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Lisbon & the Palaces of Sintra

Architectural treasures of Portugal's capital
 
Combine a stay in Portugal's vibrant capital, Lisbon, with an exploration of the nearby city of Sintra on this cultural break. There’s a wealth of cultural treasures to discover, not least Sintra’s opulent palaces, so we provide notes for self-guided walking tours to help you explore.
Lisbon & the Palaces of Sintra. 4 nights
+44 (0)1653 617001 Call now
Lisbon & the Palaces of Sintra. 4 nights
+44 (0)1653 617001 Call now
 

Holiday information

 

A break in Sintra & Lisbon

Warmed by the Gulf Stream and caressed by spring sea breezes, Lisbon has one of the mildest climates in Western Europe and sits majestically at the mouth of the great River Tagus. Portugal’s lively capital is home to remarkable monumental architecture from the Golden Age and its rich cultural heritage demands leisurely investigation and exploration, using our detailed notes to discover both the famous and lesser-known quarters of the city.

North-west of the capital, rolling wooded hills and vineyards characterise the ‘Garden of Lisbon’, where royalty, the aristocracy and the very wealthy attempted to outdo each other in the splendour of their palaces and estates. 
At its heart is hill-top Sintra, famed for its grandeur and amazing architectural heritage. 

Staying in two delightful hotels, this holiday is as much about delving into the region’s rich past, culture and cuisine, as it is about exploring its gentle landscapes.
 

Book with confidence

Our flexible booking arrangements, commitment to safety and financial protection mean that you can book with confidence, despite the travel restrictions in place currently. We are also keeping our prices the same next year, so you can book for summer 2021 (1 May onwards) at 2020 prices.

What we’re doing so you can book and travel with confidence >
Check the destination entry requirements >
 
Gallery
 

Itinerary

The key to Inntravel holidays is flexibility. You can start on the day of your choice, and are free to add extra nights.
  • The average maximum daytime temperatures and monthly rainfall relate to the nearest weather station and are intended as a guide only.
    Average temperatures and rainfall
      Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
    °C 15 16 18 19 22 25 28 28 27 23 18 15
    mm 109 110 68 64 39 21 4 5 26 80 111 106
  • Arrival in Lisbon
    Night 1: at Solar do Castelo  (the first of two nights here).
    As your first night’s accommodation is on the day of travel, Day 1 is your first day of exploration.
  • Explore Lisbon
    You have a full day to explore the Portuguese capital at leisure, perhaps following one of our self-guided city walking tours. The sights vary from the neoclassical grid-patterned streets of the Baixa district, to the sprawling ruins of the hill-top castle, and the metal latticework of the Elevador Santa Justa. Discover museums of ancient and modern art as you follow narrow cobbled streets that wind precariously down through traditional neighbourhoods to meet the river. Sample delicious Portuguese pastries in the many Art Nouveau cafés, ride an old-fashioned tram, and let your ears be seduced by fado, the melancholy melodies of the Lisboetas, the people of Lisbon. (Please note that museums tend to close on Mondays.)
    The Praca da Figueira in Lisbon
  • Travel to Sintra
    As the journey to your second base is very short, you have time to explore Lisbon further before making your way to the station to catch a train north-west to Sintra (pay locally for the inexpensive and frequent service). This is a relaxing day and even if you leave at midday, you can still spend much of the afternoon exploring Sintra, where you spend two nights at the stylish Sintra Boutique Hotel.
  • Explore Sintra
    Today, you have the opportunity to explore the delights of Sintra further. There are many architectural treasures to discover: close to the hotel in the centre of the town is the National Palace, the best preserved medieval royal palace in Portugal and home to the royal family for centuries. Within walking distance – or a short bus ride – are the astonishing Pena Palace (dominated by its golden onion domes) and the imposing Moorish Castle, both set high above the town and worthy of leisurely exploration. Nearby, too, is the Quinta de Regaleira, famed for its luxuriant gardens featuring a remarkable spiral well. Such is the grandeur and importance of these buildings and monuments that the ‘Cultural Landscape of Sintra’ was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995.
    The town of Sintra
 

Accommodation

The two locations in which you stay ensure a very varied break.

