Portugal is a lovely European country with beautiful landscapes, coastlines, beaches, cities, and a rich history. Whether you’re exploring its cities or relaxing by the sea, there’s always something to discover. In this post, we would like to share 3 Easy Day Trips from Lisbon.
Travelers to Portugal usually start with Lisbon, which is a great destination to explore for a few days. After spending time in the city, it’s a great idea to travel around and visit a few nearby places.
Below are 3 easy day trips from Lisbon that we highly recommend. Each trip is child-friendly, with short travel times and a perfect mix of sightseeing and nature.
Day Trips from Lisbon: #1 – Sintra’s Palaces and Castles.
The town of Sintra is located in the Sintra Mountains and is famous for its beautiful natural scenery, as well as its many castles and palaces. Initially, we considered renting a car to explore everything in a single day. However, after researching places to visit and transportation options, we realized that one day in the Sintra region wouldn’t be enough.
There are at least five major sites to visit in Sintra – Sintra National Palace, Quinta da Regaleira, Pena Palace, Monserrate Palace, and the Moorish Castle. In addition to these landmarks, the area also has many stunning beaches and a picturesque coastline.
Seeing everything in a single day is only possible if you take a quick glance from the outside and move on without truly experiencing and enjoying each place.
If you are short on time and have only one day in Sintra, it might be best to select a few key locations to explore rather than trying to rush through them all.
How to get to Pena Palace and Moorish Castle
Taking into account that two of Sintra’s main attractions, Pena Palace and the Moorish Castle, are not accessible by private car, the most practical and convenient option is to take a train from Lisbon and use buses for local travel within Sintra. Trains run frequently between Lisbon and Sintra, with a travel time of approximately 40 minutes. Tickets can be purchased at machines located in the train station.
Tip: Be aware that when purchasing a ticket, you cannot reserve a seat on the train. To secure a seat for the 40-minute journey, it’s best to board early, especially if you’re traveling with children.
Once you arrive to Sintra by train, exist the station and head to the nearby bus stop no. 434:
Sintra is a popular destination, and the 434 bus is often crowded, so be prepared to wait in line to board. Bus tickets are sold at the stop, and while queuing, an authorized agent will approach you to sell tickets. Keep in mind that the bus follows a one-way route – if you miss your stop, you will have to complete the full circuit again or get off at the next stop and walk back to your intended destination.
In the morning, we took a train from Lisbon’s Rossio Station, arrived in Sintra, and then boarded bus #434 to get to the Moorish castle, our first destination.
The Moorish Castle
The Moorish Castle, also known as the Castle of the Moors, was built by the Moors in the 9th century. It sits atop a hill, offering a stunning view of the old town of Sintra below.
Not much remains of the castle except its stone walls. Once on-site, you can walk along the walls and climb a few watchtowers to take in the views of the surrounding valley and hills. It took us about an hour to complete the trail along the castle walls, with multiple stops to admire the scenery and take pictures. The route is easy to walk with children, though adult supervision is necessary in places where the walls are quite low. However, there are no ramps for strollers, so keep that in mind if traveling with younger kids.
After visiting the Moorish Castle, you can return to the route of bus #434 and take it to Pena Palace. Alternatively, you can walk for about 10 minutes to reach the entrance of Pena Park. However, keep in mind that Sintra is a hilly area, and you may want to save your energy for the uphill climb to Pena Palace later.
Pena Palace
Pena Palace is one of Portugal’s most iconic landmarks. With its vividly colored facade and romanticist architecture, it’s a must-visit destination that frequently appears in “Visit Portugal” travel photos and cards.
It is possible that while transforming the old monastery into a palace, King Ferdinand drew inspiration from the architectural style of Rheinstein castles.
You have the option to explore both the interior of the palace and its terraces, or simply visit the terraces and view the palace from the outside. Be sure to check their website for details on ticket options and pricing. We opted for the terraces-only ticket and explored multiple viewpoints around the palace. Keep in mind that the queue to enter the palace can take up to an hour!
After finishing your visit to Pena Palace, take the same 434 bus to Sintra’s old town. The stop is called “NewsMuseum”, and from there, you can explore more of the historic center, including Sintra National Palace and Quinta da Regaleira Palace.
The National Palace of Sintra
The National Palace of Sintra is just a two-minute walk from the “NewsMuseum” bus stop. It is said to be one of the few palaces that has remained relatively unchanged since around the mid-16th century. For more details on visiting the National Palace of Sintra, such as opening hours and ticket information, check their official website.
Quinta da Regaleira
Quinta da Regaleira is just a 10-minute walk from the National Palace of Sintra. This relatively modern palace, built in the early 20th century, is known for its romantic architecture. Adjacent to the palace is a stunning park featuring lakes, fountains, grottos, exotic plants, and wells – one of which allows visitors to descend 27 meters underground. For more details and ticket information, visit their official website.
