Mystic Sintra Private Tour: Best Day Trip From Lisbon

Joao was prompt, professional, personable, informative while tailoring our tour to exactly what we wanted. Strongly recommend you ask his advice for off the beaten path sites which also avoid buses and lines.

My husband and I were in Portugal for a few days for our honeymoon and he decided to book this tour so we could make the most of the short time we were there. I started the day very tired from a lot of traveling but my energy and mood immediately lifted due to our amazing guide Diogo. He picked us up right on time- actually he was early and waiting outside our hotel in Lisbon. We started the day at Pena Palace and despite how packed it was, he expertly navigated the crowds so we weren’t stuck in long queues and able to soak in the beauty and history of the palace at a comfortable pace. Diogo was extremely professional and knowledgeable about EVERYTHING. He gave us amazing recommendations for pastries in the town square and when we asked for a suggestion for lunch and he took us to the most breathtaking restaurant overlooking a cliffside beach that was the highlight of my honeymoon. He was so in tune with our energy and took us to a less crowded and peaceful location after lunch - Convento Dos Capuchos. I can’t put into words how healing that part of the tour felt for me. I have a bad knee and so the whole itinerary was perfect for me. I cannot stress how much we laughed and thoroughly enjoyed this tour because of Diogo. It felt like traveling with a longtime friend and I will recommend this tour and Diogo to anyone that wants to visit Portugal. We left with a deeper love and respect for Portugal and its vast history, cuisine, and wonderful people. Thank you for riveting conversations, and facilitating the best part of our honeymoon!

As a second tour, we wanted to go to Sintra. After consulting with the owner he proposed to go a half day to Sintra and then to Cabo da Roca and Cascais. This was a very wise decision, because after visiting Pena palace, we want to see another part of Portugal. Forget all what the guide books say about visiting Sintra from Lisbon on your own. It is a difficult trip to make if you don’t know the area. The palace is situated high in the mountains, and even with a car, you have to climb by foot about six hundred meters with a climb rate of about 20%. The palace also has lots of stairs and paths to climb. But once up, you will discover nice views and of course a very beautiful palace, with mostly the original furniture. You can visit all the rooms and places where once the kings of Portugal stayed during the summer months. After the palace, we went to Cabo da Roca, the most western point of the European continent. It was nice to see the ocean bursting against the rocks in this windy part of Portugal. We went for lunch in a local restaurant and had typical Portuguese food. Then we left for Cascais, a nice seaside town. We visited the castle and the harbour and then we had gellado, ice cream, from one of the best shops in town. Our guide, Andy, provided us with the best information and history about the Pena palace, Cabo da Roca and Cascais. He his highly recommended for the tours.

Had a good day with Francisco exploring Pena palace lakes, Sintra village, national palace of Sintra, Quinta da regaleira, azenhas do mar, praia grande, cabo da roca, guincho, Cascais and Estoril. He took us to a pleasant lunch at marisco na praça in Cascais and tried the best ice cream "Santini"

We cannot recommend this tour company enough. Our guide, John, made the day so enjoyable. We were able to see the castles and sites before the crowds. Enjoyed a terrific local lunch. Wonderful!

Miguel was our tour guide. We arrived in Sintra to find that the castle employees had gone on strike for the day! Miquel didn't even blink. He took us on a tour of the Moorish castle in the park and by the time we finished, the Sintra castle had reopened. We really enjoyed our day with him. Miguel drove us to the Western most point in Europe and to the coastal town of Cascais. He went out of his way to make the most of the day. Miguel was great with pictures especially with our two teenagers whom he connected with. Thank you for a great day. :-)

Our guide Francisco was very flexible with our schedule and desires of our itinerary. His English was perfect and he had the best sense of humor. We really enjoyed the day with him and would definitely book again.

We had a fabulous time with our guide, Miguel. Not only was Sintra magical and beautiful, but Miguel may have been the best tour guide any of us have ever encountered. He arrived at our hotel and was quick to assess the needs of our group. Several of us had already made the trip to Cabo de Roca, so we discussed what else we would see. We headed off in the van, and he was quick to join in the conversations—making jokes and assessing the temperature of the group. He was so knowledgeable about Sintra and the Pena Palace, and I commend the company for recommending that we purchase the EARLIEST possible ticket entry time well in advance. Not only did Miguel know the best spots for photos, but he shared great details about the palace. We then walked/hiked over to the Moorish Castle and he was able to pick a route for one member of our party who had a foot injury. We had lunch at a lovely spot in the center of Sintra, and many people knew Miguel and were delighted to see him. He brought umbrellas due to impending rain and made our dash through the rain to Quinta de Regalaria worth it. I have nothing but the highest regard for him and the company, and would use them again for another tour or trip in the future and HIGHLY recommend them anyone traveling to Portugal. It was really the highlight of our vacation. Obriegada!