Occasionally, due to availability, we may offer an alternative hotel, as shown below. You will be informed of any change to the usual hotel (along with any price implication) prior to us confirming your holiday to you. Wherever you stay, we recommend adding an extra night in both Lisbon and Sintra, so that you can explore more fully.
 

Extend your stay

 
Prices & travel options
All prices are in £ sterling (GBP). If you'd like to see what they equate to in your currency, use the converter. For general information on pricing, see the 'your holiday price explained' page.
Currency converter

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NB: this should be used as a guide only. Fluctuations in exchange rates could result in significant variation by the time you come to pay.

  • 4 nights: 01 February 2021 - 31 October 2021

    Start any day | End by latest date(s) shown above

    Starting Price Single room
    1 Feb - 13 Mar 2021 £370 £260
    14 - 31 Mar 2021 £445 £315
    1 - 14 Apr 2021 £465 £330
    15 Apr - 21 May 2021 £445 £315
    22 May - 3 Jun 2021 £465 £330
    4 - 30 Jun 2021 £490 £345
    1 Jul - 30 Aug 2021 £415 £285
    31 Aug - 27 Sep 2021 £490 £345
    28 Sep - 27 Oct 2021 £445 £315
    3rd & 4th person discount £0
    Single traveller supplement £0

    Includes accommodation, meals and services integral to the holiday as described, plus walking notes and maps, but no travel from the UK, nor any connecting travel from the airport unless stated below.

    Pay locally for inexpensive train ticket between Lisbon and Sintra.

    Book your flights through us and we'll find the best route and times to suit you. Please contact us to find out more about our flight booking service. We can also book connecting travel - see below.

  • Room upgrades (£ per person per night)

    Solar do Castelo, Lisbon
    Superior 'Alfama': 01 Feb - 13 Mar 2021 £20
    Superior 'Alfama': 14 Mar - 30 Jun 2021 £28
    Superior 'Alfama': 01 Jul - 31 Aug 2021 £20
    Superior 'Alfama': 01 Sep - 31 Oct 2021 £28
    Sintra Boutique Hotel, Sintra
    Deluxe double (no twins): 01 Feb - 31 Oct 2021 £20

    Extra nights (£ per person per night) in a double or single room

    Solar do Castelo, Lisbon (B&B) Double room Single room
    01 Feb - 13 Mar 2021 £68 £126
    14 Mar - 30 Jun 2021 £95 £174
    01 Jul - 31 Aug 2021 £74 £138
    01 Sep - 31 Oct 2021 £104 £190
    Sintra Boutique Hotel, Sintra (B&B) Double room Single room
    01 Feb - 13 Feb 2021 £78 £123
    14 Feb - 22 Feb 2021 £90 £142
    23 Feb - 03 Apr 2021 £78 £123
    04 Apr - 16 Apr 2021 £90 £142
    17 Apr - 06 Jun 2021 £78 £123
    07 Jun - 30 Sep 2021 £90 £142
    01 Oct - 31 Oct 2021 £78 £123
  • RECOMMENDED AIRPORT(S):
    Lisbon

    Travelling from the UK

    Travelling from outside the UK

    If you are flying from outside Europe,  we recommend flying via Lisbon. To discuss onward connecting travel to the start of your holiday, please contact us.

    Travelling from outside the UK
    We have many years' experience catering for customers who live outside the UK, and will be happy to make tailored arrangements to fit with your plans.

    You have two options:

    1) Book your own flights to London, from where we can book flights and onward connecting travel to your hotel.

