Sintra vs Cascais: Which Day Trip from Lisbon?

Sintra and Cascais are the two most popular day trips from Lisbon, and they’re only 30 minutes apart, but they’re completely different. Sintra is fairy-tale palaces in misty hills; Cascais is a sunny seaside town. Here’s how to choose, and how to do both in a day.

Quick answer: choose Sintra for palaces, castles and gardens (Pena, Regaleira, the Moorish Castle). Choose Cascais for beaches, a relaxed seaside town and coastal walks. Both are about 40 minutes by train from Lisbon. To do both in one day, take a tour or use the bus via Cabo da Roca.

The short version

If it’s your first trip to Portugal and you love history, go to Sintra. Nowhere else near Lisbon has so many palaces in one place. If you want a slower day with sea air, a swim and a long lunch, go to Cascais. It’s also the easier choice in hot weather, with small children or if you don’t like steep hills and crowds.

• Best for history: Sintra.
• Best for beaches: Cascais.
• Easier day: Cascais. The town is flat by the water and everything is walkable from the station.
• Costs more: Sintra, once you add palace tickets and buses.
• Weather: Sintra is often cooler and mistier than Lisbon. Cascais is usually sunnier.

Sintra: best for

• Palaces: Pena (from about €20, timed entry), Quinta da Regaleira, the Moorish Castle and Monserrate.
• Atmosphere: misty forests and romantic gardens.
• Getting there: train from Rossio (about 40 minutes), then the 434 bus up the hill. See Lisbon to Sintra.
• Watch out: crowds, queues, steep hills and traffic restrictions. Book tickets ahead and go early.

Pena tickets are for a set date and time, and the Essential Visit costs €20. Private cars can’t drive up to Pena, so take the 434 bus, a tuk-tuk or a taxi. A 24-hour ticket for the 434 costs about €13.50 and also covers the 435 to Regaleira and Monserrate. Quinta da Regaleira also uses timed tickets and caps its daily visitor numbers, so book that too in summer.

A day in Sintra

Take an early train, ride the 434 bus up to Pena for the first palace slot, then walk to the Moorish Castle walls next door. In the afternoon, head back down to the old town for lunch and Quinta da Regaleira, with its Initiation Well and tunnels. Try a travesseiro (an almond cream pastry) or a queijada (a small cheese tart) before the train home. Three sights is plenty for one day.

See Sintra in one day, the Pena Palace guide and visiting Sintra.

Cascais: best for

• Beaches: sheltered town beaches, plus wild Guincho nearby.
• A relaxed day: seafood lunches, the marina and a stroll along the promenade to Estoril.
• Coastal walks: to Boca do Inferno, a rocky chasm where waves crash in, about 20 minutes’ walk west of the centre.
• Getting there: train from Cais do Sodré along the coast (about 40 minutes). Sit on the left for sea views.

Guincho is about 10 minutes’ drive west of the town. Cycle there on the flat coastal path of about 9km, or take a MobiCascais town bus (lines 5 and 15 go out that way). In 2026, works on the Cascais line mean replacement buses between Caxias and Cascais in the evenings, from about 9.50pm on weekdays and earlier at weekends, so check cp.pt if you plan a late return.

A day in Cascais

Walk the old town lanes and the marina in the morning, then visit the Condes de Castro Guimarães museum in its little park by the sea, or the Casa das Histórias Paula Rego art museum. Check opening days before you go. After a fish lunch, walk out to Boca do Inferno or hire a bike for the flat coastal path towards Guincho. Finish with a swim or a sunset walk on the promenade to Estoril.

See things to do in Cascais.

When to go

• Spring and autumn: the best time for both. Sintra’s gardens are green and the queues are shorter, and Cascais is warm enough for walks.
• Summer: Cascais is at its best for swimming, though the Atlantic stays cool. Sintra is very busy, so book palace slots early.
• Winter: Sintra can be wet and foggy, but quieter. Cascais is calm and mild for walking.
• Weekends: both get busy with Lisbon locals, so go on a weekday if you can.

Doing both in one day

• On a tour: the classic Sintra, Cabo da Roca and Cascais day trip. See the best Sintra tours.
• By public transport: train to Sintra, see one or two palaces, take Carris Metropolitana bus 1624 via Cabo da Roca to Cascais, then the train back to Lisbon. The bus runs roughly once an hour, so check the timetable first. A long but brilliant loop.
• Where the bus starts: the 1624 leaves from Portela de Sintra station, one stop before Sintra on the train line. Not every trip goes right up to the Cabo da Roca car park, so check that yours does.
• Cabo da Roca: mainland Europe’s westernmost point. The clifftop viewpoint is free, and only the lighthouse visit is ticketed. The lighthouse opened to visitors in July 2026, with an Essential visit at €5 and a Panoramic visit with the climb at €10. See the Cabo da Roca guide.
• Tip: pick just one palace in Sintra if you’re doing both. See Sintra and Cascais in one day.

Staying overnight

Sintra is magical in the evening once the crowds leave; Cascais is great as a beach base with easy trains to Lisbon. See where to stay in Sintra and where to stay in Cascais.

With kids

Kids love Quinta da Regaleira’s tunnels and the Moorish Castle walls in Sintra, and the beaches and park peacocks in Cascais. See Lisbon with kids.

FAQ

Is Sintra or Cascais better for a first visit to Lisbon?

Sintra, if you only have one day trip. Its palaces are unlike anything else in Portugal, while Cascais is more about a relaxed day by the sea.

Can you get from Sintra to Cascais by bus?

Yes. Carris Metropolitana bus 1624 runs between Portela de Sintra station and Cascais via Cabo da Roca, roughly once an hour. Check the timetable on the Carris Metropolitana website before you set off.

Which is better on a rainy day?

Sintra, because Pena, the National Palace and Monserrate all have interiors to see. Cascais is mostly about the outdoors, though its museums are good for an hour or two.

From our sister blog: 11 day trips from Lisbon, including secret spots on Sunset Travellers.

See also: Boca do Inferno.

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