Andy was exceptional.Knowlegeable. Highly competent. Very likable.pleasant. We truly enjoyed every minute. We had the Sinatra tour on Monday and had a City tour on Tuesday. Both tours were amazing in detail and in presentation.

Our guide was very knowledgeable and spoke English very well. He was willing to go anywhere we wanted and was very helpful in planning our day. Took us to a restaurant for lunch where we were the only tourists - it was great!

This is a great way to have fun scouting and learning about the city either for one day or the first day! The guide Pedro was patient with our family and they loved this day trip!!

Sintra and environs are a Must See in Portugal and Portugal Magik Tours is an outstanding way to do it. We (2 couples) did a private tour with Andre Cardial in his Mercedes Van, it was excellent in every way. Andre grew up in the area and had special insight, He also took us to a fabulous lunch spot and a 2nd Castle. He was knowledgeable, polite, fun and interesting. It was a magikal Day!!

Nuno was our guide, and he was WONDERFUL! Adjusted to our pace, knowledgeable about everything, & very kind & friendly.

We had a great day with Diogo. He picked us up at our hotel in Lisbon and we headed to Sintra. We started the day at Peña Palace. I recommend purchasing tickets in advance. Diogo was very knowledgeable on the history of Portugal and all the sites and kept things interesting for our teenage daughters. We also went to Quinta da Regaleria. For lunch, Diogo took us to a non-touristy restaurant with traditional options in Sintra. He even gave us an impromptu port tasting and educated us on the various ports. We stopped at Cabo da Roca and ended the day in the lovely town of Cascais and had delicious gelato. We covered a lot of ground with Diogo, but were never rushed. I highly recommend Portugal Magik and Diogo. When scheduling the tour, Gonzalo, the owner was very helpful with options and offering flexibility with the tour itself.

Last year my wife and I had the pleasure of taking this tour while in Lisbon. I highly recommend it for anyone wanting to explore this magnificent area. Madalena Was a wonderful and very knowledgeable guide. She was prompt and so fun to spend the day with. We felt as if we were being guided around the area by a close family member. As an added bonus, Madalena took us to a remote little village for a fantastic fresh fish lunch. It was a a hidden gem. Afterward we visited a wonderful little ice cream shop as an added bonus. What wonderful memories we will treasure of this special afternoon.

Very nice and comprehensive guided tour with a knowledgeable, very friendly and caring guide! We got to see and learn more than what was on the schedule, which gave us some inspiration for the following days we had left in the region.

We had a wonderful visit. Madalena was a fantastic guide. She took us to the highlights of Sintra we had specially asked for. We had a Porto wine tasting as well.

We had a fantastic and informative tour with our guide. Exceptional service, comfortable ride and an all-around outstanding tour. I highly recommend!

Amazing tour! Our guide was knowledgeable and friendly. Everything was taken care of and the entire day was perfect. Will definitely be booking again on our next trip to Portugal!

We had a group of six experienced (demanding) travelers. The vehicle was very comfortable but more importantly the guided trip lived up to its name. Gonzalo is very personable and well informed and I would highly recommend it. Gonzalo picked us up on time at our cruise ship and got us back in time which is kind of important😄

The place was magical, but our tour guide was the best! My boyfriend was not sure about booking a tour, but he absolutely enjoyed Miguel and all the amazing information and sights. We loved every minute of it. An absolute must if you visit Lisbon. Miguel gave us other ideas for our last day in Portugal and he was spot on. I really can't say enough about this tour experience.

My husband and I Took this wonderful tour from Lisbon to Sintra . Our guide picked us up near our hotel and off we were on a great adventure! He was so personable answered all our questions, and gave us the facts about Sintra and the castle. We stopped at a bakery, had a special private tasting of port and specialty cheeses which was not on our schedule but was arranged when we entered the store. We ended our day driving to a quaint beach/fisherman village to eat lunch. Highly recommended this tour . You will truly enjoy your day and guide!

