Lisbon and Sintra
Seven hills, yellow trams, the Tagus light — then Sintra's palaces in the mist: the perfect opening pair, lived car-free before the road.
Suggested stay — 3 nights (including Sintra)
Lisbon gives itself over two or three days of walking and trams: the Alfama and its alleys smelling of grilled sardines, the miradouros at sunset, Belém and its warm pastéis, fado at night in a neighbourhood tavern. The car has no business here: rent it as you leave the city.
Sintra, 30 minutes away, deserves its full day: the Pena Palace, a red-and-yellow romantic folly set in the clouds; the initiatory gardens of the Quinta da Regaleira and its inverted well; and — taking the road south — Cabo da Roca, continental Europe's westernmost point, cliffs facing the immensity.
Don't miss
- The Alfama in the morning and the Santa Luzia miradouro
- Belém: the Jerónimos monastery, the tower and the original pastéis de nata
- The Pena Palace and the Quinta da Regaleira at Sintra (timed tickets online)
- Cabo da Roca at day's end, en route to the coast
Our tips on the ground
- Book Pena and the Regaleira online with a morning slot: Sintra saturates from 10:30 am year-round.
- In Lisbon, mind the pickpockets on tram 28 — the city's only real risk.
- Collect the car at the airport on departure morning: better rates than downtown and a direct exit towards Sintra or the south.
On our publishing schedule
Coming soon“Portugal on your own”, the complete edition, is in preparation
Same method as our Namibia guide: day-by-day itineraries, driving, a costed budget and checklists. Leave us your address and you'll hear about the launch — at the launch price.
In the meantime, our reference
The “Namibia on your own” guide — €29
- The same method, already applied to Africa's easiest self-drive country
- 3 day-by-day itineraries, 4x4 insurance decoded, costed budget
- Instant download, 14-day guarantee — currently in French, English edition coming
Before you go
Readers' questions about Lisbon and Sintra
Should you sleep in Sintra?
Not essential: from Lisbon, an early start covers Pena and the Regaleira before the crowds. Sleeping in Sintra does add the evening magic, when the palaces close and mist settles on empty streets — a genuinely romantic option if the room budget allows.
Aren't three Lisbon nights too many for a road trip?
It's the right balance for a 10-12 day circuit: two full urban days + the Sintra/Cabo da Roca day. Under 8 days total, cut to two nights — the Vicentine Coast and the Alentejo deserve every day you can wrestle from the capital.