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Sintra day trips from Lisbon

Quinta da Regaleira in Sintra, a guide to visit this magical UNESCO site

Quinta da Regaleira is one of the most visited sights in Sintra, and this magical place is well worth a visit! It's a UNESCO site full of mystery and beauty, a place you won't easily forget!

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Discover Quinta da Regaleira

A quick overview

What to see?Β Quinta da Regaleira and the stunning gardens

Costs?Β From € 11,00 per adult (€ 6,00 for children aged 6-17)

Where?Β Sintra, which is about 40 minutes from Lisbon.

Worth it?Β It’s one of the most famous sights in Sintra, and for a good reason!Β 

Quinta da Regaleira

No place in Sintra is moreΒ intriguingΒ than Quinta da Regaleira. There are several sights to visit, and this guide will help you find them all! The four-hectare estate is classified asΒ World Heritage by UNESCO, and you’llΒ feel the magic and mystery around youΒ during your visit! Let’s explore the mysteries, symbolism andΒ unique universeΒ they left for us today! Businessman AntΓ³nio Augusto Carvalho Monteiro and scenographer-architect Luigi Manini created its beauty.

Quinta da Regaleira

The Regaleira Palace

The main building contains neo-gothic elements and eccentric ornaments. The villa was once built in 1904 by Monteiro, who was fascinated by the Knights Templar and Freemasons. These details are visible everywhere and add to the magic and mystery of this place. It took six years to finish building the β€˜Palace of the Monteiro Millionaire’.

Regaleira Palace is decorated with gargoyles and other beautiful Gothic ornaments. Sometimes the upper floors are open to the public during special exhibitions. You can always visit the main floor of Regaleira Palace; access is part of your ticket.

The Initiation Well at Quinta da Regaleira

One of the estate’s highlights is visiting the Initiation Well orΒ PoΓ§o IniciΓ‘tico. A spiral staircase will lead you down the well, and in the middle, you’ll spot a compass over theΒ Templar CrossΒ on the floor. You’ll notice many symbols and links toΒ masonry, alchemy, and tarot. If you’ve seen the Spanish fantasy movieΒ Pan’s Labyrinth, you might feel like you’ve just entered the movie set!

The well is 27 meters (88 feet) deep and was never actually used as a well. It was built for secret ceremonial purposes, which makes the places even more mysterious! You’ll walk along nine platforms which link to the nine circles of Hell, the nine skies which constitute Paradise, and the nine sections of Purgatory. Counting the steps, you’ll notice you took 139 steps down the well. 1 + 3 + 9 equals 13, which symbolises death and rebirth.

Once down, you’ll enter a series of underground walkways and mystical tunnels that lead back into the gardens. The well and the tunnels remain a mystery, but the symbolism is probably linked to Mother Earth and the connection between heaven and earth.

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The gardens at Quinta da Regaleira

The estate contains a beautiful garden where you can walk around for hours! It’s like a labyrinth of tunnels, grottos, statues and flower gardens, and you’ll spot the Waterfall Lake (Lago da Cascata), a chapel and Leda’s Cave underneath the Regaleira Tower. At the Gruta do Labyrint, you’ll discover more underground tunnels that overlook a small lake.

The Unfinished Well

PoΓ§o ImperfeitoΒ is an unfinished well that you’ll find close to theΒ Gruta do OrienteΒ and the Waterfall Lake. It’s a lot quieter here than at the Initiation Well, and the site contains several caves hidden under the gardens.

An audio tour is highly recommended to learn everything about the fascinating history and mysteries of Quinta da Regaleira. Or take a guided tour and step into the wondrous world of the palace and garden. Both tickets include a skip-the-line entry ticket, so waiting in the long queue is unnecessary.

When to visit Quinta da Regaleira

It’s no surprise that Quinta da Regaleira is a busy place to visit! Thousands of people visit theΒ UNESCO siteΒ every day, and it’s a recommendation toΒ come as early as possibleΒ or visit later in the dayΒ before closing time. The peak visiting times are between 11 am and 3 pm. The park opens at 10 am, so arriving early is worth it. From the train station in Sintra, it takesΒ around 20 minutes to walkΒ to Quinta da Regaleira. From the historic centre of Sintra, it takes only 10 minutes on foot.