This is a must see place . A combination of Harry Potter sceneries ,Disneyland ,Royalty houses, and comfortable friendly town

The tour was absolutely perfect. Roy was our guide and we couldn’t have asked for anyone better. He was knowledgeable, professional, and fun. He tailored the trip for us to make sure we saw what we wanted, as well as added some unique stops along the way. I would recommend this tour to anyone as it was definitely a highlight of our time spent in Portugal.

I recently traveled on a Royal Caribbean cruise with a group of 19 of my customers and wanted a private day tour of Sintra and Lisbon. After lots of research I chose to book with Sintra Magik, because of the variety of tours they offered and the communication with their company. My customers expect the royal treatment, and Sintra Magik fully delivered. Everyone still talks about the great tour of Sintra and Lisbon with Andy. Communication with Marta and the owner of Sintra was excellent! Any question or concern I had was answered promptly. They booked our group on a nice Mercedes Benz minibus. Andy met us at the cruise ship, and we were on our way to tour Pena Palace in Sintra. Andy was very professional, and extremely knowledgeable about the history of Portugal. After touring the palace we had lunch at a local restaurant, and then traveled back to Lisbon to see all the key areas. We not only saw the key areas that you would not see on other tours, but we had a full history lesson of what we were viewing. Andy made sure we didn’t miss anything! I have taken many tours, and Sintra Magik is one of the best! Andy was professional, caring to ensure we were all having a good time, extremely knowledgeable of the area, and excited to share it with all of us. And last but not least as several of my lady customers commented “easy on the eyes”. 😉 Don’t miss out, book your tour Today!

We had a wonderful day with our guide Diego. He was so knowledgeable and was very good company. He also look us to small local cafes away from all the masses of tourists so we could enjoy original cuisine in peace. I can throughly recommend this tour.

4 adults traveling and we had 3 separate days of private tours with Roy (Rui). This was the highlight of our 2 week trip. Roy is outstanding - gracious and accomodating and provided us with an unforgettable and memorable experience. He is extremely knowledgeable and each day was interesting, educational and fun. Introduced us to places we would never have discovered on our own. His knowledge of history is excellent - we learned so much about everything we visited. He quickly grasped our character, preferences and customized the tour to reflect that - made several great recommendations. Visiting Pena Palace with Sintra Magik is a must - I would not recommend doing this on your own as the lineups are crazy. The "story" behind Pena Palace is what brings it to life and Roy's knowledge was outstanding. Will be recommending him to other friends. Gonzalo, the owner, was very responsive at all times when we were making our plans. This was a great investment in a life time of memories.

My family and kids had a excellent time with tour guide Francisco, he drove us all the places that we wish to be there and I like him the most is he told all the history in Lisbon and about the palace of Pena, my father in law likes the most about the restaurant food he introduced to us and of course the port wine tasting that we had in the small village. Excellent tour and we all loved it!!!

Our day trip to Sintra was one of the best private tours we have ever had. Our guide Roy was unbelievable, he was so knowledgeable, has a great sense of humor and went out of his way to accommodate our teenage boys as well as my father. He accompanied my father on the van while we walked up to the palace with our sons. He made the tour fun and interesting. After the tour he took us to a wonderful restaurant by the sea where he arranged a reservation for us and we enjoyed a fabulous meal. After lunch he drove us around Cascais and took us to s magical lake and forest. He even took us for gelatos in Cascais before leaving us at our residence there. It was such a great day and I would recommend Roy to everyone, you will be delighted!

This tour company was top notch every step of the way. I really appreciate the easy online booking and frequent email updates including an email the night before with reminder info and the name of our guide. Diogo was WONDERFUL! He was so knowledgable and personable. He is from Sintra and gave us a personal view of this magical place. His English is excellent. He recommended a great local spot for lunch and we did a private port tasting. He was very attuned to our mood and energy level. We adjusted the schedule toward the end of the day and he took us to a great gelato place and beach to wind down. The van was new and clean. Our visit to Sintra was carefree because we did not have to navigate parking, trains, ticket lines etc...You must visit Sintra and you should use Sintra Magik as your guides.

We had a wonderful day with Andy. He was quite knowledgeable and tailored the tour to our interests, which we really appreciated.

Great day with Francisco! We arrived at Sintra Castle early and avoided all the crowds thanks to his knowledge of when to arrive. When we left the castle the wait time just to get in was at least 1 hour. Then went for a port tasting with a friend of Francisco's, (very nice) For lunch we had a fresh sea bass at a local place we would never had found on our own. Then off to the western most point in Portugal and ending the day with an excellent wine tour. Highly recommend Francisco and Mystic Private tour!