    2) Book your own flights direct to an airport appropriate to your chosen holiday. You can either make your own way from the airport to the hotel, or we'll be happy to book onward connecting travel for you. Please consult with us before booking your flights, so that we can advise you on the suitability of your proposed route and timings.
    Outward route Airline
    Aberdeen - Lisbon (via Amsterdam Schiphol) KLM 
    Outward route Airline
    Birmingham - Lisbon jet2 
    Outward route Airline
    Bristol - Lisbon easyJet 
    Outward route Airline
    Edinburgh - Lisbon easyJet,  Ryanair 
    Outward route Airline
    Glasgow - Lisbon Ryanair 
    Outward route Airline
    Liverpool - Lisbon easyJet 
    Outward route Airline
    London City - Lisbon TAP Air Portugal 
    Outward route Airline
    Gatwick - Lisbon Air Europa,  Azores Airlines (SATA),  easyJet,  TAP Air Portugal 
    Outward route Airline
    Heathrow - Lisbon Azores Airlines (SATA),  British Airways,  TAP Air Portugal 
    Outward route Airline
    Luton - Lisbon easyJet 
    Outward route Airline
    Stansted - Lisbon Ryanair 
    Outward route Airline
    Manchester - Lisbon easyJet,  jet2,  Ryanair,  TAP Air Portugal 
    Manchester - Lisbon (via Frankfurt) Lufthansa 
    Outward route Airline
    Newcastle - Lisbon (via Amsterdam Schiphol) KLM 
    Outward route Airline
    Norwich - Lisbon (via Amsterdam Schiphol) KLM 
    Travelling from outside the UK

    If you are flying from outside Europe,  we recommend flying via Lisbon. To discuss onward connecting travel to the start of your holiday, please contact us.

    This list of flight options should be used as a guide only, and you should check each airline’s website for current routes, frequency and schedules. Not all flights operate daily, and may not run for the entire season. You should also heed the latest flight arrival time and earliest flight departure time stated in the connecting travel section, as it may not be possible to arrange connecting travel outside these times. Please do not book your flights until we have confirmed your accommodation to you. Alternatively, our expert reservations team will be happy to offer advice and to make flight bookings for you. We charge £35 per person for our flight booking service (£60 for India and Nepal). Your flights are then covered by our package-booking conditions, which give you greater protection in the event of delay or cancellation, as well as providing ATOL cover.

  • Prices below are based on 2 people travelling together. If you are travelling solo or as a party of 3 or more and our arrangements include a taxi, please contact us for prices; additional passengers often pay less.

    Unless otherwise stated, connecting travel by rail or bus tends to be from the city centre station, rather than from its airport, and connections between the two should be paid for locally.

    Connecting travel options - flying via Lisbon

    Outward route Price per person Latest flight
    arrival time
    own arrangements from Lisbon airport to hotel pay locally flexible
    Homeward route Price per person Earliest flight
    departure time
    walk/local taxi to Sintra station (0h15/0h05), rail Sintra to Lisbon Oriente (0h40) pay locally 1000
    taxi hotel to Lisbon airport (0h30) £24 flexible
What is included
  • 4 nights
  • 4 breakfasts
  • detailed documentation, including notes for walking tours
 
Reviews

If you've experienced this holiday first hand, why not write a review?

We are keen for as many customers as possible to review their holiday. To make it easier to do so, we include a specific review section on our post-holiday questionnaire, and this is what we publish here, unedited. Read our full review policy >

All 15 reviews
  • Mr AC Holdstock
    Peterborough
    09 January 2020

    Inntravel adapted two holidays to suit our time and travel availability so that we had a seamless and very welcome winter break visiting some intriguing parts of Portugal.

    INNTRAVEL NOTE: These customers enjoyed our On the Waterfront Journey by Rail followed by our Lisbon & the Palaces of Sintra City Break & Walking Holiday.

  • Mrs K Linsky
    USA
    30 October 2019

    We really enjoyed this trip. Your restaurant suggestions are always helpful. Other good restaurants include Restaurante Farol de Santa Luzia in Alfama in Lisbon, Romaria de Baco in Sintra, and O Lourenco in Salema [on A Coast of Many Colours holiday]. A personal highlight in Lisbon was the carriage museum. A friend had told us about it, and it is fabulous. Your notes never even mention it. You should definitely suggest it. We got there on the tram.

