Sintra is where the royals went to rough it in their vacation castle. The Sintra Palace, complete…read morewith those two giant inverted ice cream cones on top, is basically a royal Airbnb with views to die for and tiles for days. Their of the medieval town is adorable. This is a popular day trip from Lisbon. There are several castles and palaces to explore. Views for days.

This is such an underrated spot in Sintra. Folks come here for the bigger castles, and honestly, we…read morewould've skipped this too if it weren't for the big storm that had come through a few days earlier and closed the larger castles down. Palacio Nacional de Sintra is full of rich history. It was so fun to see the way people used to do things hundreds of years ago -- where they slept, how they entertained, etc. The grounds were beautiful and each room had a distinct theme and vibe, but for me the coolest part were the giant chimneys in the kitchen. Back in the day, it would signal that the king and his court were home when they were really going. If you have time, I would stop in and see the sights. There are guided tour options, but there were plenty of written notes throughout to explain what you were seeing so that you really didn't need it. A cool experience for sure.

Centrally-located and brand-new (opened in April 2016), NewsMuseum is a nice break from the castles…read moreand palaces of Sintra. It's an interactive museum - you're able to "report news" and share on YouTube, challenge your friends via quizzes, and more. It's very similar to Washington D.C.'s Newsuem, but not as good. The layout of the museum is a bit confusing. Also, the adult ticket is 10 Euros which is very expensive compared to most other attractions in Sintra. The woman at the front desk was very helpful and suggested we use the free Wifi to download the museum's app to use as a guide. If you're only in Sintra for one or two days, focus on the other attractions. This is good if you have extra time.

One of Portugals must see day trips! You can't complete a Portugal trip without visiting the fairy…read moretale castle: National Palace of Pena. Beautiful and easy to get to. I took a tour option of the palace to avoid lines. But you can easily get here by train or bus. When I came here the inside was still under construction, so my tour guide recommended that we just tour the outside since inside would only be about 15 minutes. I love how you can see the three ways this building was made, definitely worth taking a tour to understand this place importance. However, you can still appreciate the tile work, views, intention, and colors of this historic palace.

Pena Palace, the more tourist-friendly name for Parque e Palácio Nacional da Pena, is a UNESCO…read moreWorld Heritage site a 45-minute train ride from Lisbon. It's one of Portugal's most popular attractions even if getting there is a bit of a slog. The palace sits high atop a steep hill and getting to it takes much more than just a train ride. The train takes you to the town of Sintra but busses take you to the ticketing windows and more busses take you to and from the castle entrance. Other palaces and castles are present in the expansive park but they require separate entrance fees and other busses to access, which pretty well explains why I visited only Pena Palace during my time in Sintra. Lots of folks advance-book tours of the palace (including transportation) and other park attractions which, though more expensive than the DIY mode is certainly easier. Still, if you're handling things on your own, the number of guides trying to sell you on a tour when you get off the train in Sintra will give you a chance to reassess. I did it on my own, bypassing all of those who were offering tours. Pena Palace itself, once inside, was easy to navigate. It's a quirky and colorful place, somewhat Disney-esque, and you'll walk though it in a long line of other tourists doing the same. The one place where you can escape the lines is out on the terraces, worth experiencing for the breathtaking views. And, if you've planned nothing more than getting back to Lisbon, do make time to enjoy the views from the castle's outdoor cafe (with rather lousy food). I was encouraged to bus back down to a certain spot then walked from there back to the town of SIntra and its train station. This is a worthy plan as the park itself is filled with beautiful sites, statues, and nature. Even if you've planned to see only Pena Palace this is a good way to see a bit more of what the park holds.

UNESCO World Heritage Site…read more The palace is also known as "The Palace of Monteiro the Millionaire." The exterior is a sight to behold. Beyond the palace, there is an extensive park that features lakes, grottoes, wells, fountains, etc. The initiation well is a must. It consists of a spiral staircase with 9 platforms. I enjoyed our visit here, but wished I had more time exploring the grounds.

This was an enchanting and somewhat otherworldly property with mystical grounds, initiation wells…read moreand hidden paths. This quinta, or manor house, is considered a UNESCO World Heritage site due to its cultural homage to freemasonry, the Knights Templar, and Gothic/Roman/Renaissance architecture. We weren't entirely sure what to expect, but I felt like this could be the setting for a new Dan Brown novel. The four-hectare grounds included the palace, a chapel, a 9-story initiation well (apparently used by free masons for ritualistic purposes, and also meant to represent Dante's 9 levels of hell?), and other mystical oddities. We spent the next two hours exploring the ins and outs of the forest, walking down the well and doing our own sort of initiation, exploring underground tunnels and grottos, and walking through the manor house. It was a unique experience and would definitely recommend as one of the attractions to do on a Sintra day trip

This place of a former convent is being promoted as very romantic and must-see. But it is very…read moresmall, the paths are poorly marked and the probably best spot of it all is high up on the mountain and inaccessible for those who are no mountain goats. But there are lovely picnic spots and it is on the route around Sintra where you can visit a lonely church high on a mountain with marvellous views, walk through very interesting forests with wonderful rock formations covered with moss, where you can visit the highly recommendable Palacio de Monserrate, etc. Visit it if you happen to pass by but do not go to great lenghts to get there.

Interesting Cram Course In Lisbon's Jewish History…read more... With 3 full days to explore Lisbon, we started with a 3 1/2 hour tour on the first afternoon focusing on the Jewish history of the city. Here are the pros and cons: Pros: - We met our guide, Daniel, in the Principe Real section of Lisbon and walked a couple miles toward the Baixa and Chiado neighborhoods. He was more knowledgeable than an encyclopedia...as personable as an entertainer and tied lots of historical loose ends together. - Daniel included many of his own personal views which, depending on your outlook, could add or subtract from the experience. For us, it cut both ways. - All in all, a comprehensive and, at times, intense yet enjoyable 3 1/2 hour walking tour with insight into the Jewish past of Lisbon and Europe at large. - Price seemed reasonable.....100 Euros per person. Cons: - As noted above, Daniel included many of his own personal views which, depending on your outlook, could add or subtract from the experience. For us, it cut both ways. - There was quite a bit of walking up and down hills on cobblestone streets, but it's Lisbon, of course...so that's something to keep in mind. We'd recommend this tour, but first see if the primary guide, Paulo, is available.

We went on the Jewish Lisbon Walking Tour with Paolo. It was a 5-star tour in all respects. Paolo…read moreis extraordinarily knowledgeable and passionate about the Portuguese-Jewish experience. After spending the better part of the day with him, we had a dramatically better understanding of the Jewish people's contributions to Portuguese (and Spanish) society over the past 700 years, as well as what life has been like for Jews living on the Iberian Peninsula from the 15th Century through the present. Paolo went above and beyond what we expected, and was also delightful to spend time with. We ended our time with him feeling as though we had spent the day with a great teacher and a friend.