My wife and I took a private day tour from Lisbon to Sintra. Our tour guide Francisco picked us up at our hotel in downtown Lisbon. He was on time (actually a bit early), and escorted us out to his luxury mini-van to begin our tour. We started out in Sintra, touring the Palacio da Pena. Throughout the day, we stayed one step ahead of the crowds, often seeing hourlong lines behind us as we left each sight. We continued into the town of Sintra, where we had a small snack and a coffee, before heading to Cabo da Roca - the westernmost point in all of Europe. The sights along the coast were stunning - we felt we were at the edge of the world. And Francisco was very knowledgeable about all of the sights, answering any questions we had. He took us to an excellent lunch spot - just a few steps from the beach - where we enjoyed small plates and a glass of wine. We then went to Cascais before taking the "long way" home along the coast of the Tagus River. The entire day was fantastic... I would highly recommend to anyone visiting Lisbon. In fact, my wife and I both agree the Sintra tour was the highlight of our trip.

I booked my tour via Viator.com - it was "Semi-private Mystical Sintra day-trip to Regaleira Estate and Pena Palace" and I could not be happier! I traveled with my adult daughter, tour was just what I would ever want, wonderland in reality and beauty at its best. Even though I went prepared for the tour, our excellent Tour Guide made the tour more than memorable. He deserves all the praise: his name is Gonsalo Murta, speaks excellent English, knows history and art; he was incredibly engaging, told us historical anecdotes, made tour so much fun. On the top of it Gonsalo was very professional yet friendly, warm and welcoming; no one was left unattended or left from our group of 8 people. We all had really fantastic experience. So if you are ever in Portugal and are looking for a Tour Guide for private or any kind of tour, look for Gonsalo Murta - he will make your tour fun and informative

One of our best memories ever! Joe was a fantastic tour guide, very patient, very knowledgeable and a whole lot of fun. We were comfortable with him and his car was spotless. He taught us so much about Sintra and a lot about Portugal. Overall, a great day and well worth the price.

My husband and I took a private day tour of Sintra with Sintra Magik. Our tour guide Joao, picked us up promptly at our hotel in a luxury mini van, and off we went to explore this amazing city. We learned that Joao actually lives in Sintra, and was extremely knowledgeable about the city and it’s history. Joao was very pleasant and interesting and we had a wonderful day. If you want to experience a truly amazing and comprehensive tour of Sintra, we recommend him without reservation!!

We spent a delightful day with Rui touring Pena Palace, Queluz Palace and Lisbon. Our traveling partners were delayed and didn’t arrive in time to see Pena Palace but Rui adjusted our schedule to accommodate them in the afternoon. Rui was a very knowledgeable guide and really made our day in Lisbon special. Highly recommend this company!

Our day with Jose was fabulous. He was able to bring us to many places we would not have toured, since we were not renting a car of our own. He had a calm manner, and told us many stories which made the history and the areas we toured come alive. We learned a lot and enjoyed our time immensely.

Our family of 4 (traveling with 2-21yr olds) were able to let our guide "Roy," know exactly what we wanted to do. He was incredibly knowledgeable and accommodating to our request. We were especially grateful that he was able to spend Christmas Eve day giving us our tour. We all enjoyed our time and would definitely recommend their services!

My Sister and I along with our husbands took the Mystic Sintra tour with Andy this summer. The process of booking was simple and Sintra Majik was very easy to work with! They answered my questions and altered the trip to meet our unique needs. The tour itself was nothing short of magical. Everyone on our tour enjoyed the trip and felt that Andy was a superb guide. We learned about the culture and history of Portugal, along with more current issues. Andy moved at a good pace and made the trip interesting for all of us. Andy gave us other fantastic tips for Lisbon including sights to see and great restaurant tips. On the tour itself Andy recommended a small restaurant with amazing food! It was a small spot we would never have found without him, the foos was the best of our trip! We all still talk about it! We all highly recommend Sintra Majik and Andy.