From Sintra back to the train station, you can take bus #434 from the same stop in the old Sintra.
That wrapped up our Trip #1 to Sintra – plenty of palaces and sightseeing for one day, especially when travelling with kids!
Tip: Buy entrance tickets to the palaces online – you can combine tickets to save money. We purchased and printed all our tickets in advance, which allowed us to skip the entrance queues.
Day Trips from Lisbon: #2 – Sintra Beaches and Palace of Monserrate.
Day one in Sintra felt a bit overwhelming, with several places to visit one after another. We decided that the second day should be more relaxed and include some time in nature.
We rented a car in Lisbon’s city center, near the apartment where we were staying, and drove to Sintra-Cascais Natural Park. The drive took about 35 minutes, with our first stop being the Palace of Monserrate. Unlike Pena Palace or the Moorish Castle, Monserrate is not as easily accessible by public transport. However, it has its own free parking, which is why we opted to visit by car.
Park and Palace of Monserrate
This 19th century mansion is definitely worth a visit. Not only the palace but also the surrounding park was a delight to explore. It felt calm and peaceful, especially after the crowds at Pena Palace. The gardens are beautifully designed and well maintained. There, you’ll find walking trails, terraces with a variety of plants, a lake, and fountains. The park was even recognized in the “Best Development of a Historic Park or Garden” category by the European Garden Award.
Monserrate Palace itself is not large, but it impresses with its detailed ornaments of the exterior and interior walls, as well as its passageways featuring multiple arches and beautifully designed ceilings.
Allow at least two hours if you plan to explore the interior of the palace and walk through its beautiful park.
Praia da Adraga beach
We had planned for our next stop after Monserrate Palace to be Miradouro Praia do Carneiro, a viewpoint overlooking a beautiful beach. Unfortunately, we didn’t make it there – the road was unsealed, and due to a mix-up with the car rental company, we ended up with a brand-new Mercedes with very low clearance, more suited for city driving. Not wanting to risk driving it on a rough, unsealed road, we opted to visit a nearby beach instead.
We spent a lovely time at Praia da Adraga, a beautiful beach featuring an arch-like passage carved into the rock formations. There is also a café by the beach – perfect for a meal, a quick snack, or, even better, an ice cream treat on a warm day!
Cabo da Roca and Praia da Ursa
Cabo da Roca and Praia da Ursa (or Ursa Beach) were the next places we wanted to visit during our day trip from Lisbon. If you’re driving to Cabo da Roca and want to take in the stunning scenery around Ursa Beach, consider parking off the road or taking one of the side roads before walking a bit to enjoy the magnificent views. Even if you park off Estrada do Cabo da Roca, it’s just a 15 minute walk to see most of it – we enjoyed both the walk and the breathtaking view of Ursa Beach.
Cabo da Roca is a great place to visit, offering panoramic views of the sea and the rugged cliffs that surround it. However, it can be quite busy, as many tour operators include it in their bus tour itineraries.
If you’re unsure whether to take the 15-minute walk to see Ursa Beach, you can get a glimpse of it from Cabo da Roca and decide from there. (My personal advice: absolutely worth it!)
Our next stop was Boca do Inferno. Rather than taking the shortest and most direct route, consider driving along the coast to take in more breathtaking views, beautiful beaches, and the scenic coastline of Sintra-Cascais Natural Park.
Boca do Inferno
Boca do Inferno is located on the way to Cascais. The ocean-facing cliffs have naturally formed an open cave, which can be viewed from the designated lookout point.
It’s an easy and worthwhile stop if you’re in the area. There are also a few cafés and souvenir shops near the viewpoint.
Cascais
The final stop on our second day trip Lisbon is the coastal town of Cascais.
Cascais is a charming coastal town with a picturesque marina filled with boats and yachts, a beautiful seaside, and plenty of cafés and restaurants. The fresh, delicious food is reasonably priced, making it a great place to enjoy a meal.
While in town, consider visiting some of its notable points of interest. Palácio da Cidadela, once a summer residence for the royal family and presidents, is now open as a museum. Cascais City Hall and its adjoining square showcase beautiful examples of traditional Portuguese architecture.
We enjoyed a lovely dinner at one of the local restaurants, followed by a relaxing walk along the city beach.
That concluded our second day trip from Lisbon. Our trip’s route:
Day Trips from Lisbon: #3 – Serra da Arrabida.
Serra da Arrábida is a national park located less than 1 hour drive south of Lisbon. We set out on a mission to find the stunning beaches we had seen in pictures while researching what to explore in Portugal. The area is home to three beautiful beaches – Galapinhos, Portinho da Arrábida, and Figueirinha – which became our destination.
