Sintra is the BEST day trip from Lisbon, Portugal! - Quinta da Regaleira, Pena Palace & Port wine

Sintra is a charming fairytale village in country Portugal, about 30-40 minutes drive from Lisbon. Some of its top attractions include the Sintra Palace, Quinta da Regaleira and Pena Palace… not to mention the very old Port wine cellars where you can try Portugal’s proudest produce! The picturesque and historic palaces and castles have catapulted Sintra into the spotlight as a major tourist destination.
We go inside the famous inverted tower inside Quinta de Regaleira (initiation well). This was actually the initiation well for the Knights Templar, a fraternal order affiliated with Fremasonry.
I was uncertain whether I should arrange this day trip independently or experience it as part of a guided tour. Usually I prefer my own independence and like to take things at my own pace but on this day trip, I’d highly recommend the tour guide.
I have 4 reasons why!
1. The entire tour around Quinta de Regaleira is a metaphorical journey of the soul, and each location within the huge grounds is symbolic of this journey. Our guide was able to explain this in a fun and captivating way (not just historical facts!) so we felt like we were going on this journey of the soul. You will also of course go down the iconic initiation well!
2. Sintra is well known for its delectable Port wine and so you can try these without the worry of driving afterwards.
3. There is much to cover in Sintra and being chauffeured around will take away the stress of driving yourself and following/getting lost on the winding roads!
4. You'll stick to time much better!
Many tours also finish in Cascais, a cute beach side town. We did visit here but we only had an hour to walk around it quickly, eat some ice cream (or drink beer!) and then we departed for Lisbon. I haven’t included that in this video because, if you want to see Cascais more comprehensively, I’d recommend visiting on a separate day to Sintra.
I am glad to have done this tour with a guide and it provided greater context to the palaces and castles, in a super fun way. The views will take your breath away!
Hope you enjoy this video. Please be sure to see my other videos in Portugal!
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