Sintra-Cascais-Pena Palace 8-People Small Group Tour from Lisbon
Description
Explore Sintra and Cascais on a 9-hour group tour from Lisbon, limited to 8 people and only in English. You’ll visit the charming village of Sintra and you’ll have the chance to taste the delicious and famous pastries - travesseiros (pillows) and the Sintra cheesecakes (queijadas). Then you’ll visit the westernmost point of continental Europe - Cabo da Roca - once considered the end of the world. It will take your breath away! On the way to Cascais, you´ll enjoy astonishing sea views. Then you'll stop at Cascais, a lovely beach town where you can stroll around, have lunch, or snack. Your last stop is the unique and surprising Pena Palace, a formers royal palace that looks like a fairytale.
Tour Options
Itinerary
The meeting point, at Avenida da Liberdade 9, in front of the Armani Exchange store
Sintra is an ancient village, primarily pedestrian, that was founded thousands of years ago. The Greeks referred to Sintra as the "Mountain of the Moon," and it still resembles a fairy tale village today. It has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1995. During your visit, you will have free time to try some famous travesseiros (pillows) from a historic bakery that has been in operation since 1862. These light puff pastries are intricately turned, rolled, and folded seven times, then filled with a delicious almond-and-egg-yolk cream and lightly dusted with sugar. You can also enjoy Sintra cheesecakes.
Visit an old bakery that has been in the same family since 1862 to enjoy their famous travesseiros, which are light puff pastries rolled and folded seven times. These delightful pastries are filled with a creamy mixture of almond and egg yolk, then lightly dusted with sugar. Alternatively, you can try the Sintra cheesecakes, which have historical references dating back to the 13th century. At that time, these cheesecakes were often used as a form of rent payment.
Colares, known for its famous wine cellars, is located on our way to the Atlantic Ocean. This charming village has a rich history with wine that dates back to the 13th century. The landscape appears to be frozen in time, showcasing old villas, beautiful mansions, and a mix of small and large farms, along with a century-old tram.
We will stop at Cabo da Roca, a wild location that features a cliff rising 150 meters (500 feet) above the Atlantic Ocean. This is the westernmost point of continental Europe. The area offers a stunning and remote landscape with breathtaking views of the roaring Atlantic.
The Cabo da Roca lighthouse is one of Portugal's most famous lighthouses. We cannot go inside, but we can enjoy this beautiful XVIII-century building from the outside.
Guincho Beach is a beautiful sandy area located 9 km from Cascais. It features a protected landscape with dunes and endemic flora, making it a popular destination for surfers.
This summer palace was constructed between 1897 and 1900 by an Irish nobleman, Jorge O'Neill. It serves as a classic example of “summer architecture.”
The Citadel of Cascais is a series of fortifications built between the 15th century and the 17th century to defend Cascais and Lisbon. Since the 19th century, it has been a former Royal Palace area.
Cascais was once a fishing village that gained popularity as a resort for Portugal's royal family in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Today, it is a favored vacation destination for both Portuguese and international tourists. The village features small museums, picturesque gardens, a beautiful marina, and a pedestrianized old town. We will stop here for lunch or a snack, and we recommend trying the most famous ice cream in Portugal: Santini’s Gelati!
We will visit the remarkable Pena Palace, a key example of 19th-century romanticism in the world. The current palace was established in 1839, when King Ferdinand II purchased the ruins of the Monastery of Our Lady of Pena and began transforming it into a residence that reflected his romantic tastes. You will have access to Pena Palace Park and will enjoy a guided tour of the courtyards. If you choose that option, you will also be able to explore the interior rooms.
The meeting point, at Avenida da Liberdade 9, in front of the Armani Exchange store
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- The tour will be only in English
- Bring at least a light jacket since sometimes the weather is highly variable
Reviews(1,865)
Just great. Not a minute was wasted. The palace happened to be closed but we ended up going somewhere else and it was perfect. Guide did an amazing job. Very knowledgeable and I learned a ton about everything we saw. I cannot recommend this enough!!!!!
Carolina was awesome. She was very knowledgeable about everything and the best tour guide we’ve ever had.
Loved this tour!! Ricardo did such an amazing job with our group. Very sweet, super accommodating and knowledgeable. We gave us ample time to explore, guided us through the viewpoints and history of everything we passed. The van was spacious and nicely air conditioned. He wore a headset so we could hear him clearly even in the back. He recommended amazing locations to eat for lunch and sent a full list of places to see and things to do while on our trip in Lisbon. Highly recommend and we are so glad we went!
Ricardo, our guide was very good - personable, humous, knowledgeable, interactive and greatly added to the experience, making it worthwhile
Right from the start our guide Ricardo Domingues was a true pleasure. The way he greeted everyone and referred to us all his family for the day I knew it would be an amazing experience. Ricardo’s knowledge and easy going character made the experience that much more memorable and the fact that he seemed to know everyone at Pena Palace mad et he tour even better. The scenic landscapes of our travelled route, the small historic town of Sintra’s warmth and uniqueness and the spectacular views from atop of Pena Palace made this a must do for all travellers! I would finish this review by recommending a second trip back to Cascais as this small costal town is a must see. Thank Ricardo!
We had Ricardo Domingues as our tour guide and he was amazing. As soon as he met with the group he made everyone feel comfortable, learned everyone’s names and became friends with us all individually. He asked us all our plans during our trip to Portugal and gave us each personalised recommendations for us to try. Throughout the tour he was professional and friendly and made sure everyone was ok. He made every stop on the trip unique and interesting and the drives in between just as enjoyable, including having each member of the group choosing a song for us to all sing along to on the way home. 10/10 experience all thanks to our guide, I can’t recommend enough.
Great small group tour. Really loved it. Especially the guide was very passionate about explaining the history, culture and economy of Lisbon, Sintra and Portugal.
Our experience with Ricardo was fantastic. He made our tour extremely enjoyable, adding to the overall experience. He was friendly, engaging, funny, and knowledgeable about all the locations we visited. We can’t recommend him enough. Thank you so much for the beautiful experience.
Awesome Tour with an awesome guide ! Very knowledgeable too, told us all about the history of the places we visited.
My daughter and I had the most relaxing tour with Ricardo. He was knowledgeable and professional. We went to many locations on the day long tour but it never felt rushed. He made the effort to find out your personal interests and then tailored the tour for you. He also supplied us with additional information on great restaurants, places to experience Fado, and transportation tips which were always on the mark. His love of his country was evident and it made for a very positive, memorable day for us.
