Know Sintra through the eyes of a local archeologist private tour

Recommended by 100% of travelers

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Sintra, Portugal

3 to 4 hours (approx.)
Pickup offered
Group discounts
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

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Overview

Discover the history of Sintra through this private half-day archeological tour. Led by a local archaeologist who has been involved in excavations around Sintra, travel in a classic car or an electric Jeep to hidden gems few tourists visit, including a ruined medieval village, an old pilgrimage spot, and a site which may have been used thousands of years ago.

Discover hidden archeological sites around Sintra
Benefit from the expertise of a local archaeologist
Enjoy the full attention of your guide on a private tour
Includes snacks and transfers by classic car or electric Jeep

What's Included

Snacks

A typical Sintra pastry called queijadas will be offered as an welcome snack!

Meeting and Pickup

You can head directly to the meeting point, or request pickup

Pickup points

Select a pickup point

Meeting point

Queijadas da Sapa
Volta do Duche 12, 2710-631 Sintra, Portugal
This meeting point is a 2 minute walk from Sintra train station.

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

Itinerary

Castelo dos Mouros

45 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Santuario da Peninha

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Penedo de Adrenunes

45 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Not wheelchair accessible
Near public transportation

Infant seats available
Most travelers can participate
This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate

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Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

Traveler Photos

Gallery picture 1 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 2 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 3 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 4 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 5 (from a traveler's review)

Reviews

5.0

based on 36 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

We perform checks on reviews

Fantastic day with a local guide!

Ashley_H, Jun 2025

We highly recommend this tour for those that are interested in history. We are experienced travelers, but don’t know a lot about this area in Portugal. Our guide, Diogo, took us through some of the local sites for the day, providing a vast amount of information and great stories about local events and explaining the historical context and significance We traveled with two children ages, 11 and 13 and he tailored the topics and the stops to all four of our interests, he even added a couple things along the route that he thought would be of interest to us. All in all it was a highlight of our trip to this area and I would absolutely recommend this to a friend.

Truly a gem.

Chris_H, May 2025

Unforgettable Experience! Diogo’s tour exceeded all our expectations from start to finish. Our guide was an absolute gem—adaptable, incredibly knowledgeable, and tuned in to exactly what we were interested in. Rather than sticking rigidly to a script, he tailored the experience to us, adding unique touches and insights that made the day truly personal and unforgettable. He didn’t just show us the sights—He brought the history and culture to life, and even suggested fantastic additional places for us to explore on our own afterward. We especially appreciated the recommendation for a local restaurant—it turned out to be one of the best meals of our entire trip! The car was a delight to ride in—comfortable, stylish, and added a fun element to the whole experience. Every detail felt thoughtful and elevated. Don’t hesitate—if you have the chance to take this tour, go for it. You’ll be talking about it long after your trip ends!

Best of Sintra!

MARTHA_K, Apr 2025

Diogo is an outstanding guide and brought Sintra to life. He created a tour just for our family’s preferences and his passion for Sintra Is contagious. We highly recommend!

Go beyond the beaten path

Anita_W, Jan 2025

Diogo (who speaks perfect english) is a local archeologist with extensive knowledge in the historical ruins of Portugal. He opened my eyes to the Evora region after he noticed my interest in the local economy, culture and religious history. After a few sites were closed for maintenance, we revised my tour. It included the archeological site at the Moorish Castle, church ruins, a regional lunch (Bifana and Chicken soup), a cork factory, the Roman (Diana’s) Temple, the Cathedral with the oldest working organ in Europe, the chapel of bones, storks, miles of olive trees and cork forests! If you want a custom tour off the beaten path with an energetic local who is a great translator…. Diogo is your guy!

Keys to Sintra mysteries: where the real magic happens

Valeria_P, Sep 2024

The tour is made for inquiring minds and souls. If you are looking for the most authentic places that are off the beaten track, that tour is made for you. Diogo is absolutely fantastic, professional and passionate guide. He was 100% hearing our wishes, answering all of our questions and giving us the information that no one else could. This tour was the absolute highlight of our stay in Sintra. Thank you, Diogo, for this unforgettable adventure and letting us experience the real magic of the Mountain of the Moon. Anastasia and Valeria

Response from Host, Oct 2024

Thank you Valeria and Anastasia for your kind words! I absolutely love showing people the beauty of Sintra, and I’m so happy you enjoyed your time with me. So glad you decided to do the small hike so i could show you one of my favorite treasures of Sintra, that part of the mountain is trully amazing and one of my favorites! Be back soon! Diogo

If you book one tour in Portugal, make it this one!

Kate_P, Feb 2024

We’ve been living in Lisbon for a year and a half, and our day with Diogo was one of the absolute best days we’ve had in Portugal so far. I booked this tour as a birthday gift for my husband, who loves Sintra and wanted to learn more about its history. We hoped we would learn a lot, but what we didn’t expect was that we would have an incredible adventure and make a new Portuguese friend in the process! Diogo is an absolute gem. He’s so charismatic and has such a great sense of humor, and his depth of knowledge about Portugal, its history, and its ancient civilizations is absolutely incredible. I can’t imagine anyone who wouldn’t enjoy their day with Diogo; if you love history, you’ll be fascinated, and if you don’t, you’ll still have a total blast laughing and chatting with him all day! We came away with a whole new level of understanding about our new country, its history, and its culture, along with some incredibly special memories which are already among our favorites from our entire time in Portugal thus far. Personally, I think this tour is one of the hidden gems among all the tourism experiences Portugal had to offer—and if you’ve happened to find it, you’re well on your way to one of the most memorable travel days you’ll ever have!

Response from Host, Mar 2024

Thank you so much for your review Kate, this review made my day! Please let me know if you come to Sintra, i would enjoy having a drink with you guys! :) Diogo

Lovely historical sites tour

Jamie_K, Jan 2023

Diogo was absolutely wonderful! If you like history and want to learn about the Sintra area you have to book with Diogo. Being an actual local archaeologist he provides a wealth of knowledge and detail you can’t find elsewhere. Since his service is private (it’s just you and Diogo) you can ask all the questions you want and you may even get to go off the planned route if something of interest comes up in conversation. I cannot recommend Diogo enough!