Day trips: Sintra, Cascais, Estoril..., Lisbon

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This ruined castle is located on the hill overlooking the town, dates back to the 9th century. It was either constructed by the Arabs or they built a new one on the top of an Older one. It served as on excellent observation post as whole coastline is visible from the castle (some 450m above sea level)
There are trains leaving every 15 min from Rossio station. The journey takes about 30-40 min. From the station at Sintra, simply take bus 433 to Sintra Vila or it will be about a 10 min walk into town centre.
GETTING AROUND
circular 434 bus tickets are 4,6 eur for hole day. (for Pena and Moorish)

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A UNESCO World Heritage Site
The Palacio de Pena started as a chapel for Our Lady of Pena. In 16th century a Monastery for the Order of Saint Jerome was added and Pena become a place for meditation for max of 18 monks.
In 18th century the monastery was severely damaged by lighting. The Great Earthquake of 1755 reduced it to ruins. Luckily the chapel escaped without significant damage.
In 1838 King Ferdinand II acquired the old monastery, The castle of the Moors and all of surrounding lands and gave the order to built a summer residence for the royal family. Since 1955 the place is UNESCO world heritage site.
Visiting: 9:45am-7pm admissions fee is 11 EURO summer
10:00am-6 pm admissions fee is 8 EURO winter

There are trains leaving every 15 min from Rossio station. The journey takes about 30-40 min. From the station at Sintra, simply take bus 433 to Sintra Vila or it will be about a 10 min walk into town centre.

GETTING AROUND
circular 434 bus tickets are 4,6 eur for hole day.
If you choose to walk be warned that Pena and Castelo de Mouros can be daunting, steep up hill, one h climb from the city center. If you feel fit, though the beautiful woodlands and stunning view from the top are amazing and awards for your troubles.
LOCAL SINTRA BUSSES:
403 – Cabo da Roca- Cascais
417- Cascais
418- Sintra
433 -Sintra line
434- Sintra, circuito de Pena, Moorish...
435- Sintra, Villa Express
467- Oeiras

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Someone asked me advice for a visit to Lisbon in winter, and I think that it will be usefull to post it here.

Nine days in Lisbon, in winter, may be two much (three or four will do), but you may travel around (a car will be the best way):

Reserve at least one day to Sintra, Ericeira (Seafood lunch), Mafra, Cascais and Estoril.

Do a full day trip to Batalha, Alcobaça, Nazaré (sardines for lunch), and Obidos (if you missed it you may stop in Mafra in your return).

Another full day to Évora and Monsaraz (beautiful and with a "presepio (Nativity scene in full size paper figures)" in the streets).

The mentioned suggestions are "must see" - they are wonderful all year around, and most of them not too compromised by eventual bad weather.

With time, you may also travel one day to Ribatejo - Tomar is great, and Santarém also interesting, and/or another day to Sesimbra and Arrábida (this in a clear dry day)

Thousands of Portuguese head south to Algarve in New year's eve. If you want action that's the place, two hours driving from Lisbon.

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If you will do one day-trip besides Belem,do it to Sintra!If you do two day-trips,I´d say do those both to Sintra!There´s so much to see in there!

There are trains going from Rossio station every half an hour or even more often. It takes about 30min,and ticket is cheap.
Trains to Cascais and Estoril go from there, too.
See my Sintra-pages for more info.

On our second day in Lisbon, we took a very cheap and short train ride out of the city to the nearby town of Sintra. For hundreds of years this place had been the summer retreat for Portugese Royalty with its tree-covered mountains and cool Atlantic Ocean airs.

However, our first task on this visit was a strenous but enjoyable hike up the mountainside and through its forest to the old Moorish castle, built high above in the 8th century. This was one of the highlights of our entire trip to Portugal. Such a beautiful day, amazing views of both Sintra and the Atlantic Ocean. It was so great just to wander along the ramparts at our leisure, and the crowds were not bad at all. Only E3.50 each to enter the Castle.

See my 'Sintra' page for all the details! Just do it if you are ever in Lisbon.

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Cascais has a large harbor with many Yachts and there are several small sandy beaches both in and around the town. Easily reached from Lisbon by car, (A5 Lisboa-Cascais highway), or by frequent inexpensive trains and bus’s makes it popular with Portuguese and Foreign holiday makers and day trippers.
The Citadel, an art and sea museum, parks and of course the charming cobbled streets of the historic centre make this town a great place to visit. It has many hotels and tourist apartments with a wide range of good restaurants at varying costs. It is a good base for those visiting Lisbon and the surrounding areas without staying in the bustle of the City yet still in an equally urban and sophisticated environment.

Queluz Palace was built in the XVIII century to be the summer retreat of D. Pedro de Bragança a member of the royal family. The place was at the time far away from the city center and quite a peaceful place to be. The gold of Brazil was an important source of financing and extravagant buildings were being built in Lisbon and around the city.
In 1755 a huge quake hit the city of Lisbon and destroyed most of it. The reconstruction of the city started soon after by the pragmatic Marquês de Pombal.
The crown was staying in tents in Ajuda district one of the most spared places in Lisbon. The kings were afraid that a new quake would hit town. No quake came but a fire destroyed the royal tents wooden structure in 1794 so a new Palace ought to be built and the first ideas for the Ajuda Palace were put into paper.
By that time Portugal had its first queen, Maria I, that maried Pedro de Bragança that if you remember the beginning was the owner of the Queluz Palace. So a change to this palace was the normal step. D. Pedro lost its bachelor extravaganza and the court won a new royal palace. Queluz became one of the last great rococo buildings in Europe. The palace grew until 1808, with new wings, better gardens and nice rooms. In 1808, Portugal together with Russia refused the blocking of the harbours to England boats demanded by Napolean. Portugal was invaded and the queen fled to Brazil. Rio de Janeiro became the capital of the United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil and the Algarves and the path to the Brazil independence was open. The french didn't capture the queen and their 3 invasions to conquer Portugal failed.
The queen, well she became mad... It was too much for her and her blue royal blood. An earthquake destroyed the palace where she lived all her childhood, a fire the house where she was queen, she had difficulties to get pregnant (she built the estrela church to celebrate her pregancy), she was used by the nobels to get revenge of the Marquês de Pombal, she was kicked from Portugal and forced to live in a far away country, she heard the news of her cousin Marie Anthoinette being decapitated and the american revolution, her first son died, and some say the second in line was gay, she was extremely religious and was haunted by the persecution her father done to the jesuits and some say she suffured from a rare desease called porphiria. She was so religious that people say that one day, when a church was stollen and sacred things spread throughout the floor she decreeted a 9 day mourning period and led a procession throughout Lisbon of penitence.

Today one of the wings is dedicated to accomodate foreign head states. Another is a pousada a charming hotel with a nice restaurant (www.pousadas.pt). The palace itself has lovely interior rooms and gardens quite beautiful. In 1934 there was a fire but the palace was extensively recovered and it is worth a visit.

It was begun in 1747 on order by king Pedro III and completed in 1787. It was originally a hunting lodge. Many rooms are open to visitors. One wing of the palace is used as a residence for foreign head of state visiting Portugal.

The palace is seat of many concerts and exibitions.

You can go to Queluz by train. You have to get off at the Queluz-Belas train station.