Greetings!
Initially I wanted to visit 2 palaces in Sintra: Pena Palace and Quinta de Regaileira. However, thinking realistically in terms of the age of our group (65-83 and the size of 18 people, I came to realize that 2 palaces would not be doable considering that I want to add Cabo da Roca and a dinner by the ocean. All in one day
After reading countless comments that the lines in Pena Palace are super long and hearing from our agent that groups don't get priority entrance, I pretty much gave up on going to Pena palace. I also have been very curious and wanted to see the amazing stone well at Quinta de Regaileira. I saw the pictures of this well which popped up online a few years ago... and was sure it was from some exotic location like India or something! Lo and behold...Portugal! So I was pretty much set with my plan for the day in Sintra---Quinta de Regaileira.
However, I got an email from the agent who arrangeds our Japanese speaking guide saying that Pena Palace is testing a new "fast pass entrance" for groups this September, so our group could (in theory) go to Pena without waiting in line too long. So now I am back to having to choose. And it's an impossible chocie since both of the places (Pena and Regaileira) look amazing.
So Pena Palace? Or Quinta de Regaileira?
For now the plan was this:
9am -10am transfer Lisbon to Quinta de Regailere
10-12pm Visit Regaleira
Transfer by charter bus to the Restaurant Incontum
12.30-14.00 LUNCH
short walking tour of Sintra village
14.30-15.00 Horse carriage ride/tour (35min )
15.00-16.00 souvenir shopping / free time
16.00-16:40 Transfer to Cabo da Roca
16:40-17.30 Cabo da Roca (pick up certifictes at the Tourist office )
transfer to Bar do Fundo and walk on the beach
18.30- 20.30 dinner at Bar do Fundo https://www.instagram.com/bardofundo/?hl=en
20.30-21.30 transfer to Lisbon
*** Convento dos Capuchos -- I was also intrigued by Convento dos Capuchos but I think again it's hard to walk around there for older people.
*** Horse carriage ride... it's reasonably priced at 45EUR/carriage for 4 people. Not sure whether the views are that great though. But I try to add horse carriage rides whenver psosible. We had them in Vienna Shchonbrun palace, Sevile, Romania, Georgia, St. Petersburg. So far we've alwasy enjoyed them, but I am not sure what exactly we can see from the horse carriage in Sintra.
Thank you,
Anna