My wife and I actually did 4 tours; Mystic Sintra Private Tour - Palaces and Castles, Fatima Sanctuary, Nazare, and Obidos, Evora and Monsaraz Private Tour with Wine Tasting and BEST of Lisbon. Andy was our guide on all and he was great. A couple suggestions for future travelers. 1) You can buy tickets for Penna Palace on-line. Not only do you skip the line but you get a small discount and get credit card exchange rate. I also suggest you buy the transfer ticket. It's a good hike from parking or bus stop to the place. 2) We let Andy decide where to eat lunch every day -- so happy we did! I highly recommend doing so. Do this and you don't need a food tour. 3) One last thought - any questions, e-mail them; they answer promptly. I highly recommend both Andy and Sintra Magik Private Tours. Well worth it.

Our group of four had a great time on this tour with our tour guide John. The entire experience, from the initial email contact to the final minutes of the tour, was excellent. I would definitely recommend this tour to anyone spending more than one day in Lisbon.

We signed up for the private tour to Sintra and the western most point. Our tour guide was Joao F. (John in English). He was so fantastic and flexible. We first went to Pena Palace. We decided just to get the ticket for the grounds and outside. Joao walked with us and recommended the best route and answered our many questions. When we decided not to go into the palace Joao said that would free up time, to go to An additional stop. We went to the western most point, two different beautiful Bach/coast spots, and Cascais (the Portuguese Riviera). It was a wonderful day and Joao made recommendations for lunch and ice cream. We were back by 5. I recommend this tour and ask for Joao, though I believe with this tour company all the tour guides will be great. I would do another tour with them if I had more time in Lisbon.

Our Sintra tour was definitely the highlight of our trip to Portugal. We were a bit apprehensive as to which company to choose to see this gorgeous site and were very happy we choose Sintra Magik. The brand new vehicles and extremely knowledgeable guide made our trip through this tourist trap a breeze. Our customized itinerary and amazing side conversations made the trip informative and fun. Highly Recommend to anyone traveling to Portugal.

A first-rate experience, made all the more enjoyable by our driver/guide Andy (Diogo). He was certainly knowledgeable, but more than that he was fun to be around. Both he and his boss Gonzalo did an excellent job synthesizing our wishes with the optimal schedule for visiting the VERY busy SIntra area. We went off the beaten path for an excellent lunch at Café Nicola near the ocean. We also were taken to an excellent winery tour and tasting at Casal Santa Maria. SIntra is not easy to navigate, with many highlights far apart on very steep slopes. We were glad to have hired private transportation and guidance. Definitely a 5-star experience.

We booked our tour with Sintra Magik based on the recommendation of a friend and couldn't have been more pleased. They were able to "customize" our tour to ensure we were able to see all of the sites we were interested in - and had adequate time to do so. Joao picked us up at our hotel, Pestana Palace Lisboa, with a spotless MBZ van. As we headed to SIntra and Pena Palace, he provided a lot of interesting information about Portugal and the Lisbon area. We arrived at Pena Palace just before opening, which was fortunate as there were several tour busses that pulled in after we were in line. We provided cash for the entry tickets which permitted him to obtain them and meet us at the front of the line for a quick and easy entry. Joao, having grown up nearby Sintra, was able to add colorful details to our day long tour which took us to several sites: Pena Palace, Castelo dos Mouros, Palacio Nacional de Sintra, Quinta de Regaleira and Quelez. He recommended a little place for lunch that had the most delicious sandwiches and gave us plenty of time browse through stores and purchase items. We thoroughly enjoyed our day with Joao and highly recommend him. You can't do better!

We had a such a great experience on our tour with Pedro. It was almost like having a behind the scenes tour as he took us to places and pointed things out we never would have known or seen without him. That could be a small detail about the way a palace wall was painted or taking us to a delicious lunch at his longtime friend's restaurant. On the way, we avoided crowds and arrived just in time to skip what turned out to be extremely long lines. One of the best parts was that at no point did we feel rushed or on someone else's agenda; we could go at our own pace, whether we wanted to speed up or slow down. Pedro was happy to answer our many questions about a variety of topics casually jumping between the Portuguese government's changes in the 20th century to explorers' arrival in Japan 600 years ago to how his native Cascais has changed over the years to the best beaches in the area we should visit later in our trip. He was extremely knowledgeable and we were all sad to say goodbye at the end of the day. I would absolutely recommend this tour to anyone considering a guided day (or more) in Portugal.

I would recommend visiting Sintra, if you only have one day, on a private tour. It is too difficult to get around and see the area on your own. If you go in August or high season the crowds are impossible. Our tour guide Francisco was excellent and helped us avoid the crowds. Book a private with this company they will not let you down. Bring a sweater it is very chilly in the morning!