Tourism

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.

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.

Pousada de Jovens de Sintra

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.     BilhetesAdulto (18-64 anos) 13€Jovem (6 a 17 anos) 10€Sénior (maiores de 65) 10€Famílias (2 adultos +2 jovens) 35€

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.

Centro histórico

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)

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.

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.     BilhetesAdulto 5,00€Jovens (dos 7 aos 18) 2,50€Munícipes 2,50€Sénior (+65 anos) 2,50€

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).

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.

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).  

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.

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.