Private Half Day Tour to Sintra and Pena Palace from Lisbon
Recommended by 93% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Sintra, Portugal
- 4 to 5 hours (approx.)
- Pickup offered
- Group discounts
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Swap Lisbon for an action-packed half-day tour of the picturesque town of Sintra. Save time figuring out local public transport schedule, and instead, enjoy the luxury of having a round-trip private transfer in an air-conditioned vehicle. Stop off at many top Sintra highlights along the way, including Pena Palace, the historical center of Sintra, and Moorish Castle.
- Travel with ease in a private air-conditioned minivan
- Tick off the best of Sintra in half a day, including Pena Palace
- A private tour ensures a more personalized experience
- Hassle-free trip with hotel pickup and drop-off included
What's Included
- Transport by air-conditioned minivan
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Private tour
- Transport by private vehicle
- WiFi on board
- Bottled water
- All insurance included
- All taxes, fees and handling charges
- Food and drinks
- Tickets
Meeting and Pickup
Pickup points
Select a pickup point
Pickup details
We seek our customers throughout the Lisbon region (Sintra and Cascais). We also pick up our guests at their accommodation, train station, and any other destinations on agreement.
Itinerary
1
Castelo dos Mouros
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included
2
National Palace of Pena
2 hours • Admission Ticket Not Included
3
Centro Historico de Sintra
1 hour • Admission Ticket Free
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Children must be accompanied by an adult
- A current valid passport is required on the day of travel
- Stroller accessible
- May be operated by a multi-lingual guide
- Dress code is smart casual
- Near public transportation
- 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
Reviews
4.8
based on 249 reviews
Myra_W, Apr 2026
A stunning landscape and fabulous knowledgeable guide.
The flora and floral are beautiful and the town of Sintra is charming and historic with many interesting shops, architecture and restaurants
Joan_C, Apr 2026
Our tour of Sintra was absolutely unforgettable, and a big part of that was thanks to Miguel. He was fantastic—extremely knowledgeable, engaging, and clearly passionate about the history and culture of the area.
Miguel brought every stop to life with insightful stories and details you wouldn’t get on your own. He was also very attentive to the group, making sure everyone was comfortable and had a great experience throughout the day.
If you’re planning a visit to Sintra, I highly recommend taking a tour with Miguel. It truly made the experience so much more meaningful and enjoyable.
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Hello Joan,
We are so glad to read your review!
That makes us so proud as a team and Miguel, as a dedicated professional, felt very happy.
Thank you so much for your support!!!
Stephen_S, Mar 2026
Francisco was communicative, on time (actually a little early 😉) asked what we wanted to see, confirming what I had asked for when booking this half day tour was correct!
On this Beautiful day, Francisco headed directly off to the Western most point of Europe explaining things as we went 🤗 my husband was delighted Francisco could answer his questions clearly with intelligence! Great time management and we were able to see everything we asked to see with commentary and some walkabout without being stressed! We highly recommend Francisco, his company and this tour! Remember, inside palace/castle visits, tour tickets and gardens are not included on this tour. Perfect for a half day to see the sights and plan for your next more thorough visit🤗
Loved loved loved this tour!
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Hello Stephen,
We are so glad to read your review!
That makes us so proud as a team and Francisco, as a dedicated professional, felt very happy.
Thank you so much for your support!!!
Rosemary_J, Mar 2026
Highly recommend visitors go to Sintra & Peña Palace. Sintra is a historic town with palaces, gardens, and it was an easy half day out from Lisbon. Maragarida our guide was exceptionally knowledgeable, very enthusiastic & entertaining. As a bonus, she takes great photos! She made the day that much better.
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Hello Rosemary,
We are so glad to read your review!
That makes us so proud as a team and Margarida, as a dedicated professional, felt very happy.
Thank you so much for your support!!!
Daniel_M, Mar 2026
Margarida was amazing!! We had such a fun time! Can’t miss experience for you and friends or a loved one
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Hello Daniel,
We are so glad to read your review!
That makes us so proud as a team and Margarida, as a dedicated professional, felt very happy.
Thank you so much for your support!!!
Jennifer_M, Mar 2026
Even though the shuttles were unexpectedly not running, our guide, Miguel, made the walk up and down very interesting and informative. We appreciated his insights and warm personality.
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Hello Jennifer,
We are so glad to read your review!
That makes us so proud as a team and Miguel, as a dedicated professional, felt very happy.
Thank you so much for your support!!!
Ed_S, Mar 2026
Francisco was awesome as a tour guide and driver. We had a great time visiting Sintra with him as our guide especially since our first visit in 2019 (we planned and did that on our on) so this was well worth the fee for his expertise and friendly demeanor.
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Hello Ed,
We are so glad to read your review!
