Sintra is a lovely Portuguese town, situated high up in the Sintra Mountains, near the capital, Lisbon. One of the biggest reasons people come to visit Sintra is to see the beautiful Pena Palace. That was one of my main reasons for my visit.

Spending just one day in Sintra, I only had time to visit two places.

Here are the two places I visited:

Park and National Palace of Pena

Palace of Pena is a 19th-century palace, painted in bright, vibrant colours, making it one the most beautiful palaces I have ever visited. The palace was built in 1854 and on a clear day, you can see views of Lisbon in the distance.

The palace is located on some beautiful grounds, a great place to walk around and have a picnic. There is plenty to do, you could easily spend a whole day here.

There are two different types of tickets you can purchase. You can pay just for the park area or you can pay to go inside the palace too. You cannot take photos or videos inside the palace. A ticket just for Pena Park cost €7.13. A ticket for both the park and the palace cost €13.30.

The best way to get to Pena Park and Palace is by car. We had a hired car. If you do not have a hired car, you can get a train from Lisbon cheap enough. If you are driving, try and get there for the opening. The road can get very busy and parking spaces can get full. From the car park, there is a steep walk up to the palace. If you do not want to walk it, there is a bus or if you fancy something different, there are even tuk tucks.

Cabo da Roca

Cabo da Roca is a cape, which forms the westernmost point, in mainland Europe. Cabo da Roca is located 150-metres above sea level, providing you with a panoramic view over the Serra de Sintra and the Atlantic coastline.

To get to Cabo da Roca, it is best to hire a car. There are busses to Cabo da Roca if driving is not an option. Car parking is free and if you are feeling hungry or thirsty, there is a little cafe.