Hike In Sintra: Pena Palace, Moorish Castle, Quinta Da Regaleira

Alex was so warm and knowledgeable of the area and history. The hike was well paced—we had a good amount of time at each monument, and Alex’s “history class” at each stop was so interesting. It was exactly what I wanted—a good balance of history, culture, and nature. Highly recommend!

Alex is an absolutely wonderful guide for this Sintra tour, exactly what we wanted. The pace was perfect, she allowed for rest stops when needed, and her educational dialogue for the sites we visited was fantastic. She deeply knows & feels the energy of the area (having grown up there), and provides great details and insights to the history of the places. If you're looking for a true immersive hike in Sintra (and this is a real hike, 12+ kms with some steep elevation), we would not hesitate to recommend her! A+++

If you’re visiting Sintra and want something beyond the typical tourist experience, book this tour. Hiking between the three sites made the day feel like an adventure rather than just another sightseeing trip, and seeing the area on foot gave us a much deeper appreciation for its beauty and history. What truly made the experience exceptional was our guide, Alexandra. She’s a genuine local with an incredible depth of knowledge, and you can tell she has a real passion for Sintra. Beyond explaining the history of each site, we had fascinating conversations about the region’s history, spirituality, culture, and even life in Portugal. It never felt like a scripted tour, it felt like spending the day exploring with a knowledgeable friend who genuinely wanted us to understand what makes Sintra so special. By the end of the hike, we didn’t just feel like we had seen the sites, we felt like we understood them. Alexandra’s stories, insights, and enthusiasm brought everything to life in a way that you simply wouldn’t get exploring on your own. I can’t recommend this tour highly enough. If you have the chance to go with Alexandra, don’t hesitate. She was one of the best guides we’ve ever had and played a huge part in making our visit to Sintra unforgettable.

Alexandra was a personable and well informed guide. She was genuinely fun to spend the day with. The hike is challenging, lots of stairs and elevation gain, but luckily, much of it was in the shade. The paths through the gardens were beautiful. We avoided a lot of the crowds except st the sites themselves.

So many of us go to these places, take a bus, stand in line, take a selfie, and simply check another place off their list. But what if, however simply, you could learn a little about why a place is so special? Or go where 95% of the world doesn't go? A place can then become something extraordinary. That is what Alex offers. She takes you on a journey (of lot of kilometers) and explains why it is why it is. She takes you away from the tour bus and allows you a chance to feel the power of Sintra. It was simply one of the best tours I've ever taken. I hope that you are lucky enough to join her next tour.

Our tour guide was amazing. Her knowledge of the Portuguese culture, lifestyle and history was informative. She also was super friendly.

Alexandra was a great entertaining and informative guide on our Sintra walking tour. She took us to many interesting places and led us up and down the mountain on a spirited walk/hike.

The hiking portion of the trip was amazing. Hidden trails through the mountains and gardens were beautiful and somewhat rigorous. It would not have been easy to find and navigate the trails without a guide. Alexandra was knowledgeable and engaging. Had a few snafus with tickets and pickup but overall a great experience.

The hike through Sintra was definitely my favorite excursion while visiting Lisbon. Alexandra was warm and friendly, and very knowledgeable. I felt like i was strolling through an enchanted forest out of a fairy tale. If you are looking for a unique, one-of-a-kind activity off the beaten path, away from the crowds, I definitely would recommend this excursion.

We booked this tour with Viator months before, but was abruptly cancelled by its sub-contractor on the tour date. We expect that Viator would offer a substitute guide. But it was simply cancelled. We understand it was an emergency that caused the cancellation, but it was something that we have planned months ago for this short trip. We ended up doing the Sintra tours ourselves but with some challenges. We did enjoy it though.

Hiking the hill in Sintra to see a castle, palace, fort and gardens was an amazing day! The air was fresh and the sights were many. Alex knew so much about the history, so I learned so many interesting stories of the Free Masons. This was my favorite day in Lisbon.

Excellent way to see three sites in one day, with the added bonus of hiking less traveled areas, and learning a ton along the way. Be forewarned, there is a lot of walking/hiking/hills/steps - totally doable for us but certainly more than we anticipated. Our tour guide Alex was very knowledgeable and had lots of extra info since she grew up in Sintra.