That makes us so proud as a team and Francisco, as a dedicated professional, felt very happy.
Thank you so much for your support!!!
Philip_K, Feb 2026
The guide was pleasant and it was a relatively quick trip to Sintra. Make sure you bring comfortable walking shoes and you are okay walking up hill for a mile or more. They don’t let cars to drive up to the castle so you have to walk from a touristy village that midway between the castle from the city center to reach the castle. Worth seeing if you have the time.
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Hello Philip,
We are so glad to read your review!
That makes us so proud as a team and Jorge, as a dedicated professional, felt very happy.
Thank you so much for your support!!!
Brent_W, Feb 2026
Sintra is an amazing place with so much history and charm. And our guide Miguel was fantastic, very friendly, knowledgeable, and professional.
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Hello Brent,
We are so glad to read your review!
That makes us so proud as a team and Miguel, as a dedicated professional, felt very happy.
Thank you so much for your support!!!
Cynthia_P, Feb 2026
Pena Palace was open for visitors according
to all information provided to the public.
Unfortunately, as we approached the road
leading up to the palace, we saw that the road
had been closed by the police. Due to constant
rain, they were concerned about possible
landslides on the road and decided to block
entry. Our driver/guide, Francisco, knew that
we had selected this tour specifically to spend
time at the Palace. He communicated with his employer, and he ended up taking us to other
sites. Francisco visited the sites with us and provided many historical details .
He spent extra time with us, we were not
rushed at the sites we visited, and he helped
turn lemons into lemonade.
Obrigada, Francisco.
Response from Host, Feb 2026
Hello Cynthia,
We are so glad to read your review!
That makes us so proud as a team and Francisco, as a dedicated professional, felt very happy.
Thank you so much for your support!!!
Karen_L, Jan 2026
This tour was exactly what we were looking for. Francisco picked us up at our front door and whisked us away to Sintra giving us a concise history of the palaces on the way. We had the option to choose which and how many palaces we wanted to see in the time allotted and/or pick a lunch spot. Fransisco walked up up to Pena explaining many of the architectural features and met us after ourselves self guided tour. He recommended an adorable patisserie sandwich shop and allowed us to choose how we spent our remaining time in Sintra. If you like to have options this is definitely the tour.
Response from Host, Jan 2026
Hello Karen,
We are so glad to read your review!
That makes us so proud as a team and Francisco, as a dedicated professional, felt very happy.
Thank you so much for your support!!!
Louisa_M, Jan 2026
We had an amazing day yesterday with Miguel. I can’t say enough about how prompt, knowledgeable, personable, flexible and “plugged in” he is. He arrived right on time after lots of pre-communication (due to my many questions) and made sure we arrived at Pena Palace in perfect time for our ticketed entry. He gave us an in depth tour of everything in the Palace (where he seemed to know all the staff) and took pictures of us in all the great spots. We then went into Sintra where he procured us a table at an amazing restaurant (where he also knew everyone) and then took us shopping in Sintra. We then took a scenic coastal tour back to Lisbon - through Cascais and other pretty coastal areas - as he pointed out many points of interest. We learned a lot and had a wonderful day with Miguel. We HIGHLY recommended him!!!
Response from Host, Jan 2026
Hello Karen,
We are so glad to read your review!
That makes us so proud as a team and Miguel, as a dedicated professional, felt very happy.
Thank you so much for your support!!!
Michelle_P, Jan 2026
I booked Pena Palace tickets and get check out and asked if I wanted to meet in Sintra or get picked up in Lisbon. I opted to get picked up in Lisbon. It’s providing tickets and then when we got to Sandra. I was told that I don’t have tickets for the Powers just for the tour. This makes no sense. Since the tour part. At least transportation was an add-on. The driver was really nice and informative but were so much perfume that I was nauseated the entire time. I would not have spent €200 to have somebody pick me up at the hotel when it’s at 3 euro train ride. Add to that that Driver dropped us off to take the palace tour that we paid for separately and then was not waiting for us when we were finished. I have done great Viator tours in the past, but I would not recommend them in Portugal.
Response from Host, Jan 2026
Hello Michelle,
As discussed with the driver on the day of the tour, tickets to Pena Palace are not included in this tour.
You called Viator in the car and confirmed that the tickets are not included.
Thank you.
Sarita_D, Jan 2026
Private one on one tour. Comfortable. Margarida our guide was excellent and made it a very personal experience. She took plenty of great photos and was very professional
Response from Host, Jan 2026
Hello Sarita,
We are so glad to read your review!
That makes us so proud as a team and Margarida, as a dedicated professional, felt very happy.
Thank you so much for your support!!!
