A day trip from Lisbon: Cabo Da Roca and Sintra

This is an article for a short daytrip that will take you to the westernmost point on the European mainland, the headland of Cabo da Roca and the magical town of Sintra with the romantic castles and green parks, a small journey to the most legendary monuments of the Portuguese culture. 

Cabo da Roca

“And there, as crown of Europe it might be, you may behold The Lusitanian reign. Where the land ends and the sea begins...This is our blessful homeland, my beloved"

Luis De Camões

WHEN?

It’s is said that Cabo Da Roca is constantly exposed to strong winds and it can get quite cold so I guess February is not the best month for this trip. 

Surprisingly on 22nd of FEB we had the perfect weather conditions so I guess everything is a matter of luck. Clear sky and warming sun, this is all you need. Ok, almost all of it.

Tip: Don’t forget to load your backpack with some beers and snack. The area of Cabo Da Roca has a very limited development (and we truly hope it will stay like this) so there’s no shops and you don’t want to miss the chance to have your beer at the most westerly point of mainland Europe don’t you?

HOW?

Cabo da Roca is located 18km west from Sintra, 15km north from Cascais and 40km west of Lisbon.

Option 1:

You can take the train from Lisbon's Rossio station to Sintra (the  journey lasts about 40 min) From Sintra, bus 403 will take you to the exact place of Cabo da Roca.

Option 2:

It has been my dream to visit Cabo da Roca since I was a kid so our main plan was to spend more time there. If that’s the case you can take train from Cais do Sodré to Cascais. From Cascais you can easily take bus 403 which will take you to Cabo da Roca. After this you have to take the same bus which will take you to Sintra. 

In the early morning we started our journey from Cais do Sodré railway station. The distance between Lisbon and Cascais is around 30km. The train journey takes 30-40 minutes. The 4 zone ticket that you have to use will cost you around 2 €. You can use your Viva Viagem card. 

Tip: if you have an extra free day I highly recommend you to spend it in Cascais or Estoril. Unfortunately we didn’t have enough time but I’m sure it’s worth it. 

From Terminal de Cascais (located just on the back side of the train station, just ask someone) take bus 403 to Cabo da Roca. The ticket will cost you 3.25€ and you can buy it directly from the driver. 

And here we go, after 30 min bus ride we ended up here:

The dramatic landscape is enhanced by the huge waves who are crushing into the cliffs.

Apart from the lonely standing lighthouse there’s nothing here. It’s isolated and secluded. The place has some good hiking trails with amazing scenery. Most people spend here between 30-60 minutes and we spent I think more than 2 hours. 

There’s also a small Tourist information center where you can get a certificate that confirms you have visited Cabo da Roca. The basic certificate is €5.60 or the more elaborate certificate is €11.00. 

Personally I can’t see what’s the importance of this piece of paper that doesn’t mean anything to me.  

What was more important for us was just to be able to seize the moment and enjoy the beautiful landscape while having a beer or two at this special place. Because life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away :)

Sintra

From Cabo da Roca we took bus 403 to Sintra around 02:00 pm. The ticket costs € 4.10.

By the time we got there, had a quick coffee and familiarized with the situation it was already 03:30pm. 

Tip: Unfortunately during the low tourist season all ticket offices are closed by 05:00 pm so if you really want to see Sintra in details you probably need a full day. 

We accepted the situation and decided we won’t stress ourselves and we will just enjoy a few spots.

Even though the town of Sintra is just 30km away from Lisbon, that charming city has completely different vibes. 

The romantic atmosphere of old castles, lush green forests and palaces that look like they have just jumped out of the pages of an old fairy tale makes Sintra colorful and unique. It brings the specific taste of the Portuguese culture and it’s not a surprise to anyone that the city has been classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

There is a few touristic buses that run through all the historical monuments. 

We don’t have much time to think so we take Bus 434, Circuito da Pena. The ticket costs €5 and it will take you to the following spots:

1) Palácio Nacional de Sintra

2) Castelo dos Mouros 

3) Palácio da Pena

Notice, that you can only get off the bus on each and every stop in a sequence, you can’t skip one and then go back. Hop on hop off bus will cost you €12 which was pointless for us because we didn’t have enough time. 

The other itinerary is covered by bus 435. Ticket costs €2,50

Here is a map that will help you to get a better orientation:

Our first quick stop is The National Palace of Sintra with its romantic chimneys which is located in the heart of the town.

The thousand year old history of the palace begins during the Muslim control of the Iberian Peninsula. Unfortunately we have no time to waste so our tour is very selective. 

We jump on the bus and not long after that the view completely changes. We ascend to the green forests and the air is more fresh and chilly. 

Our second stop is Castle of the Moors (Castelo dos Mouros). The castle was constructed around the 10th century by the Muslim populations that occupied the Iberian Peninsula. It used to be a control tower for the Atlantic coast and land to the north, serving as an outpost for the city of Lisbon.

The panoramic view from the ancient fortress is stunning!

The best spent €7 (the ticket price) for the day.

Imagine a castle from Disney movie. This is how Pena Palace looks like! The Park and the Palace of Pena are the finest examples of 19th century Portuguese Romanticism. 

We were able to see the colorful castle, standing proudly on the opposite hill from Moorish Castle but unfortunately by the time we reached it the ticket office was already closed. There was nothing else to do but just to accept our fate. 

                                                           Last hours in Sintra.
                                     Enjoying the view of Pena Palace from Moorish Castle.

 Now, I know that if a friend of mine from Sintra is reading this article she will be quite disappointed with me. I’ve missed so many places: Quinta da Regaleira, Palácio da Pena, Monserrate…

Dear Susana Fernandes, if you are reading this I want you to know that even for the short time I spent in your home city I felt its magic and unique spirit. On top of that now I have another reason to visit Sintra once again and you better be there next time :)

Portugal was the 3rd country I’ve traveled on my own in less than 2 months. I have to say I’ve never had such a powerful beginning of the year. 

 I’m so motivated to keep traveling and discovering new places and write about them here. I believe the most precious things that stay from every trip are the memories that we keep and experience we gain. Sharing all of this with the rest of the world (well…ok, those few thousand people who read my posts) makes me feel I left something behind me. I left a track in my life that will remind me I’ve done so many of the things I could actually only dream about a few years ago. I’m trying to have a life of a constant adventure and I fight the routine every single day. To me traveling is the universal placebo that cures everything and as long as I have that energy and adrenaline rush every time when I board the plane I’ll keep exploring. 

P.S. Oh, and do not forget: “Bloggers do it better” ;)