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Municipal Library of Sintra – Casa Mantero
A public library operating according to the latest trends in library science.It is located in Correnteza, on a property dating back to the 19th century and acquired by the local government in very poor condition in the 1970s.From the house’s balcony, you can enjoy magnificent views of the Castelo dos Mouros and Vale da Raposa.
Igreja da Misericórdia (Church of Mercy)
The exact date of the founding of Sintra’s first charitable institution is unknown, but it is suggested that it dates back to the 14th century.However, there is no doubt about the establishment of the Hospital de Santo Espírito—predating the founding of the Misericórdia—which dates back to the reign of King Ferdinand, as does the construction of the first church.The church dedicated to Mariana is currently reduced to only its chancel and side altars, as the nave and other outbuildings were demolished with the establishment of the Republic to widen the public thoroughfare.
Mercado Estefânia
Once a bullring (with references to a major bullfight in July 1893), this is now the location of the Estefânia Municipal Market. As part of the surrounding rural area, Sintra supplied the capital with fruits and vegetables sold in markets, fairs, or even on the streets of Lisbon. Sometimes city dwellers would go to Sintra to get supplies at the Mercês and São Pedro fairs, and other times the farmers would take them to the city. Besides strawberries, wild fruits, pink peaches, brown pears, and Reineta apples were also a delight for connoisseurs. The Reineta Apple still remains in the region of orchards spread throughout the municipality, with a greater concentration in Fontanelas. The orchards of Colares were famous, which gave the name to Praia das Maçãs (Apple Beach), reportedly because the river that flowed there passed between the orchards and carried the fallen apples in its waters to the beach. Currently, there is also a food court in this space, offering visitors a more attractive experience.
Miradouro da Correnteza
The arrival of the railway in Sintra brought major changes to the town’s urban planning. The street where the cluster of houses that had been built to house the engineers of the Larmanjat monorail was located was widened, and, taking advantage of the view of the Raposa Valley, Captain Mário Alberto Soares Pimentel developed one of the town’s most iconic urban developments. This avenue features a monument dedicated to the Portuguese soldiers who died in the Great War, designed by sculptor José da Fonseca.
Paços do Concelho de Sintra
The Town Hall building is strategically located between the two neighborhoods of Sintra (Vila Velha and Vila Nova da Estefânia). Its construction in this location marked the relocation of the administrative center, housed in an eighteenth-century building near the Royal Palace, to a more modern area. Designed by architect Adães Bermudes, it was built between 1906 and 1908, where the Manueline chapel of St. Sebastian previously stood. The facades are enlivened by Neo-Manueline windows and an imposing tile-covered pyramidal tower decorated with the cross of Christ and the national coat of arms, culminating in the armillary sphere at the top.
Largo do Palácio/ Serra
In front of the Town Hall building stands a fountain, in the same Neo-Manueline style, designed by architect Tertuliano Lacerda Marques and sculpted by José da Fonseca. Inaugurated in 1914, it rests on a plinth that supports the carved basin from which, in the center, a large shaft with vegetal lacework and a bronze spout representing a fish emerges. At the top, the fountain is crowned by the Cross of Christ, which surmounts the armillary sphere surrounded by four shields, where the municipal coat of arms alternates with a pelican bearing the legend "Pola Lei e Pola Grei" engraved in Gothic characters.
Museu Ferreira de Castro
This museum space explores the life of Ferreira de Castro, one of the most translated Portuguese writers, whose most famous novel is *A Selva*. The writer was twice nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature by international bodies. Here, visitors can appreciate rare editions, manuscripts, personal objects, and original illustrations for his works, among other objects belonging to and closely connected to the author.
Hotel Lawrence
Born in 1764, under the name Estalagem dos Cavaleiros (Knights’ Inn), this building was acquired in the 19th century by Lewis Lawrence, who established the oldest hotel in the Iberian Peninsula there. A charming establishment, it hosted figures of great international renown, including the English poet Lord Byron; William Beckford, a cultured English aristocrat; as well as, more recently, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt. The Lawrence was also the setting for part of the book Os Maias, a novel by the Portuguese writer Eça de Queiroz. Today, although expanded, the building maintains the same design and function.
