Lisbon to Sintra
 

We are a group of 4 women, none of whom speaks Portuguese or Spanish, who will be visiting Lisbon as a cruise port of call. we will be in port from 11am to 7pm on a tuesday.

I have found that there is a train from Rossio station to Sintra, and a bus that will take us to Pena Palace.

My questions:
How do we get from the pier to the train station?
Are the connections readily available?
Do we have enough time to take the train and bus, visit the palace, and get back to port?
Will language be a problem?
Can anyone tell me the costs - to the train, train, bus, entrance fees?

Answers

Taxi to the station.
Trains run every 20 minutes. It's a 40 minute ride.
In Sintra take a taxi to the castle and tell the driver to wait for you.
Plenty of time. Spend an hour or so in the castle. It is a jewel.
What language? Portuguse cabbies speak good English because many of their customers are Brits.
Costs are nominal, about what you would pay for lunch.

Oops, I forgot to mention. You need to go to Rossio station. There are others.

Do it. The Pena Palace is wonderful! Beautiful views from the terraces, too. A very easy trip from Lisbon.

The Nacional Palace is the best of Sintra, historical. Pena is from more modern times.

Happy Trvlr, I am confused - when I do a google search for Sintra Nacional Palace I get Pena National Palace as a response. Are these two separate places? The other site I have seen listed as near Pena Palace is the Moorish Castle. Is this the same place?

Does anyone have experience with bus 434? It sounds like its a circular route and you buy one ticket for one "loop" and can get on and off multiple times in one day.

If we want to see the Nacional Palace and/or Pena Palace, and the Moorish Castle which comes first on the route?

Can all this be accomplished in 6 hours since our ship docks at 11am and departs at 7pm? That is realistically the most time we would have.

Thanks so much for your help planning this day!

Click on my name for my Lisbon TR which includes a day trip to
Sintra by train and bus. I'm in Nepal so I don't want to dig out the answers myself, but it's doable, but rushed. Take a sandwich.

The National Palace is in the town centre I believe. The Pena Palace is situated above on town on the hillside. The Moor Castle is beside it (not sure you can walk it - I think you take the bus).

The National Palace and the Pena Palace are two different buildings. They are both worth a visit and you can do both in 6 hours. You will not have time to do everything in Sintra in 6 hours. I understand your confusion as I was confused about Sintra before my trip.

The Pena Palace will take longer since you need to get a bus or taxi (I suggest the taxi for your group). When you arrive at the Pena Palace you buy a ticket. You then either walk up the hill to the palace or get on a jitney that will take you up. The hill is steep so you might want to take the jitney up and then walk down.

Arrange for the taxi to pick you up at a certain time at Pena Palace (in 2 hours and have him wait if you are not there in 2 hours) and then go to the National Palace which is in town, right near the tourist office, shops, and restaurants. Have a quick bite to eat and then tour the National Palace. Grab a taxi back to the station.

Neither palace is near the train station so you will need to use taxis in Sintra.

Here's a link to my photos. Scroll down to see the ones of Sintra. No photos are allowed in the Pena Palace but you can take photos inside the National Palace.

http://modigliani.shutterfly.com/portugal2009

Also near (walking distance) the National Palace, is Quinta da Regaleira, also lovely.

As previous poster says go to by taxi Rossio (regardless where ships docks; both docking locations in Lisbon are central), buy R/T ticket and take train to Sintra.

Options in Sintra are:

a) visit palaces run by Parques Sintra - Pena ,Moorish or Monserrate - http://www.parquesdesintra.pt/. Pena & Moorish are beside each other and it's possible to buy combo ticket for both. 434 (4.60 euro RT) bus goes to Pena/Moorish; 435 (2.60) - to Monserrate. Since there are 4 of you taxi to Pena and back is probably a better option.

b) skip Parques Sintra palaces altogether and visit Sintra National Palace & Quinta da Regaleira palaces instead http://www.cultursintra.pt/ Both places can be walked from train station (SNP is before tourist office) - QR - behind it (10 min walk from station)

When returning make sure that you take train to Rossio and not somewhere else. Some trains are not direct so check. You schedule leaves you anywhere between 3 to 4 hrs in Sintra so may be plan B is better.

"Will language be a problem? Can anyone tell me the costs - to the train, train, bus, entrance fees? "

Language is not a problem especially in tourist areas. Costs (in euro): Taxi to Rossio: under 10, train to Sintra - under 2, 434 (4.60RT) bus Pena/Moorish; 435 (2.60) bus-Monserrate. Palace prices off season: Pena- 9, Pena+Mouros - 12. I think SNP is 5 and QR is 6 or 7.

Thanks for all the help - its great to know what to expect to pay, and how to get from place to place.

Its always intimidating to not speak the local language.

Does anyone know how to say the basic polite and functional phrases in Portuguese?
Please
Thank you
Good afternoon/evening
What is the price?
Where is the train station?
4 tickets please

Pena Palace was built in the 19th century and Nacional Palace in the 15th century. I was perpared for Pena to be a wonderuful site but surprised by the beautiufl historic Nacional Palace with it's beautiufl tile work.
Rick Steves Phrase Books comein many languages, including Portugese, and are very user friendly and practical.

Please - Por favor
Thank you - Obrigado
Good afternoon/evening - Boa tarde / noite
What is the price? - Qual é o preço?
How much? - Quanto
Where is the train station? - Onde está a estação de trem?
4 tickets please - 4 bilhetes por favor

But you'll get away with English for what you want to. Ticket collectors will understand what you'll need. Tourist office in Sintra has lots of info in English.

<< Thank you - Obrigado>>

The first post says "we are 4 women". The correct way to say thank you if you are a woman is obrigada.

There are so many Brits who visit Portugal that English is the second language of most people, especially those in the tourist/travel trade. Just learn the basic greetings.

obrigada

I am going to be passing through Lisbon for one day, the third week in April. (Cruising on the Celebrity Solstice booked last minute) Can anyone tell me if this information is current?
Thanks in advance.

Yes, palace info is still the same; train trip is may be 20 cents more (it's 2.05 euro now). To look schedules from Rossio
Origem: Rossio Destino: Sintra

http://cp.pt/cp/displayPage.do?vgnex...007b01a8c0RCRD