Perfect way to see all three sites in Sintra. Once you get there, you don’t get in a car until you are done. Walking on trails and through botanical gardens was great exercise and so enjoyable. Alex is a terrific guide!

I had an amazing time exploring Sintra and this tour is unique since it includes all the monuments I wanted to visit on the day. Alexandra is extraordinary in her wealth of knowledge in nature, botanics as well as history and culture of the area. As a Sintra local, she introduced the significance of Sintra not just in the appearance of mountain and monuments, I also learned so much regarding Portuguese history and culture! The hiking was the best way to avoid the busy traffic jam, however you do need to be prepared to walk through the day. You need to be mindful the walk up and down the Moorish fortress is not for the faint hearted since the stairs get steep at times! Spending time in nature really nourished my soul! Thank you so much Alexandra for creating this unique experience and I am so grateful she was able to fit me in on a different day when my original booking day was overbooked due to platform logistics. I learned so much regarding the fun historical facts! Will definitely recommend it to someone who loves hiking and is into history! It was one of the best tours I ever had!

This was one of my top adventures in Portugal! Alex was great! She’s one of those people that you can’t have a bad day around because she has such good energy. It felt like you were spending the day with a friend. The only thing that could have made the day better was the weather. It started raining in the morning and it was foggy. This made it impossible to see some of the views. The rain did eventually stop. Alex did have a few umbrellas. Total walking amount was 6-7 miles. I do think that estimated walking amount should be included in the “What To Expect” section. I didn’t think my body could physically walk that much up and downhill so it was secretly empowering to know that I could do that. We also had to move quickly to get to our reserved time slot at Quinta de Regaleira. The directions do say to pack lunch. I strongly advise you bring a snack and water with you. You do have the ability to get a sandwich or light snack at the Moorish Castle. The trails were absolutely beautiful! They looked like something out of a fairy tale movie. I always enjoy experiences that are a little off the beaten path. P.S., she likes the Wonderful brand of pistachos that are sold in the U.S., so if you feel kind enough, grab her a bag :)

I did this experience with my sister and let me just say we were not disappointed. Alexandra was an amazing tour guide and so knowledgeable about the culture and places we visited. We expected a hike and that is what we got! The views are worth every step and I couldn’t imagine seeing these places any other way. We have a whole new appreciation for the inner meaning behind these ancient structures.

The tour was a hike up and down the mountain in Sintra but the experience was unique and we saw so much and learned a lot about the history and the architecture of these important monuments in Sintra. There is a lot of walking and it is strenuous but worthwhile

Perfect day in Sintra with Aleksandra Very nice , friendly and updated guide who knew all the details about the history for this region. We enjoyed every minute of our tour.

Alex was a great host, guide and generally just a wonderful person to spend the day with. The hike was absolutely beautiful. I’m very glad we did this with her because it would have been easy to miss some of the amazing little paths, hikes, caves, etc that we saw. Alex had a thorough knowledge of the history of the place and a keen interest in the significance of the monuments and mountain. We had plenty of time and space to explore the monuments as we wanted. She explained things well. My 10-year-old and 15-year old really enjoyed it as well. I would highly, highly recommend this tour.

Alexandra is a great walking tour guide. Alexandra provides a wonderful authentic experience as she is a Sintra local. Touring with her, she will adapt her walking pace to meet the needs of your group. You can expect to learn a lot about Portugal and Sintra. Do not miss out on a wonderful experience as we have already recommended to our larger friend group. Thanks for the wonderful experience, Alexandra!

Our hike was a wonderful way to explore the magic of Sintra! We were looking for something that was a bit different than what was offered. Alexandra came up with an experience that was above and beyond what we were hoping for. Our itinerary was perfect for what we wanted to explore. The hike itself was stunning and we had time to enjoy the Castelo dos Mouros and Palacio Nacional da Pena. We learned about the fascinating history of the area and the spiritual significance of the mountains to those who lived there. This tour is outstanding and highly recommended!