traffic. Here are the best hikes in Sintra.

Quick answer: the classic walk is the Santa Maria trail from the old town up to the Moorish Castle and Pena Palace (about 45 minutes to an hour, uphill). Inside Pena Park, climb to the Cruz Alta, the highest point. For views, walk to the Peninha sanctuary. For the coast, hike from Cabo da Roca along the cliffs.

Why hike in Sintra

The Sintra hills are part of a UNESCO-listed cultural landscape, and the best way to see how the palaces sit in the forest is on foot. The roads up to Pena are narrow and often jammed with cars and tuk-tuks, so walking can be almost as quick. You also get granite boulders, giant ferns and views that stretch to the ocean on a clear day.

The best walks

• Santa Maria trail: a forest path from the historic centre up to the Moorish Castle and Pena. See the Moorish Castle.
• Pena Park and Cruz Alta: trails through the park to the highest point of the Sintra hills. See Pena Palace.
• Peninha: a hilltop sanctuary with sweeping views over the coast.
• Monserrate and the Seteais path: a gentler walk west of town. See Monserrate.
• Cabo da Roca to Praia da Ursa: clifftop paths and a steep descent to a wild beach. See Cabo da Roca.
• The Capuchos Convent: a cork-lined friary in the forest, reached by trails.

Santa Maria trail

The trail starts near the Igreja de Santa Maria, a short walk uphill from the old town. It climbs on a mix of stone steps and forest path to the Moorish Castle entrance, then on to Pena. Allow 45 minutes to an hour going up. It’s steady rather than hard, but it is all uphill. Coming down the same way is quicker.

Pena Park and Cruz Alta

Pena Park is a huge 19th-century garden around the palace, with lakes, exotic trees and hidden follies. A path climbs to the Cruz Alta, a stone cross at roughly 530 metres, with views of the palace, the castle walls and the coast. You need a park ticket. Allow one to two hours for a loop.

Peninha and Capuchos

The Peninha sanctuary is a small chapel on a rocky outcrop at the western end of the hills. On a clear day you see Guincho, Cabo da Roca and the ocean below. The Capuchos Convent nearby, founded in the 16th century, has tiny cells lined with cork. Both are far from town, so most people drive, take a taxi or join a guided hike, then walk between them on forest tracks. See the Capuchos Convent.

Cabo da Roca and Praia da Ursa

Cabo da Roca is the westernmost point of mainland Europe. A path runs north along the cliffs, and a steep, loose trail drops to Praia da Ursa, a wild beach with tall sea stacks. The descent takes about 20 minutes, and the climb back is harder. There are no lifeguards or facilities, and the currents are strong, so don’t swim unless the sea is calm.

Suggested one-day hike

Take the train from Lisbon’s Rossio station to Sintra (about 40 minutes). Walk the Santa Maria trail to the Moorish Castle, continue to Pena Palace and climb the Cruz Alta. Come back down through the park, then walk down to the old town for a late lunch. That’s a full day with palace visits. Fit walkers can add the Monserrate path the next day.

Food

Reward yourself in the old town with travesseiros, puff pastry pillows filled with almond cream, and queijadas, small sweet cheese tarts. Both are Sintra specialities. Pack water and snacks, as there are few places to buy food on the trails.

When to go

• Spring and autumn: the best months for hiking, with mild weather and green forest.
• Summer: busy at the palaces, and the hills are often wrapped in fog even when Lisbon is sunny. On very high fire-risk days, some forest areas may close.
• Winter: quiet and atmospheric, but paths get muddy after rain.

Tips

• Shoes: paths are steep, rocky and slippery in the mist.
• Weather: Sintra is cooler and damper than Lisbon, so bring a layer.
• Tickets: walking up doesn’t include entry to the palaces, so book those separately.
• Maps: download an offline map, as signposting is patchy and phone signal can drop in the forest.
• Guided hikes: local guides know the quieter routes. See Sintra tours.

More: visiting Sintra, hiking in Portugal and where to stay in Sintra.

See also: the Capuchos Convent.

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