Sharon_C, Dec 2025
Our tour guide was very nice and humble. However, due to the amount of traffic in Sintra , he did not join us and provide a tour. He had to drive the car and stay with it. He did provide information while driving about the place but it was not a traditional tour. I viewed it more as a private driver who took us to Sintra and picked us up from the locations. He apologized that he was not able to take us around on foot. I think given the tour operator’s experience with Sintra, they should have factored this into the description of the experience.
Response from Host, Jan 2026
Hello Sharon,
We were unable to identify the tour in question by its name.
If your tour was between December 26th and 30th, 2025, yes, Sintra was very crowded because the attractions were closed on December 24th and 25th.
We're very sorry that the experience didn't fullfill your expecations.
Unfortunately on that day traffic was very heavy, the road to pena palace was blocked for 40m with a bus that couldnt grip on the road.
Yes, it's true that Sintra and Pena Palace were at maximum capacity; it's something we can't control, but our guides always try their best.
The customers also had trouble in the pena palace because the lines for the transfer and Palace were extremely long.
Due to these events, the driver was unable to find parking for the car and therefore did not accompany the clients to Pena Palace.
We appreciate your feedback, as it is extremely important for us to improve our service.
Thank you.
Sari_L, Dec 2025
We had a private lovely car with a very knowledgeable, personable and flexible driver/tour guide. Jorge. This gave us an overview of Sintra. Thoroughly recommend.
Response from Host, Jan 2026
Hello Sari,
We are so glad to read your review!
That makes us so proud as a team and Jorge, as a dedicated professional, felt very happy.
Thank you so much for your support!!!
Gretchen_V, Dec 2025
We had limited time in Lisbon so this half day tour was a great option. The private tour allows visitors to choose their own adventure. Francisco was a lovely host and shared history of the region and the palaces, giving us context to tailor our experience. We had a great half day! Sintra is beautiful!
Response from Host, Dec 2025
Hello Gretchen,
We are so glad to read your review!
That makes us so proud as a team and Francisco, as a dedicated professional, felt very happy.
Thank you so much for your support!!!
Lyle_S, Dec 2025
Miguel was outstanding. Very knowledgeable and a pleasure to spend time with. Guided us through the castle and provided much insight on the drive.
Response from Host, Dec 2025
Hello Lyle,
We are so glad to read your review!
That makes us so proud as a team and Miguel, as a dedicated professional, felt very happy.
Thank you so much for your support!!!
John_R, Nov 2025
This is a great tour. Our guide, George was wonderful! He explained everything and the stops were very nice. I highly recommend.
Response from Host, Dec 2025
Hello John,
We are so glad to read your review!
That makes us so proud as a team and Jorge, as a dedicated professional, felt very happy.
Thank you so much for your support!!!
Eloise_R, Nov 2025
Margarita was fantastic, really knowledgeable about Sintra and the history of the town and various castles!
Response from Host, Nov 2025
Hi Eloise,
We are so glad to read your review!
That makes us so proud as a team and Margarida, as a dedicated professional, felt very happy.
Thank you so much for your support!!!
Nancy_M, Nov 2025
Francisco was extremely knowledgeable, spoke english well, was cheerful and very accommodating to our requirements. He shared some expert knowledge on how to make the best use of our time.
We thoroughly enjoyed it!
Response from Host, Nov 2025
Hello Nancy,
We are so glad to read your review!
That makes us so proud as a team and Francisco, as a dedicated professional, felt very happy.
Thank you so much for your support!!!
Lisa_C, Nov 2025
Wonderful guide, Jorge was amazing. It was a classy experience filled with interesting information about the Portuguese culture. We loved Sintra and the surrounding region.
Response from Host, Nov 2025
Hello Lisa,
We are so glad to read your review!
That makes us so proud as a team and Jorge, as a dedicated professional, felt very happy.
Thank you so much for your support!!!
Paresh_S, Nov 2025
The tour company is good. Comfortable car. Miguel, our driver and guide, was really good. The Pena palace is great.
Response from Host, Nov 2025
Hello Paresh,
We are so glad to read your review!
That makes us so proud as a team and Miguel, as a dedicated professional, felt very happy.
Thank you so much for your support!!!
Susan_E, Nov 2025
Drver/tour guide picked up the 2 of us and headed to Sintra. he had great suggestions on what we should see. he gave us a lot of great history of the area. National museum was great!
Response from Host, Nov 2025
Hello Susan,
We are so glad to read your review!
That makes us so proud as a team and Francisco, as a dedicated professional, felt very happy.
Thank you so much for your support!!!
Margaret_P, Nov 2025
We like to travel and have taken numerous tours in the past, but must say this was one of our favourites! Pena Palace was amazing and loved the interior tour. Sintra of course was beautiful. Fell in love with the town.
