Overview
This unique walking tour will take you from the beautiful resort town of Sintra, located in the foothills of the Sintra Mountains, once a royal sanctuary, to the popular seaside resort of Cascais on the Portuguese Riviera, known for the many members of royalty who have lived there. You will have the opportunity to visit extravagant palaces, manor houses and lush gardens included in the UNESCO World Heritage List and do some easy walks on picturesque coastal trails
- The UNESCO World Heritage Site of Sintra
- Feast on delicious fresh seafood
- The lovely seaside town of Cascais
- Walk from tranquil wooded hills to the rugged Atlantic coast
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Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive Sintra
Sintra is only 23 km away from Lisbon, and you will easily reach it by taking a train from the Portuguese capital. When you arrive in Sintra, your first accommodation is a family run business just outside Sintra’s town centre that has a quiet terrace with splendid views of the town and hills and is conveniently located opposite the train station and with a few restaurants nearby.
- Overnight in a 2-star hotel (Hotel Nova Sintra or similar)
Day 2: Sintra Palaces | 9km
Your walking tour takes you to the three most prominent monuments of Sintra: Castelo de Mouro, Palacio da Pena and Palacio Nacional. You start with a steep ascent to the Moorish castle and King Ferdinand’s colourful dream palace, followed by a walk on the vast palace grounds and finally a steep descent via Vila Sasseti to the town centre of Sintra, where the National Palace stands.
- Walking for the day: 9km, 4-5h, ↑475m ↓475m
- Overnight in a 2-star hotel (Hotel Nova Sintra or similar)
Day 3: Convento dos Capuchos to Azoia | 12km
Today you leave the crowds behind with a transfer to the Convento dos Capuchos, a classic example of an austere 16th-century Franciscan monastery that you can visit before starting the walk. Your walking route leads you through mystical Mediterranean woodlands past hillside menhirs and the shrine dedicated to the Virgin Mary of Peninha. Then you descend to Azoia and get the bus back to Sintra.
- Walking for the day: 12km, 5h, ↑425m ↓500m
- Overnight in a 2-star hotel (Hotel Nova Sintra or similar)
Day 4: Sintra Manor Houses | 5-7km
In the 19th and early 20th centuries, a Romantic wind blowing through Europe was strongly felt in Sintra. Within a few square kilometres, you will find extravagant palaces and mansions built by nobles and wealthy merchants, most of which are still occupied or in use as luxury hotels.
- Walking for the day: 5/7km, 2/3h + time used for visiting the palaces
- Overnight in a 2-star hotel (Hotel Nova Sintra or similar)
Day 5: Sintra to Praia Grande | 15 km
Today you leave the wealth and romance of Sintra behind as you walk north through fields, vineyards and pine forests toward the rugged coast. In the pretty fishing village of Azenha do Mar, you pick up the GR-11 and follow it south to the 1970’s hotel on “Praia Grande” in Arribas, with its huge saltwater pool.
- Walking for the day: 15km, 5h, ↑225m ↓485m
- Overnight in a 3-star hotel (Arribas Sintra Hotel or similar)
Day 6: Praia Grande Circular Walk | 12.5km
From Hotel Arribas, you take a long-distance walking path, the GR-11 “Costa Atlantica”, going south along fishermen’s trails to reach the village of Ulgueira. Beautiful views of Cabo de Roca – the westernmost point of the European continent – and a nice sandy beach along the way. After a drink or ice cream at Casa Doña Maria in Ulgueira, you return to Praia Grande via a different route which passes through the authentic village of Almoçageme.
- Walking for the day: 12.5km, 4.5-5h, ↑575m ↓575m
- Overnight in a 3-star hotel (Arribas Sintra Hotel or similar)
Day 7: Azoia to Guincho and Cascais | 8-17.5km
Your last day of walking begins with a transfer to Azoia, where you pick up the GR-11 and follow it along the coast to the 17th-century fortress of Fortaleza de Guincho, now a luxury hotel with views over Praia do Guincho. You can stop off part-way (after 8km and approximately 2.5 to 3h walking) and take the bus directly to Cascais or walk an additional 9.5km all the way to your hotel (footpath between the road and beach).
- Walking for the day: short option: 8km, 3h, ↑175m ↓375m; long option: 17.5km, 5h, ↑275m ↓475m
- Overnight in a 3-star hotel (Hotel Baía or similar)
Day 8: Departure
The tour ends after breakfast. You can extend your stay or return to Lisbon by train (~1h).
What to expect
Accommodation
Accommodation is in charming hotels in double or twin private en-suite rooms. We have carefully hand-picked all places and regularly monitor their quality. We have tried to choose accommodations that offer friendly service, clean and comfortable rooms and local flavour.
Click to view default hotels
- Hotel Baía – a family-run hotel located on the seaside, with the Sintra range as a background. With a restaurant and a terrace that offers views to the Sintra bay, near the town centre of the lively Cascais.
- Arribas Sintra Hotel – located by the sea, in a high-end neighbourhood in Sintra. All rooms have extraordinary views of the sea. Restaurant and a swimming pool.
- Hotel Nova Sintra – a family-owned hotel founded in 1948. It has a large sun terrace overlooking the Sintra Mountain Range and a romantic patio shaded by large trees. It features simply decorated rooms and free wifi.
*Hotels are subject to availability. In case a particular hotel is fully booked for your desired dates, we will replace it with a hotel of equal or higher value and quality level. We will provide exact accommodation details to you upon booking confirmation.
Meals
All breakfasts are included. Dinners are available at all overnight accommodations or in the towns. There are possibilities for lunches along the way, or you can buy some food in advance.
Difficulty and terrain
This walk is graded easy to moderate and moderate and includes daily walks of 3-5h on average; the terrain is hilly with well kept sometimes stony paths (read more about difficulty grades). The routes are not well waymarked, but we will provide you with detailed road notes and maps, and you can call our 24/7 local assistance phone number anytime. We strongly advise you to follow only marked trails and never shorten the path through the unknown and unmarked terrain. More detailed info on route navigation will be included in your holiday information pack.
When to go
This trip is available throughout the year. Best months to visit are April – June and September – October as in summer months it may become too hot for walking.
The flexibility of self guided holidays means that there are no fixed dates and you can start your trip on any date during the season.
Getting there
Click to view travel options
By plane
Our recommended airport for this tour is Lisbon (LIS).
By train or bus
- There are regular trains between Lisbon and Sintra (journey time ~ 1h) and Cascais and Lisbon (journey time ~1 hour).
- Train schedules can be checked here. For more details use the Omio planner above.
Inclusions
Included
- 7 nights in a mix of welcoming 2 and 3-star hotels
- 7 breakfasts
- Detailed digital route descriptions and maps in English including GPS tracks. Please note that the info pack is emailed to you prior to departure, and no printed documents are mailed or provided on site
- Luggage transfers from hotel to hotel on day 5 and day 7 (1 piece up to 20kg per person)
- Private transfers on day 3 and day 7 in the morning
- 24/7 phone assistance by our local office/representative
Excluded
- Airfare and connecting land transfers
- Lunches, dinners, drinks and snacks
- Travel insurance (required – get a quote online)
- Personal expenses
- Local tourist taxes and entry fees (payable on-site)
- Any items not explicitly listed as included
Options, extras and supplements
- A supplement applies to members of a group who require a single room
- This holiday is available for solo travellers; a supplement will be charged as accommodation and luggage transfer costs are not shared (we never mix and match – solo travellers will be accommodated in single rooms)
- Extra nights along the trail are bookable upon request
- Private transfers from/to the airport
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