Sintra, Cascais, and Coimbra: 10-day Portugal itinerary
Days 3 and 4: Sintra, Cascais and Coimbra
Sintra, Cascais and Coimbra are days three and four in EuroCheapo’s 10-day itinerary for Portugal.
With both destinations clocking in at around half an hour from the Portuguese capital for €5 or less, it’s no surprise that Sintra and Cascais rank high among popular day trips from Lisbon. If whirlwind is your travel speed, you may even be tempted to visit them both the same day.
Sintra (Day 3)
Explore an 18th-century royal retreat in Sintra with a UNSECO World Heritage-listed city center, Sintra-Vila, that looks like something out of a children’s story with its pastel-hued mansions and noble villas, creeping up the deep green-forested foothills of the mountains of the same name.
Above them all, sometimes veiled in a thick mist, looms the dramatic 19th-century Pena National Palace.
Come summer in Sintra, hotels here tip the scales higher than in Lisbon and fill up fast, so you’re best off reserving a room as far in advance as possible. For a basic room to yourself, book a private room at the aptly named Portuguese Hostel (Largo Afonso de Albuquerque 1), right on budget and conveniently located a five-minute walk from Portela de Sintra where you can catch a ride to Cascais in the morning on the 417 bus.
Cascais and Coimbra (Day 4)
Once a cozy fishing village, Cascais is best known today as a sandy playground and popular summer escape for surfers and sun worshippers from Lisbon. Beach aside, its charming pedestrian-only old town is worth a wander. For dramatic views of the frothy Atlantic waters, take the chilly walk to the Boca do Inferno (Hell’s Mouth) chasm.
Spend the evening of day 4 in Coimbra. A mere two hours from Lisbon via train (two and a half from Cascais), this centrally located city is best known for its historic Coimbra-style Fado and 500-year-old university.
Perhaps because of this, Coimbra is one of the best places in Portugal to hear live Fado on a budget, or even for free. At the Café Santa Cruz (Praça 8 de Maio) the weekend Fado concerts will cost you the price of a drink or a meal.
Alternately, Fado ao Centro’s daily 50-minute shows at 6 pm sell for €10, far less than you’d have to shell out for a similar performance in Lisbon.
Get a good night’s sleep without breaking the bank at WW Hostel & Suites (Rua Lourenço de Almeida Azevedo, 3/4) — breakfast, sheets and Wi-Fi included.
Our 10-day Portugal itinerary
Sintra, Cascais and Coimbra are days three and four on our recommended itinerary for a 10-day trip in Portugal. Click below to continue!
Days 1 and 2: Lisbon
Days 5 and 6: Valença and Ponte de Lima
Days 7 and 8: Braga and Guimarães
Days 9 and 10: Porto
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