At the Initiation Well and the Palace,Β queues can be long, and you might have to wait for some time. A visit usually takes anywhereΒ from 1,5 to 2 hoursΒ or more. Please note the last entrance tickets are sold at 5.30 pm. The park closes at 7.30 pm in the summer and 6.30 pm in the winter.

Quinta da Regaleira tickets

The ticket price to visit Quinta da Regaleira is € 11,00 per adult. Children under six can visit the estate for free, and children betweenΒ 6-17 years of age pay € 6,00. Seniors also pay a reduced fee of €6,00; people over the impressive age of 80 years old, can enter the park for free!

Get your tickets

How to get to Quinta da Regaleira from Lisbon?

From Lisbon, it’s super easy to travel to Sintra. From Oriente and Rossio, trains to Sintra depart regularly. The journey takes around 40 minutes and costs only €2,30 for a one-way trip. Please click here to check the Comboios de Portugal website to check the train times. From the station in Sintra, it’s a short but stunning walk to Quinta da Regaleira.

You can also take an Uber or Bolt to Quinta da Regaleira. It will take around half an hour from Lisbon city centre to Sintra.

There is no need to rent a car to visit Quinta da Regaleira. Parking your vehicle in Sintra town can be challenging, and the train or taxi services are fabulous. If you wish to explore more places in Sintra, such as the stunning beaches, seaside towns, and the Convent of the Capuchos, it might be easier to rent a car. Check the car rental guide for Portugal here.

Tours to Quinta da Regaleira

If you’re strapped for time or want to spend an entire day in Sintra, a tour is a fantastic way to see a lot in one day. Most tours offer a visit to many places in and around Sintra. For example, the guides will take you to Pena Palace, Quinta da Regaleira, Cabo da Roca (most westernmost of continental Europe), and Cascais. There are other combinations available on GetYourGuide and Viator. Check some of the below tours to Sintra and book a memorable visit to the Sintra Mountains and its stunning palaces.

Hotels in Sintra

A visit to Quinta da Regaleira can easily beΒ combined with the other beautiful sites in Sintra. VisitΒ PalΓ‘cio da Pena, PalΓ‘cio Nacional de Sintra, Castelo dos Mouros, Convento dos Capuchos orΒ Parque e PalΓ‘cio de Monserrate. It is a perfect day trip from Lisbon, but Sintra is alsoΒ a fantastic place to stay the night! In the old centre are some lovely restaurants, and it’s a great place to walk around. Check the below map to find a place to stay in Sintra. Some accommodations are true palaces in their own right!Β 

Booking.com

Conclusion

You won’t regret visiting Quinta da Regaleira, and after PalΓ‘cio da Pena, it’s the most visited sight in Sintra! It’s aΒ fascinating placeΒ that lets yourΒ imagination run freely! It’s like spending a few hours in a real-life fairytale full of symbolism and magic. To read more about Sintra, andΒ unforgettable day toursΒ from Lisbon,Β check out this article!Β 

Written by Marga

Written by Marga

Content creator, travel writer and photographer

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I’m Marga, the blogger and photographer behind this site! I live in Lisbon, and I’m a cat-mum to 13-year-old Savage. I love coffee, cheese, a good book and exploring this beautiful country. I write about Lisbon and the rest of Portugal, and I hope this website will help as an inspiration for your holiday.

8 Responses

  1. This place certainly looks inviting, especially the well. I think this one goes in my itinerary.

    1. I’m sure you’ll love it! A fantastic day trip from Lisbon and you can combine it with Palacio da Pena, for example.

  2. You know we loved our visit to the Quinta da Regaleira. But we visited at the end of a long day so need to go back and discover it more slowly next time. But we were glad we did not have many line ups when we were there.

  3. This looks amazing! Imagine your own huge place with your own lake and waterfall. Too bad you can’t book a night here…I totally would stay here!

  4. When I went to Pena Palace, I didn’t have time to explore this area. When I return to Portugal, this is on my list. Fingers crossed I will get to see it. I’ve pinned your article just in case.

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