    INNTRAVEL NOTE: These customers combined our city break Lisbon & the Palaces of Sintra with our walk A Coast of Many Colours

  • Anon
    21 October 2019

    HIGHLIGHTS: The modern art gallery (Cultural Centre) in Belem is superb. Worth a whole afternoon. Also the Franciscan monastery near Sintra is very special - and almost tourist free - a great relief after the crowds in Sintra itself.

  • Mrs S Winterburn
    Ware
    18 October 2019

    TIP: Sintra Hotel strongly recommended Incomum Restaurant, in Rua Dr. Alfredo Costa no22, and it was good food and service.

  • Mr P Taverner
    Bedford
    17 October 2019

    Highlights were the cloisters in the monastery in Lisbon and Montserrate in Sintra. Lisboa card was very good value, saved us at least 30 euros. Palace de Pena was beautiful, but the experience of viewing the inside was very poorly managed. We were stuck in a one-way, slow file throughout the palace, that felt like the Grand Parade of Lifeless Packaging. Couldn't enjoy it at all, so get there very, very early in the day.

  • Mrs J Hancock
    Knutsford
    12 October 2019

    The highlight of our stay in Lisbon was staying at Solar do Castelo. The position of the hotel was lovely and the staff and rooms so good. The restaurants recommened to us by you were all good. In Sintra we have to say we found it very busy, with coach loads of tourists bused in daily. The walk to the Moorish castle and Palace was lovely but we would recommend that the Palace was visited first and Castle after. The queue to get into Pena Palace was so long that in the end we just looked around the grounds and terraces. The last morning we visited the National Palace in the center of Sintra. We arrived before it opened in the hope to avoid crowds. Silly move as the coaches were arriving first thing. Maybe a sugestion would be a visit an hour after opening when the first lot have gone round. It does rather spoil looking round when you have to dodge the crowds. All in all your walking notes were very good and hotels very good too. Less cruise ships would make a perfect holiday.

  • Mr R Metcalfe
    Hexham
    08 October 2019

    We had a great week and benefitted greatly from your information and suggestions. The Gulbenkian was our best day out. Berardo was okay but needs a better guide rather than an English translation from flowery and jargon-rich Portuguese. The MAA was worth a visit if only to see the Bosch.

    The Monastery cloisters and the Pastel de Nata were outstanding in Belem but we could pass on the other Belem attractions.

    The restaurant Sao Jorge was very good as was Dom Pipas in Sintra ( we went twice to each). The Tile museum which you do not mention was a 4-star visit for us.

  • Mrs S Scarff
    Sri Lanka
    27 May 2019

    For cities useful to have an Uber app as walking routes are steep and taxis very cheap. Arm yourself also with bus/tram map as both are very good ways to get around at low cost. Quinta de la rosa is fabulous, great food and the additional bonus of easy downhill walking distance (20 mins max) to Pinhão for bars, restaurants, boat trips.. and the most beautiful train station in Europe!

    INNTRAVEL NOTE: These customers enjoyed our Lisbon & the Palaces of Sintra City Break & Walking Holiday followed by our Porto & the Douro Valley City Break & Walking Holiday.

  • Janey D
    18 March 2019

    We thought the whole holiday was excellent, though we didn't manage to fit everything in. There was a great variety of tourist sights and we loved them all from the colourful Pena Palace to the Regaleira Estate and St George's Castle. Since we didn't want to walk far from the hotel in Sintra for a meal we tried Romaria de Baco which is next to the tourist office and would thoroughly recommend it for its excellent food and friendly service. It is located above the Restaurante Tulhas which we also tried. The service there was very friendly but we found our meals rather disappointing. 

