Day trips from Lisbon to Sintra, Cabo da Roca and Praia Grande

Lisbon has no shortage of things to do, see, eat and drink and you could easily spend weeks in the sun trying out pastel de nata’. But if you’ve had your fill of Lisbon and want to see a little more of Portugal, take a day trip from Lisbon to Sintra – a small town high up in the mountains with a fairy tale castle, quaint streets and beautiful scenery.

If you want to be by the sea, then head to Praia Grande, a small town with a beautiful beach and some nice places to eat, drink and swim. Cabo da Roca is another nice place on the way, it is the most westerly point on mainland Europe and you have to visit to believe me when I say it is really windy. With so many places to see, here is our guide to the best day trips from Lisbon.

Sintra

Sintra is really such a special place with incredibly beautiful views of the Serra de Sintra hills, palaces that take your breath away and just an old town feel that makes you feel like time has stood still.

Getting to Sintra couldn’t be simpler with direct trains from Lisbon’s Rossio station. It takes about 45 minutes to get to Sintra. Once you get to the train station, the main town where all the attractions are is just a just a short walk. If you don’t feel like walking, hop onto bus 434, which will take you through the town and to all the other attractions.

You know you are in the heart of the town when you see the Palacio Nacional de Sintra, a palace dating back to the 11th century. And then rising from the hills in an array of colours is the unique Disney-esque Palace of Pena. This is probably the most unique and rather pretty looking palaces I’ve ever seen. Sintra is full of surprises, even a quaint looking street has buildings with beautiful architecture. It is not a surprise that Sintra is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

We started our day walking through the pretty gardens of Parque da Liberdade while we stopped every now and then to look at the beautiful trees and flowers all around us. We took a toy like train up to Palace of Pena as it is quite a steep walk.

Walking through the Palace left me feeling transported to a different era, with views stretching in front of me I began to imagine what royalty would have experienced living in that palace. After the visit to the palace, we wandered around the city a little bit more and then it was time to head to Cabo da Roca.

Cabo da Roca

Cabo da Roca is the most westerly points of mainland Europe. And probably one of the most windiest places I’ve been. Imagine the Atlantic ocean filling the horizon in front you, barren windswept landscape with barely any plants and steep high cliffs dropping right into an angry ocean. I’ve probably painted a scary picture, but it was quite an experience to see the ocean and the wind doing what they do best.

On the way to Lisbon, we also stopped at a place called Boca do Inferno or Devils Mouth. This spot has got its name because of the Atlantic ocean bashing into the rocky cliffs and the water erupts out of a small hole in the rocks causing a dramatic effect. If you are not lucky to see this happen, it is just a beautiful spot to take in views of the might ocean and people fishing.

Praia Grande

We visited Praia Grande with a friend who was visiting her parents, and so didn’t know what to expect. But when we got to Praia Grande, we were blown away ( quite literally ) by the gorgeous stretch of beach, the cliffs and the food we had there. Praia Grande is really close to Sintra and so is frequented by Sintra residents.

The golden sandy beach is well equipped with bars, restaurants and one of Europe’s largest sea water swimming pools as well. You will also see a lot of surfers here because of the moderate swell and the protection provided by the cliffs.

We had lunch at a seafood restaurant, Restaurante Nortada, at the top of the cliff with some beautiful views. Praia Grande is just the place to go when you want to spend a day on the beach in the sun and away from the city hustle.

If you are wondering what to do in Lisbon, do take a look at our Lisbon travel guide.