National Sanctuary of Christ the King and 25th of April bridge
Since we were driving, we decided to visit another famous Lisbon landmark along the way – the National Sanctuary of Christ the King. Inspired by the iconic statue in Rio, this monument is located in the Almada district, just a 20-minute drive from the center of Lisbon. Positioned atop a hill, it is visible from many parts of the city and offers breathtaking views of Lisbon from its viewpoint. For a small fee, visitors can take a lift to the top, though in our experience, the view from the base of the statue is almost as impressive as the one from the top.
Yet another reason to visit is to see the 25th of April bridge, which stretches 2 kilometers in length. Its design resembles the famous Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. See for yourself:
Lapa de Santa Margarida
After admiring the 25th of April Bridge and enjoying a coffee at a nearby café, we headed to Parque Natural da Arrábida.
Our first stop was Lapa de Santa Margarida, a cave chapel near Portinho. We parked off Rua do Portinho da Arrábida and took the steep stairs down toward the chapel. It’s about a 10 minute walk to the cave, making it a great spot to stretch the legs after driving. While the chapel itself didn’t leave a strong impression, the surrounding area – the cave, the cliffs, and the sea – was really nice.
Praia do Creiro beach
Praia do Creiro is an ideal spot to relax and enjoy the beach for an hour or two. We visited Portugal in February, a time when the beaches are usually empty, but the weather was so warm that swimming in the sea was entirely possible.
While the boys had fun running knee-deep in the water, we enjoyed walking along the nearly deserted shore, and taking in the scenery. Visiting during the high season might be a different experience, as it could be more crowded and less tranquil.
On the way to Praia do Creiro, make a short stop at Forte de Santa Maria da Arrábida, a small seaside fort that offers beautiful views of the beach and surrounding hills.
There are several large and many small beaches off the road to the South of N379-1, it would take much longer than a day to explore them all. The roads in the area are picturesque, and stopping at various beaches along the way worked out really well for us.
Miradouro do Norte
If you have time and enjoy scenic drives and breathtaking views, take N379-1 to Miradouro do Norte, a viewpoint overlooking a northern valley. The area is a favorite among paragliders, we saw at least a dozen soaring through the sky, taking in the landscape from above.
On the way to the Miradouro do Norte viewpoint, there are plenty of opportunities to stop roadside and admire the views of the sea and Península de Troia.
Setubal
Setubal is a small coastal city in the Lisbon metropolitan area, making it an excellent stop on your way back to Lisbon.
We reached Setubal quite late in the day and didn’t spend much time there. However, if you still have time after exploring Arrabida Park and its beaches, consider taking a walk along Setubal’s waterfront. Take a picture in the central square, Praça de Bocage, and enjoy a seafood meal at one of the waterfront restaurants.
Alternatively, you could go a bit further and visit Fortress Sao Filipe, the remains of a 16th century castle and fortress perched on a hill with panoramic views overlooking Setubal.
Points of interest on our trip in Serra da Arrabida:
We enjoyed our day trips from Lisbon quite a lot. The region offers diverse options for tourism, sightseeing, and leisure, suitable for different interests and seasons. We highly recommend visiting not just Lisbon but also its surrounding areas – you won’t be disappointed!
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We’ve not made it to Portugal yet, but the likelihood when we do is that Lisbon will be the main (maybe even only) destination, at least for the first visit, and we’d already checked over Sintra and the Moorish Castle. Nice to get a bit more info about it here, and to see some other options nearby.
When we planned our 5 day trip to Portugal and saw that there are so much to see around Lisbon, we decided to spend all our time Lisbon and around. Lisbon with its nearby national parks and beautiful coast and places like Sintra is definitely worth a dedicated visit without rushing to see north or south of Portugal.
Great how-to article! Portugal is high on my bucket list and this is a great guide! Very practical and useful information, I’ll be bookmarking to my Portugal folder!
What great ideas for day trips! I’d really love to visit the national park and to spend more time in Sintra! I only did the first day trip, as suggested!
Each location is incredible and your pictures are beautiful. I have so much to pack into my Portugal itinerary and you’ve provided great information!
Fantastic little itinerary for some day trips i have heard a bit about Sintra. But the rest are new ones for me ill be saving this thanks
There is definitely lots of things to see around Lisbon – historical towns, culture, beautiful nature and coasts.
Such a wonderful and comprehensive guide! Totally understand how you felt overwhelmed in Sintra. I ended up feeling so overwhelmed there that I didn’t visit any palaces – just enjoyed the view of them and spent the afternoon dining and wining al fresco instead 🙂 I love the towns north of Lisbon but haven’t been south yet so I’m intrigued to visit Setubal.
I felt there is so much left to see around Lisbon, so I hope to visit again.
This is so valuable! I love the idea of a collection of day trips. You have inspired me to travel to Lisbon again so that I can see the surrounding area that I missed the last time. Thank you!
Happy you found it useful! 🙂 I myself too would love to visit it again – so much to see there.