Pisões Waterfall
No one can fail to be fascinated by this delicate and romantic Cascata dos Pisões, which many tend to confuse with the historic Fonte dos Amores. Legend has it that in the past, the waters ran freely down the mountain, being used at the Quinta dos Pisões, where watermills used it to tread flax. The land on which it is built belonged to the Marquis of Pombal and was acquired by his protégé, Daniel de Gildemeester, the Dutch consul in Portugal and a diamond merchant, who decided to erect the waterfall there. That greenery, that stonework imitating steep natural rocks, that moss on the old walls that flank it, and finally that water trickling into the small rocky lake, take us back to the phrase of Eça de Queirós: "Sintra is this: a little water, a bit of moss: this is a paradise."
Volta do Duche
Built in 1922, with a design by Master José da Fonseca, the Moorish fountain was constructed with the intention of enhancing the entrance to the town and "dignifying the most prized water of Sintra". The widening of the road in 1960 forced the dismantling of the fountain, which was rebuilt 20 years later, not in its original location, but in the heart of Volta do Duche. The revivalist architecture of the fountain features a large arch, in which three other arches are topped by Neo-Moorish tiles, with the municipal coat of arms prominently displayed in the center.
Padaria Saloia
A dream that feeds generations. The pão com chouriço (bread with chorizo) from Padaria Saloia first stood out in street vending fifty years ago, after an invitation from the Nossa Senhora do Cabo Festivities Committee. For almost half a century, the product’s success and recognition grew through street vending, so much so that, after that first invitation, its presence at fairs around Sintra multiplied. Cherished for years, the dream became a reality, and in 2021, Salomé Patrão and Horácio Patrão opened Padaria Saloia, a space located on one of Sintra’s busiest streets.
Fábrica de Queijadas SAPA
The name originates from “Maria Sapa,” a merchant who dedicated herself to the production of queijadas (a type of Portuguese pastry). With the inauguration of the railway in 1887, the Sapa Queijada Factory was established in the town of Sintra. In the main room, we can appreciate photographs of the family that was involved in the business, as well as excerpts from documents that testify to the shop’s long history. At the Sapa Queijada Factory, the recipe has been passed down through generations, crossing several families, always with the concern of maintaining the original recipe. The queijada is the most famous and traditional sweet of Sintra.
Palácio Nacional de Sintra
The largest and most significant medieval and Renaissance palace in Portugal, it was built upon an ancient Arab alcazaba and was highly valued by royalty. The first major works on the monument were carried out during the reign of King John I (15th century). A second construction campaign added the Manueline wing (16th century), giving it part of the appearance we know today. Beneath the colossal chimneys that have become an icon of Sintra, we find a unique palace where open and closed spaces alternate in an Arabesque harmony, fascinating us with one of the largest collections of Mudéjar tiles in the world and highlighting the beauty of the Arab rooms, the swans, and the coats of arms, as well as the chapel that announces the cult of the Holy Spirit, introduced to Portugal by Queen Saint Isabel.
Casa Piriquita – Travesseiros e Queijadas de Sintra
Casa Piriquita is a pastry shop known for its Travesseiros and Queijadas. Founded as a bakery in 1862, it acquired the name Piriquita due to the nickname King D. Carlos gave to its owner, Constância Gomes, based on her short stature. It was the monarch who encouraged the couple to make the famous queijadas; the success was immediate, and the bakery transformed into a pastry shop. In the 1940s, Constância Luísa Cunha, the founder’s daughter, created the Travesseiro, a pastry filled with egg custard and with an almond touch. Throughout these 160 years, the pastry shop has remained in the family, who proudly guard the secret of their sweets. Accessibility: Partially accessible to people with reduced/conditioned mobility, only at the takeaway counter (no adapted restrooms)
Vila Alda - Casa do Eléctrico de Sintra
The inauguration of the railway line between Sintra and Lisbon in 1887 immediately sparked the desire of other towns to be served by modern means of transport. At the forefront of this aspiration was Colares, a town with considerable economic importance thanks to its fruit production and renowned wine. The tram line between Sintra and Praia das Maçãs was inaugurated on March 31, 1904, and extended to Azenhas do Mar in 1930, reaching its maximum length of 14.6 km. Thanks to the trams, many families had easier access to the beaches, many workers traveled to their jobs, and many products from the Colares region reached their destination. Currently managed by the local council, the line, considered by many to be the most romantic in Europe, has become a major tourist attraction in the region.
