Hike to the Gems of Sintra, Lisbon

This full day tour was incredible. Sintra was like walking into a fairy tale. We had a misty, cool day, and the castle decided it didn't want to be seen during our visit ;( but exploring the grounds was amazing. There was something at every turn. we loved seeing all of the different plants and trees, and hearing (and seeing a few) birds. We asked for options to hike during our tour of Portugal, and this spot didn't disappoint. We opted to hike to the top near the old Moorish fort. It's a good 45 minute hike pretty much straight up. Coming down was a good workout as well. Sintra is definitely a hilly adventure and well worth it.

It was quite good. Dont bother though if you don tlike queues. The palace was horrendously busy and this is low season.

Nuno was out guide - born and raised in Sintra, he expertly showed us the best of it and knew how to cut the lines of tourists. He also added a few stops that were absolutely spectacular. Nuno was so much fun to be with - entertaining, knowledgeable, super friendly. It was one of the trip's highlights for us.

Fabulous!!!

FYI Nuno arrived at our hotel at 8 am, while Greg and I were enjoying a quick breakfast. At 8:30 someone knocked on my door to let me know Nuno was waiting .. I reread my notes which said 9 am pick up. Anyway, we hurried, Nuno hurried and we made on 9:45 ticket time for the tour of Peña palace.

Next, we hiked through the neighboring woods about 3 miles, went to Cruz Alta then drove to Cabo da orca for an outstanding picnic lunch. Incredible. He then took us back the scenic route though cascais

Sintra was a magical experience made even more so by our fabulous guide, Paulo. He took us on the hidden route up to the castle while many others waited in cars. It was fantastic walking amongst there's ancient walls and then the castle was incredible. After the strenuous ascent, Palo made us a satisfying lunch of Iberian meats, cheeses, and wine. After we descended fully we had a small taste of the local liquor, ginjinha, and of course an espresso. It was incredible.

Our guide was wonderful. She was flexible and fun. Had a wonderful time.

Paulo our guide was great. He challenged us and made sure the group did not fall behind. He packed an amazing lunch and even lent us extra windbreakers when we got cold. He went out of his way to take us along the coast on the way home.

Guide was perfect. Hike, picnic, history, nature excellent

Felipe was an excellent tour guide. He was knowledgeable of the area and history of Portugal. Felipe was also very easy to talk to , he shared his travel experience and it was inspirational. He was very communicative during our stops. I really appreciate his professionalism.

Sintra is a must see if you are in Lisbon. The car ride was only 35-40 minutes. You could do the bus tour to get up to the palace and the fortress but hiking was much more enjoyable and we really had great weather. The line to get into the palace was insanely long/crowded so we opted not to go inside. People were packed in like sardines. It was still well worth the trip to see everything from the outside however. Bernardo was knowledgable and guided everywhere so we didn't get lost. Hiking the stairs up to the fortress was a little scary. Once you make it to the top, the stairs back down are way less scary. People without guides didn't know there was a back staircase to get back down. Our guide was very helpful.