Sintra in October

I was there in mid-May this year for 3 nights, and it was very crowded in the morning. While I waited for the bus to Pena Palace, I saw tour bus after tour bus disgorging groups to visit the Royal Palace. In the end I took a tuktuk to Pena Palace. It was an exciting ride but very fast, zipped by all the other vehicles waiting to drop off passengers or go into the parking lots. At 9.45-10 am there was a short line for the shuttle bus inside the grounds and a short line to enter the palace rooms - which were very crowded with tours. Priscilla went to Pena Palace that afternoon and said it wasn't crowded then. I went to the Royal Palace the same day, around 4.30 pm and there were maybe a dozen other people inside. On another day I went to Quinta da Regaleira shortly after they opened in the morning and it wasn't crowded though there were several school groups. I think those are the only sights that are likely to be crowded. I don't think any day of the week will be different from the others.

It's easy to take the train, then walk to the old town center (10-15 minutes, slightly downhill) and Royal Palace. Quinta da Regaleira is another 10-15 minute walk mostly level except for the steep climb the last 400 m. to the entrance. To the Pena Palace you need to take the bus or a taxi from the train station or a tuktuk from the center.

It will be better in October than the summer, but it’s pretty much crowded all the time now. My first trip to Sintra, I did a day tour from Lisbon. That was the most enjoyable of my visits. CoolTour Lisbon did a great job and was more reasonable than some of the other companies.