  • Anon
    18 October 2018

    We thoroughly enjoyed the whole holiday. Solar do Castelo hotel has a magical setting and lovely staff (and great breakfasts!) and we would happily go back. Rooms are not as soundproof as we would like perhaps but that is maybe to be expected in an old building.  Sintra Boutique hotel was very comfy but a bit soul-less we felt after Lisbon (although the staff were all extremely friendly and helpful).  The walking notes were great and kept us entertained, informed and on the right track in both places. We followed all 4 walks in Lisbon and particularly enjoyed Belem and the Alfama district.  After speaking to hotel staff in Sintra we took the local bus up to Pena and then reversed your notes and walked down to the Moorish castle and back to town which gave us a good day's walking and sightseeing without being overly energetic in the heat. We ate well and followed some of the recommendations of previous guests but found some lovely places ourselves too - Enjoyed Clara's in Lisbon but our best meal in that city was a tiny tapas place in the Castle area whose name I'm afraid I simply cannot remember! 

  • Mrs J Boast
    Bridgend
    20 September 2018

    Our favourite memories are of taking a swim halfway through a days walk, enjoying the stunning scenery of the coast of the Algarve and more interestingly experiencing the inland views too. We loved the accommodation provided at each stop and the friendliness of the people and we definitely enjoyed the slow pace of life.

    INNTRAVEL NOTE: These customers combined our A Coast of Many Colours walk with Lisbon & the Palaces of Sintra.

  • Mrs D Lewis
    Chichester
    05 June 2018

    Very much enjoyed the castles and palaces in Sintra. Also enjoyed our stay in Lawrence's Hotel.

  • Mrs K Whiting
    Canada
    09 April 2018

    Both Lisbon and Sintra would have been wonderful in the sunshine as they were pretty great in the rain.  We loved our hotel in the castle wall in Lisbon although it's a steep climb down to anywhere and then back up again.  Might advise people of this.

  • Mrs E Smith
    South Molton
    22 February 2018

    All the travel arrangements worked well, public transport in Portugal is very efficient and the Inntravel directions were good. We took a tram on our first day in Lisbon to try and find the hotel but ended back where we started as we didn't know where to get off and the tram became too full to move but this was all part of the things we'll remember and smile about now we're home! The Maritime Museum in Lisbon was a real find, although we could have done with some walking directions back from Belem, our pathway alongside the river seemed to come to a stop and we were then alongside a busy road so caught a bus back. We enjoyed the palaces and Moorish castle, the highlight was the Regaliera Palace with all its quaint towers and underground passages and we had fun looking for the symbols mentioned in your notes! This would be a great place for the grandchildren to explore! Lots of ideas for my next sewing project too with all the beautiful patterned tiles everywhere. Best cafe - Saudade in Sintra, best restaurant - Tulhas in Sintra - food as good as our own cooked at home and that's saying something - plus friendly and accommodating staff at both places. Thanks Inntravel for the recommendations.

  • Mr M Ouldridge
    Exeter
    19 February 2018

    This was an excellent holiday that we would heartily recommend. There are challenging walks, beautiful scenery and fascinating places to visit.
 

FAQs

If you have any questions relating to this or any other Inntravel holiday, our friendly travel experts will be happy to help. You might also find our General FAQs section helpful.
  • We sincerely hope that your holiday experience will be as enjoyable as it would have been before the pandemic – walking holidays are ideal in these times of social distancing, and we’re not operating holidays if the key highlights can no longer be delivered – but, naturally, there will be some changes to ensure your and other people’s safety.
    Your holiday experience: what to expect >
    Safety measures being taken by hoteliers & others >
  • We’ll send you route notes and maps 2-3 weeks before your holiday. The route notes not only contain directions to get from hotel to hotel, but also include practical information about places of interest and eateries along each route, plus cultural information about the area. If/when you are moving between hotels, you leave your luggage in reception as you leave, and it will be transferred ahead to your next accommodation, meaning that all you need to take with you are a camera, sun cream, drinks, food and waterproofs.