Nelson was our driver. He is an absolute charm. Very kind hearted, knowledgeable, took his time, and answered all our questions.
Response from Host, Nov 2025
Hello Margaret,
We are so glad to read your review!
That makes us so proud as a team and Nelson, as a dedicated professional, felt very happy.
Thank you so much for your support!!!
Shanti_G, Nov 2025
Francisco our guide was really a disappointment. He took us to Pena Palace but strongly advised us against going in, saying there were many other places of interest in Sintra. He left us on our own to go to the palace without coming along. Then he took us to Sintra village but there too he left us to walk on our own which we did and after an hour he took us back to Lisbon. A complete WASTE OF TIME!
Response from Host, Nov 2025
Hello Shanti,
We're very sorry that the experience didn't fullfill your expecations.
Francisco's reply:
At the beginning of our tour I asked about your expectations about the tour. I tried to tailor the best experience possible, and that's why I explained the interior of the palace is busy, and takes a long time to visit. Because I prefer being more efficient, and maximizing the monuments and things we can visit in Sintra.
You had the option to buy entrance tickets for the palace and decided not to. I took you to pena park, explained it's history, helped you navigate and explore the park and gave you 1.5h there.
Later we went to to village, and unlike what you're saying, I walked with you. We spent 1h together on the village, I presented it's 3 palaces, their history and the highlights of Sintra. We went to the pastry shop and had pastries together. We chatted about Portugal history, the wine industry and other aspects of Portugal culture. I took you to the church and viewpoint, and explained you had time to visit one of 3 palaces in Sintra and gave you an extra 1h to do that. In total, you spent 2.5h in the village and not 1h like you're saying. This is all recorded on my gps data…
You asked me to take you to the ocean at the end of the tour, instead of dropping you at the same location. I took you to a different drop off point, extending the tour even longer, and gave you more valuable information about the area.
In total, our half day tour (usually 4.5h) took 5.5h. I did my best to make you have a good time, and it's sad to hear it was a waste of time for you, you could've let me know and I would just do the normal 4h tour.
Thank you
Jeanna_B, Oct 2025
Miguel was wonderful. He was exactly on time, was a gentleman with assisting us on steep steps, etc., he was very knowledgeable about the history of the area/the palace and very enjoyable to be with for our half day.
Response from Host, Nov 2025
Hello Jeanna,
We are so glad to read your review!
That makes us so proud as a team and Miguel, as a dedicated professional, felt very happy.
Thank you so much for your support!!!
neil_b, Oct 2025
Our guide George was fantastic. Great personality. Explained everything clearly. Went out of his way to guide us at Pena Palace. I would highly recommend George.
Response from Host, Nov 2025
Hello,
We are so glad to read your review!
That makes us so proud as a team and Jorge, as a dedicated professional, felt very happy.
Thank you so much for your support!!!
David_W, Oct 2025
Although I have heard wonderful things about Sintra and this excursion, DO NOT take it with Francisco Sequeira!!! He is lazy! He arrived 15 minutes late and never apologized. He then talked us out of seeing the Pene Palace because he said it’s over rated, crowded and since it was foggy we wouldn’t see much! We missed out on the bright colors and beauty that everyone talked about who we met and who did go to the palace! This was a huge disappointment and a waste of our money and time! Wish we could get a refund. Viator is great but Francisco Sequeira is terrible!!!
Response from Host, Nov 2025
Hello David,
We are sorry to hear the tour didn't meet your expectations.
We couldn't find any booking that matches your name.
Let us know your booking number/name so we can better understand what went wrong and improve on those issues.
Thank you
Christian_J, Oct 2025
After three days exploring Old Lisbon (pre-cruise) we decided to book this last minute trip when our departure was delayed due to strike action at the port. On the morning of the tour we were picked up by Margarida who kept in touch via WhatsApp every step before pick up. Once on our way in a rather smart Tesla she was a super driver/guide whose passion for her home city shone through and so made the whole day highly enjoyable.
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Hello Christian,
We are so glad to read your review!
That makes us so proud as a team and Margarida, as a dedicated professional, felt very happy.
Thank you so much for your support!!!
From $113.93
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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Private Half Day Tour to Sintra and Pena Palace from Lisbon
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Attractions in Sintra, Portugal
- Castle of the Moors (Castelo dos Mouros) Tours & Tickets
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More attractions near Sintra, Portugal
- Sintra Tours & Tickets
- Pena National Palace (Palacio Nacional da Pena) Tours & Tickets
- Quinta da Regaleira Tours & Tickets
- Castle of the Moors (Castelo dos Mouros) Tours & Tickets
- Sintra National Palace (Palácio Nacional de Sintra) Tours & Tickets
- Monserrate Palace (Palacio de Monserrate) Tours & Tickets
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