National Palace of Sintra

The National Palace is the Sintra sight with the fewest moving parts. It stands in the town centre, a 10 to 15-minute walk from Sintra station, so there is no bus queue and no hill road. Tickets are for a date, not a time slot, and most of the visit is indoors, which makes it the sensible choice on a wet or misty day, when the views from Pena and the Moorish Castle disappear. The journey from the Jardim do Tabaco terminal still takes 75 to 90 minutes each way: metro to Restauradores, train from Rossio, then the walk. With about 90 minutes inside, it needs a call of seven to eight hours at the very least. Choose it over Pena if you care more about interiors than views, if steep hills are a problem, or if your call is at the short end. Choose Pena or Regaleira if you want the image most people associate with Sintra: this palace is plainer outside, and its interest is in the rooms. The Essential Visit (13 euros) covers the main route. Look for the Swan Room, the largest in the palace; the Magpie Room, with 136 magpies painted on the ceiling; the Room of the Coats of Arms under its heraldic dome; and the kitchen beneath the two chimneys. Hispano-Moresque tiles from the time of Manuel I cover many of the walls. The Full Visit (35 euros) adds Queen Maria Pia's private apartments, seen in a small group at a set time; on a port day it is only worth it if that slot fits your train. The gardens are free. Quinta da Regaleira is five to ten minutes' walk away, so the two make the most practical pair in Sintra on a long call. The ticket office closes from 12:00 to 13:00, so buy online or use the machines. The Swan Room is occasionally restricted for events; the Parques de Sintra notices page lists these.