Celeiro da Jugada
In Largo Latino Coelho, we see some remains of the old Celeiro da Jugada, where the tribute paid in grain to the crown was paid and stored. It was also here that the sacred art removed from the churches of Sintra after the abolition of religious orders in 1834 was sold.
Igreja de S. Martinho
The Church of São Martinho in Sintra was commissioned by Afonso Henriques, the first king of Portugal, between 1147 and 1154, following the Christian reconquest. The building, initially Romanesque, underwent alterations during various reigns, acquiring some Gothic features. In 1755, following the Lisbon earthquake, the church collapsed and was rebuilt between 1755 and 1773. The reconstruction, entrusted to the architect Mateus Vicente de Oliveira, resulted in a building with an austere façade featuring a narthex, in the Pombaline style. The temple has an interior decorated with murals and an important set of panels representing the Passion of Christ. Also noteworthy are the 16th-century works representing St. Peter and St. Martin, attributed to the masters Cristóvão de Figueiredo, Gregório Lopes, and Garcia Fernandes. In one of the wings attached to the temple, we can find a remarkable collection of sacred art pieces, organized in a small museum space.
Fonte da Pipa
The oldest reference to the Fonte da Pipa (Pipa Fountain) is found in a document from 1369; however, the current image of the fountain was created in the 18th century, when it underwent a campaign of improvements commissioned by Queen Maria I. The monarch, having learned that the water was being diverted to the Ribafria Palace by the Marquis of Pombal, ordered the fountain to be rebuilt to restore the water to the population, as evidenced by the engraving on the back wall and the royal coat of arms. On the façade, of great monumentality and aesthetic quality, there are four tile panels depicting the goddess Cynthia or Diana, with water and the hunt associated with her, and to the right, Justice with the scales. The basin, also made of stone, is irrigated by water that flows from a small spout in the shape of a pipe.
Paço dos Ribafria
The Palace was built in the 1530s near the royal palace by Gaspar Gonçalves, a man of humble origins who amassed a considerable fortune and achieved ennoblement. The Ribafria family held the important position of chief magistrate of Sintra for several generations, and the palace remained in the family until the 18th century, later passing into the possession of the Marquis of Pombal. During this period, new elements were introduced into the 16th-century structure, especially on the exterior, such as sash windows. Since that time, no significant alterations have been made to its structure.
Edifício dos correios/ Torre do Relógio
The current post office building served as the Town Hall and County Jail. From the outset, it housed a public clock that kept time for the town, an unusual feature for a small rural settlement living in the shadow of the royal palace. The structure we know today was probably built in the second half of the 18th century, on the initiative of the Marquis of Pombal, inspired by the church towers of the rest of the municipality of Sintra. If a tower had existed in an earlier period, it would certainly have been severely damaged in the 1755 earthquake.
Museu de História Natural
Located in a building constructed in 1893, the museum has a permanent exhibition open to the public, which originated with collectors Miguel Barbosa and his wife, Fernanda Barbosa, who, over the course of nearly 50 years, amassed a unique collection comprising thousands of fossils of incalculable cultural and scientific value.
News Museum
The NewsMuseum is an experiential space dedicated to news, media, and communication, occupying an 18th-century building that was formerly the Sintra Town Hall. In over 25 thematic modules, spread across the building’s three floors, episodes from the history of Portugal and the world are recalled through their journalistic coverage. The NewsMuseum aims to be an open window into the world of media and communication and their impact on society, employing a strong digital and technological component.
