Historic Centre of Sintra
The whole of Sintra in one guide: from the train to the town hall, the National Palace, the old town, Regaleira, Pena, the Moorish Castle, Monserrate and Seteais.
Sintra · Portugal · Updated October 2026
Sintra audio guidesPalaces, a castle and a mountain of stories.
6 self-guided audio tours for Sintra: Pena, Quinta da Regaleira, the Moorish Castle, Monserrate and the hills beyond. Play them on your phone, walk at your own pace, and ask the guide anything along the way.
- Guides
- 6
- Stops
- 63
- App languages
- 30+
- Offline
- Yes
Start here
Three guides for a first visit
Not sure where to begin? These cover the city's best-known places. Press play to hear how the first stop sounds.
Pena Palace
Inside King Ferdinand II's palace on the hill: the Triton gate, the chapel, the cloister, the king's rooms, the Arab Room, the Stag Room, the kitchen and the park.
Quinta da Regaleira
Carvalho Monteiro's estate of symbols: the Initiation Well, the Imperfect Well, the grottoes and tunnels, the tower, the chapel and the palace.
All guides
Every Sintra guide, by theme
6 guides.
The whole town
Historic Centre of Sintra
The whole of Sintra in one guide: from the train to the town hall, the National Palace, the old town, Regaleira, Pena, the Moorish Castle, Monserrate and Seteais.
Palaces & castle
Pena Palace
Inside King Ferdinand II's palace on the hill: the Triton gate, the chapel, the cloister, the king's rooms, the Arab Room, the Stag Room, the kitchen and the park.
Quinta da Regaleira
Carvalho Monteiro's estate of symbols: the Initiation Well, the Imperfect Well, the grottoes and tunnels, the tower, the chapel and the palace.
Moorish Castle
The castle on the ridge: the church that was a mosque, the walls, the Islamic quarter, the cistern, the Royal Tower and Ferdinand II's restorations.
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Monserrate Palace
Byron, Beckford and the Cook family's neo-Gothic and Moorish palace: the music room, the octagonal hall and gardens planted from around the world.
Into the hills
Capuchos Convent and Peninha
Up in the hills: the tiny Capuchos convent and its cork-lined cells, Friar Honório's cave, the Peninha sanctuary and its view, and São Saturnino chapel.
By area
Sintra, neighbourhood by neighbourhood
Where each guide takes you, so you can plan by part of town.
The old town
The National Palace, with its two great chimneys, stands in the middle of the old town, a short walk from the station.
Pena & the Moorish Castle
Above the town, Pena Palace and the Moorish Castle share the same wooded ridge.
The road to Seteais & Monserrate
West of the town, the road is lined with estates: Regaleira and Biester first, then Seteais, and further on Monserrate.
The Sintra hills
Deep in the Sintra-Cascais Natural Park, the Capuchos convent and the Peninha sanctuary.
Plan your visit
Sintra in one or two days with our guides
Sintra is an easy day trip from Lisbon by train. One day covers the town and the hill; a second day reaches the estates and hills further out.
Morning
The town and Regaleira
- Historic Centre of Sintra start at the station
- Quinta da Regaleira a short walk west
Second day
Further out
- Monserrate Palace palace and gardens
- Capuchos Convent and Peninha into the hills
Staying in Lisbon? The train to Sintra leaves from Rossio station. See the Lisbon guides →
Take the train
Trains from Lisbon’s Rossio station reach Sintra in about 40 minutes.
Start early
The palaces on the hill get busier as the day goes on.
Bring a layer
The hills are often cooler and mistier than Lisbon, even in summer.
Download before you go
Download your guides over Wi-Fi. They play outdoors with GPS and no mobile data.
History
Sintra in seven moments
The short version. Each moment links to the guide that tells it on the spot.
- 800s
The Moorish Castle
A castle is built on the ridge above Sintra to watch over the land and the sea routes.
Hear it: Moorish Castle → - 1560
The Capuchos convent
Franciscan friars found a tiny convent in the hills, lined with cork against the damp.
Hear it: Capuchos Convent and Peninha → - 1809
Byron's 'glorious Eden'
Lord Byron visits Sintra and praises it in Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage.
Hear it: Monserrate Palace → - 1838
Ferdinand II buys the hill
The king buys the ruined monastery on the summit and turns it into Pena Palace.
Hear it: Pena Palace → - 1850s
Monserrate rebuilt
Francis Cook, an English merchant, rebuilds Monserrate and fills its park with plants from around the world.
Hear it: Monserrate Palace → - 1904
Regaleira begins
António Augusto Carvalho Monteiro starts building his estate of wells, grottoes and symbols.
Hear it: Quinta da Regaleira → - 1995
World Heritage
The Cultural Landscape of Sintra becomes a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Hear it: Historic Centre of Sintra →
FAQ
Questions about Sintra audio guides
Is there an audio guide for Sintra?
Yes. GuideSofia has 6 self-guided audio tours for Sintra. You play them on your own phone in the GuideSofia app and walk at your own pace.
Do the Sintra audio guides work offline?
Yes. Download your itinerary and audio guides over Wi-Fi, then use them outdoors with GPS without spending mobile data.
Which languages are the Sintra guides in?
The guides on this page are in English. In the app, the guide is narrated in 30+ languages.
Is it free?
The GuideSofia app is free to download, and it's free to start your first tour.
Where should I start?
Start with the Historic Centre of Sintra: it begins at the station and covers the National Palace, Regaleira, Pena, the Moorish Castle, Monserrate and Seteais.
Can I visit Sintra as a day trip from Lisbon?
Yes. Trains from Lisbon’s Rossio station take about 40 minutes. One day covers the old town, Quinta da Regaleira, the Moorish Castle and Pena Palace.
Can I ask the guide questions?
Yes. Open the chat in the app and ask about what you are looking at, local history, food or nearby places.
Take Sintra in your pocket
Download GuideSofia, pick a guide and start walking. It's free to start your first tour.