    For more detailed information, see our walking holidays in Europe page.
  • We can book a wide range of airlines and routes from the UK. As well as being more convenient for you to book all elements of your holiday together, it also means that we’ll accept liability for your travel arrangements, so if things go wrong, such as the airline going bust, we’ll make suitable alternative arrangements for you. For Europe, there’s a £35 booking fee per person (£15 for children aged 2-11). For India and Nepal, the booking fee is £60 per person. More information on flights >
  • We can’t book flights that originate outside the UK, but if you wanted to book your own flights to London (or elsewhere in the UK), we can make all onward travel arrangements (including flights) from there. Alternatively, if you are booking your own flights to an airport in continental Europe that’s appropriate for your holiday, we can book onward rail travel and/or taxis. More information about how we can tailor holidays for customers outside the UK >
  • Since our holidays are self-guided, we recommend calling us for a chat about your plans before making a booking, especially if it’s the first time you’ve booked with us.
    The price panel shows the supplement for a single room and also the single traveller charge (this covers (luggage) transfers and other costs which are usually shared between two people).
  • Once you’ve decided on your exact itinerary (our travel experts will be happy to offer advice), you need to provide us with your party’s details, either by phone or via our booking form. At this point we also ask you to pay a deposit so that we can secure a room for you immediately on confirming availability with the hotel(s). If it turns out that we can’t secure the accommodation for the holiday you’ve requested, or offer an acceptable alternative, we’ll refund your deposit promptly and in full. After booking your accommodation and other key elements, we'll then book your travel (or you can do so if you’re making your own arrangements) and send you a Booking Confirmation and Invoice.

    More information about the booking process >
    Information about accommodation, general practicalities and more >
    Booking conditions >
  • Yes, it’s something we insist on, even for holidays in the UK. The vast majority of holidays go smoothly, but when things go wrong, it can be expensive to put them right. Buying a new pair of walking boots after your suitcase is stolen mightn’t seem so bad, but the bill for being airlifted down from a mountain with a broken leg or flown home while still recovering from an illness or accident can cost tens of thousands of pounds.

    You don’t have to take out our recommended travel insurance policy (if you live outside the UK you’ll definitely need to make your own arrangements, as the policy is only for UK residents), but you do need to make sure that you’re covered for medical emergencies – including falling ill with Covid-19 while on holiday – and repatriation. We also recommend that you are covered for other eventualities, such as cancellation and loss of luggage and passports.

    We'll ask you for the details of your policy (insurer, policy number and medical emergency phone number) so that we can help out if the worst happens while you are on holiday. It's up to you, though, to check that your policy covers the activities you'll be doing on holiday and that it is adequate for your own individual needs; we don't check alternative policies.
  • It is your responsibility to ensure you are in possession of the correct travel documents, with the correct validity. If you’re a UK citizen, you need a full British passport to travel to Portugal, Madeira and the Azores, but not a visa. If you are a citizen of another country, you’ll need to check requirements with the national embassy or your own consulate.

    Current information regarding vaccinations and travel health advice for UK citizens can be found through the Travel Health Pro website. You must make sure you have adequate insurance cover for illness, accidents and repatriation (see the insurance question). You should also apply for a Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) if your EHIC has expired (if you have a still-valid EHIC, you can use this until it expires).
  • The official language is Portuguese. The currency is the Euro. Portuguese time is the same as GMT/UTC. It uses Daylight Saving Time, so in summer is on the same time as BST.
  • If you are planning to take a holiday after 1 January 2021, visit www.gov.uk/visit-europe-1-january-2021.

    At Inntravel we work in close partnership with our hoteliers, taxi drivers and other local suppliers to provide our self-guided holidays directly to you. We are entirely confident that you will continue to receive the usual warm welcome from them, regardless of what is happening in the European political sphere.
  • The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) provides up-to-date, country-by-country travel advice, as well as information on security, local laws, passports and visas for UK citizens.
    If you live outside the UK, see our essential travel information page for a list of relevant websites.
  • You are the best judge of your child’s/children’s capabilities. We are happy to take bookings for families of older children/teenagers if they walk regularly, love the outdoors and are comfortable with the distances and ascent/descent involved. Please note that the bedrooms at most of the accommodation we use will normally only sleep a maximum of 3 people, and sometimes only 2.
Last fetch time is : 1/23/2021 1:31:38 AM