LAST WEEK’s post covered our 2012 arrival from Lisbon and Sintra’s beautiful statues. Just before reaching the town proper I spied what looked like a Moorish Fountain. Still used as a drinking fountain, the Arab Fountain, was actually built around 1922 by local sculptor José da Fonseca. Moorish in looks only!
The Arab/Moorish Fountain.
What is a tourist town without a tourist train?
Skirting the faux train we headed for the tourist office to discover more about bus 434 that does the rounds of the attractions on the Serra de Sintra hills, the train station, and the town. Then we went looking for some pasteis de nata.
These pastries are famous in Belem, Lisbon, but I may or may not have got my notes mixed, so we tried them here instead!
Sintra is actually famous for the pastry Travesseiros (a sugar coated pastry pillow) and Queijadas de Sintra (a cold cheesecake) which can be sampled at Piriquita or Casa do Preto.
(I chuckle thinking about the travel competition I entered recently that deduced my travel style as “Tidy Messy Traditionalist.)
When we located our pastries, in a cute cafe on a cute cobblestone lane, they looked just like the burnt custard tarts they were meant to look like. Identical to those in Belem, I like to think that they are universally good. Of course those of us who did not get their notes mixed, might feel that the Casa Pasties de Belem at Rua de Belem 84, Lisbon serves superior ones.
The Bus 434 that would deliver us to Castello des Mouros arrived late at the stop near the central tourist office. Those who didn’t score a seat (us) were packed in like bottled anchovies, where we swayed together in solidarity, attempting to stay upright on the steep switchbacks. It was great fun, but hopefully any passengers who were unsteady on their feet would be offered a seat.
Bus 434 has a strangle hold and charges accordingly.
We paid 5 Euro each (2012) for a round trip as we only wished to visit one attraction on the hill. Most people would buy the all day round trip ticket at a cost of 10 Euro each. The first bus does not leave the town until 10.15 a.m. after which they leave every 40 minutes (length of the round trip). In the height of summer I believe they add more buses.
Budget Options.
- Purchase a single bus trip up the hill for 2.75 Euro and walk back down – there is a dedicated walkway.
- Time and energy allowing, walk to Castello dos Mouros (50 minutes), and then a further 20 to Palacia Pena. A little further again to the views from the Cruz Alta, the highest point.
Colourful Sintra.
Do you think the women in the photo below are tourists or locals?
Looking up to our destination.
Main attractions within the town/hill (Serra de Sintra) area. Prices in Euro.
- Castello des Mouros (7 Adult, 6 Child) Walk or Bus 434 – 3.5 km up on Serra de Sintra (our choice)
- Palacia Pena (13.50 Adult, 11 Child) Walk or Bus 434 – the stop after the Castello
- Palacia National de Sintra (9 Adult, 7 Child, 31 Family) Walk – in the old town
- Quinta da Regaleira, (6 Adult, 4 Child, 18 Family) NOT on Bus 434 route. 1km walk. DIRECTIONS here.
There are OTHER ATTRACTIONS in the area – enough to warrant staying for longer!
Join BTT next week for spectacular views from the battlements of Castello dos Mouros.
BUDGET TRAVELERS SANDBOX hosts Travel Photo Thursday each week. Pop on over for a look. Linked also with R WE THERE YET MOM?
The Jewel in Portugal’s Crown is… Sintra
Love the tourist train! It reminds me of the toy train in Darjeeling, India. Would love to try it out 🙂
Ha Ha – sorry I don’t know the details on that one. It is cute though 🙂
Sintra looks such an interesting place to visit and the architecture is stunning. Love the houses rising up the hillside and the distant view of castle ramparts at the top.
I love the houses too 🙂
I’ve just commented, but not sure if it went through?
Yep, I got it – all’s good.
It really is great to find out there’s more to Sintra than its main attraction. the pastry looks delicious! I think the women give off a tourist vibe 🙂
I think tourist as well 🙂
Great photos 🙂
Sintra was the first town I came across where chickens were allowed to wander in and out of cafes & open air restaurants. I loved that aspect to the place but wonder if it’s still allowed. I love the riot of colourful buildings against a blue sky – but as you can appreciate I am looking for colour!!
We only spent time in the old city of Sintra where the tourists hang out and there were certainly no chickens 🙂 I hope it still occurs in some parts of town though.
I love the pastry picture! I’ve had the burnt custard tart before in Macau. In Chinese we call them po-tarts since they are the Portuguese versions of our egg tarts (which are almost the same but not broiled on top).
When I was researching this post I noticed Wikipedia’s photo of pastel de nata, was from Macau. It is very interesting how food culture spreads with colonialism 🙂
We have been on a few tourist trains like that because the kids really wanted to ride. Sintra looks lovely and the pastry delicious! I’m not certain whether the women are tourists or locals – if only I could see what they were wearing on their feet. 😉
Do you think that their shoes would give their identity away?
There are tourist trains everywhere, aren’t there? Sintra looks very interesting and beautiful. I bet the views from the hill are amazing!
The views are amazing 🙂
Hi jan, the fountains remind me of the ones in Morocco. The pastry looks worth the trek to find it. Love the colorful structures and the homes on the hill. I think the ladies are tourist.
I love Morocco and I too am leaning toward tourists 🙂
Love all the colors, Sintra’s so bright and beautiful.
Hard to tell but I’m going to say they’re locals — the women in the photo, I mean.
Thanks for your comment. Tourists are winning at the moment 🙂
What a beautiful fountain to get a drink of water from. I’m sure we would have ended up on the tacky tourist train if we were there!
Ha Ha, That is what happens when our kids are little. But they grow up and before long our tourist train days are behind us 🙂
I loved Sintra, it was such a cute city!
Agreed 🙂
Those pastries look delicious! I really like your description of the bus ride.
I am glad you liked the description – I tried hard to paint a picture 🙂
The pastries and cheesecake sound divine!
Thanks for linking up!
Nice shots. Looks like an interesting place.
I loved the Moorish fountain in Sintra. And can’t believe I still haven’t tried pasteis de nata.
Pasteis de nata, actually taste better than they look 🙂
I love this town and your shots! To me, those women look likes locals. They are walking with a “we belong here” attitude 🙂
You are right they certainly look “at ease”. Inside Journey’s thinks so too. Lisa from Gone with Family wants to check out their shoes first. Originally I thought tourists. Guess we will never know 🙂
I am drooling over all of your photos from the Town Sintra. OH my gosh….I am so going to come back here anytime I need a travel photo fix! And the photo looks like they are locals, not tourist 🙂
Ah one more vote for the locals! I absolutely love Portugal 🙂