Sintra from the UK: what a trip really costs
What a day costs in Sintra, when to go, the visa for British travellers and the sights not to miss. Every figure comes from Trip720's checked data, with its source. Updated 21 Oct 2026.
Plan my Sintra tripDay to day in Sintra, per person
| Style | Food | With transport |
|---|---|---|
| Street food and markets | £15 | £27 |
| A balanced mix | £30 | £41 |
| Mostly restaurants | £51 | £62 |
- Local transport: about £11 a day. Taxi: £3 to start, then £0.40 a km.
- Cooking for yourself: about £11 a day for food.
- Tourist tax: about £2 a person a night, paid at your stay.
- Tipping: about 5% where service is good.
Your stay, flights and activities come on top: the planner prices them for your dates. Sources: livingcost.org, budgetyourtrip.com, en.wikivoyage.org; in GBP at today's rate.
When to go
14°F
15°M
16°A
18°M
20°J
23°J
24°A
24°S
24°O
21°N
17°D
15°
The most pleasant months are March to October. July is the driest month (4 mm of rain) and November the wettest (93 mm).
Bars: rain each month; green: the most pleasant months. Numbers: average daytime high. Source: NASA POWER climatology.
Best time to visit Portugal, place by placeCompare: Spain or Portugal · Italy or Portugal · Greece or Portugal · France or Portugal
Visa for British travellers
No visa needed for a holiday
Official source: gov.uk, checked 2026-10-01. Rules change: your plan checks your own passport when you build it.
Not to miss in Sintra
Pena Palacepalace · half a dayTimed tickets, book online days ahead and arrive 30 min early; first slot of the day avoids the worst queues
Castle of the Moorscastle · a couple of hoursWalk the ramparts for views over Sintra and the coast; narrow walls with no railings in places
Quinta da Regaleirapalace · half a dayGardens of grottoes and tunnels; find the Initiation Well, a spiral staircase sunk nine levels into the ground
Sintra National Palacepalace · a couple of hoursThe twin conical kitchen chimneys in the town centre; Magpie Room and Coats-of-Arms Room inside
Monserrate Palace and gardenspalace · a couple of hoursQuieter than Pena, 4 km west of town; Moorish-Gothic villa built for Francis Cook, with a botanical garden of lawns and ferns
Cabo da Rocaviewpoint · a couple of hoursWesternmost point of mainland Europe, 18 km from Sintra by the 403 bus; windy cliffs and a lighthouse
Convento dos Capuchoshistoric site · a couple of hoursTiny 16th-century Franciscan convent lined with cork, hidden in the forest; no electric light inside
- Piriquita pastry shop for travesseirosother · a couple of hours
The famous bakery near the National Palace; try a warm travesseiro (almond-cream puff pastry) and a queijada
- Historic tram to Praia das Maçãsexperience · half a day
Vintage 1904 tram line from Sintra to the beach, 45 minutes each way; stop at the Colares winery on the way; seasonal
- Guided mountain-bike tour of the Sintra hills and coastexperience · half a day
Guided rides through the natural park, including the Ericeira to Cabo da Roca coastal route
From our research of travel guides; ticket prices from Tiqets when we found them. Photos: Wikimedia Commons, free licences.
Questions travellers ask
How much does a day in Sintra cost?
Food and getting around come to about £27 a person a day eating street food, £41 with a balanced mix and £62 eating mostly in restaurants, before your stay and activities.
When is the best time to visit Sintra?
The most pleasant months are March to October. July is the driest month (4 mm of rain) and November the wettest (93 mm); daytime highs run from 14 to 24 °C over the year.
Do British travellers need a visa for Portugal?
No visa needed for a holiday. Checked on gov.uk on 2026-10-01; rules change, so check again before you book.
What should I not miss in Sintra?
Pena Palace, Castle of the Moors, Quinta da Regaleira, Sintra National Palace, Monserrate Palace and gardens.
Your whole Sintra trip, priced from your door
Trip720 adds the flights from the UK, the stays, transfers, food, activities and the visa for your dates and budget, home to home.
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