We are staying in Lisbon for 3 days and want to visit Sintra. Is it better to stay in Sintra one night, then go to Lisbon or stay in Lisbon and day trip? Is Sintra special at night after the tourists have left?
In my opinion, I'd stay in Lisbon all three nights and do Sintra as a day trip and just stay very late - check the train timetable and get one of the last ones back to Lisbon (it's a short ride - under an hour from Rossio if I recall correctly). For me, I'd rather be settled in one hotel for three nights rather than lug my stuff to another hotel for just one night. Sintra is wonderful, it was one of our favorite places in Portugal, and if you catch it a quieter weekday, all the better.
I second Steve's thoughts. We stayed 3 nights in Lisboa and took a day trip to Sintra. We had plenty of time there. The painted pottery is gorgeous. We bought a tile mural that is now a backsplash over our cooktop.
Stay in Lisbon and spend a long day in Sintra. We will do the same in July but have a car.
Lisbon for sure. Daytrip to intra if u have time.