We took the train to Sintra as our hotel was on the main Oriente train line so it only took 35 minutes. It's a pleasant 20 minute walk from Sintra train station to the historic centre. The centre is busy even in January but it's easy to stroll around and get some great photo opportunities. Obviously it's a bit hilly if you decide to walk to the palaces from the town and some are 1 hour walk. We didn't have time but still enjoyed our time in the town.

We decided to get off the crowded bus and wander around the center of Sintra before heading back to Lisbon. Here we found some interesting shops to do some window shopping. There also were a number of cafes and restaurants with outdoor seating that had many available tables. The National Palace was closest of all the Sintra palaces but having ridden the bus down from Pena Palace I would not want to walk back up. However it’s doable to save the taxi fare or waiting around for the buses. We walked to the train station from here and wandered along some of the smaller side streets to get there. Mostly residential but we noticed a number of empty or abandoned buildings.

The trip to Sintra lasted 40 minutes by train and cost 5,10 euros standard class. The view from the window was far from pleasant; very old buildings apparently housing low income people. But when I got to my destination the scenery changed. The weather was lovely, there were tourists everywhere, the place was not so crowded, everything was in order in that picturesque part of Portugal. Of course there were small cafes and restaurants, as well as small three weel vehicles without doors that served as local taxis. One must have plenty of time to explore it on foot and be patient as it is not flat everywhere. I had to walk downhill to discover the beauty of this place, and of course get back with bigger effort and very cautious since there were not sidewalks. It is very green, it has miradouros, little tourist shops, boutique hotels and a lot of places to take pictures.

Went on a day trip with a group of friends. It is within walking distance from the station and on the way you come across some interesting buildings, stalls selling arts & crafts and some statues dotted all around. The historical centre is picturesque, with a number of restaurants , shops, a bakery and souvenir shops. There is a castle at the top of the hill as well should you wish to climb up and visit. Lovely place to visit as a day trip from Lisbon.

The historical centre of Sintra is a well-preserved medieval town in the hills just West of Lisbon, with a history of human activity dating back to before the Neolithic age and including extensive construction and occupation by the Romans and Moors prior to the Portuguese Reconquista by the Northern European Christian kingdoms. The history of the place is fascinating and the current town is nicely kept, with clean streets, modernizations that still preserve the character of the medieval town sites, and many local restaurants and shops. Travel up to the town is a bit long, especially from Lisbon, and parking is tricky at times, but it is well worth the trip to wander the cobbled streets, browse the local shops, sample the traditional foods, and marvel at the breathtaking natural views.

We enjoyed our day trip to Sintra from Lisbon as there are a number of appealing attractions to fill the day. I enjoyed just poking around town after working our way down from the Moorish Castle. If you have an extra day, it’s worth it to hop on the easy train from Lisbon. Great hillside town.