Tourism

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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)

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.

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€

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.

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.  

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.

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.  

Pousada de Jovens de Sintra

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.