Palácio Valenças
The Palace of Valenças, or the Duche’s Palace as it was initially called, was built in the second half of the 19th century by the Lisbon merchant António Ferreira dos Anjos. The Italian architect and set designer Giuseppe Cinatti was chosen for the project. The palace changed its name when Luís Leite Pereira Jardim, 1st Count of Valenças, married Guilhermina Anjos, heiress of António Ferreira dos Anjos, and it became known simply as Valenças. After his death, the property was sold to the Sintra Municipal Council. Today, the Municipal Assembly meets in the building’s "Sala da Nau" (Ship Room).
Parque da Liberdade
Parque da Liberdade, which was initially part of the Valenças Palace property, is above all a hymn to romanticism. Its biological richness, characterized by essentially natural development, is combined with an aesthetic that allows for a diverse number of ecological niches, increasing biodiversity. There are over 410 plants identified in the park, distributed across 60 different species. It is an enchanted garden of trees and flowers, with stone benches for peaceful strolling and contemplation.
Museu Anjos Teixeira
As you wander through the rooms of the Anjos Teixeira Museum, you will discover models and mock-ups of many of the works that adorn and adorn the squares, streets, buildings, institutions and avenues of Portugal, resulting in added value and greater proximity between the visitor and the various collections on display (sculpture, drawing, medals, painting, correspondence and photography).
Estação de Sintra
Until 1887, the only public transport to Sintra was the slow stagecoach that departed from the capital. The railway connection between Lisbon and Sintra was only inaugurated on April 2nd of that year. With the end of the Second World War, an investment program in rail transport began, seeking to reduce dependence on steam traction. The Sintra line was integrated into this plan, and electrification officially arrived on April 28, 1956, as part of the centenary celebrations of the railways in Portugal.
MU.SA – Museu das Artes de Sintra / Casino
Initially built to house a casino, the building was conceived by the Sintra Tourism Society, which aimed to equip the town with socio-cultural and leisure infrastructure. The project, designed by architect Norte Júnior and financed by Adriano Júlio Coelho, resulted in a very imposing building. Its period of glory as a casino occurred between 1924 and 1937. Since it never held a gambling license, the main activities promoted were art exhibitions, concerts, parties, and shows. Today it is owned by the City Council, which has transformed it into a cultural space, the MU.SA - Sintra Museum of Arts.
Centro Cultural Olga de Cadaval / Cine-Teatro Carlos Manuel
The Carlos Manuel Cinema-Theatre was designed by the architect Norte Júnior in 1945. It was a late modernist building, fitting the typology of the so-called Italian-style theatre, with evident sobriety in its façade. For 40 years it was the most emblematic space in Sintra’s daily cultural life. In 1985, a large part of the cinema-theatre was destroyed by a fire, and two years later it was acquired by the municipality, which renovated it. Since 2001, this representative building has housed the Olga Cadaval Cultural Centre, named in honor of the great patronage contribution of Olga Pereira de Melo, Marchioness of Cadaval.
Casa do Teatro de Sintra
This performance venue is located in the former Tivoli cinema, a notable example of early 20th-century architecture that gained traction with the arrival of the train in Sintra. The building was used as a warehouse and carpentry workshop and was later restored and converted to house the creation and presentation of theater shows.
Cadeia Comarcã
The District Prison, like the Town Hall building, was designed by the architect Adães Bermudes, as a result of a series of improvements made to public buildings in Sintra at the beginning of the 20th century. The decision to build a new prison was made in 1894 because the previous prison did not offer dignified conditions for the inmates. With the appearance of a medieval fortress, the building, erected on the site of the former São Sebastião cemetery, is developed from a centralized hexagonal plan. It functioned as a prison for sixty years.
Fonte da Câmara
The Town Hall Fountain, designed by architect Vasco Regaleira, presents a contemporary design that, amidst the predominant revivalism of the historic center, was considered dissonant by many. Simple, devoid of formalism and decoration, it features a large circular basin, lined on the inside with blue mosaics, which receives water from a double spout. Contrasting with its simple delicacy, it is surrounded by a rough U-shaped stone wall with protruding vases. The coat of arms of Sintra is juxtaposed on one of the continuous walls.
