Quinta da Regaleira
R. Barbosa du Bocage 5, Sintra, Portugal, 2710-567
An elegant Romantic-era palace estate, the Quinta da Regaleira is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a highly popular attraction within the cultural landscape of Sintra. The palace is surrounded by elaborate gardens filled with grottoes and fountains; but the quinta’s spiraling Initiation Well is its most iconic—and most mysterious—feature.
The basics
It may be famous for its overly ornate and striking facade, but Regaleira Palace won’t take up too much time during your visit to the greater Quinta da Regaleira property. The palace is relatively young in terms of European castles (it wasn’t built until the early 1900s), and guests can only access the first floor anyway. Instead, most of your time will be spent exploring the estate’s scenic gardens and following tunnels between grottoes, chapels, and the bottom of the deepest Initiation Well.
As one of the area’s most picturesque attractions, the Quinta da Regaleira is a staple of Sintra sightseeing tours and hop-on hop-off bus tours. Visitors have a choice between taking a guided tour of the estate or visiting unaccompanied, wandering through the gardens at your leisure.
Things to know before you go
Quinta da Regaleira is a very popular attraction in Sintra—purchase tickets in advance so you can skip the line to enter.
Audio guides are available to rent for visitors wanting to explore without a tour guide.
Outside food, pets, and luggage such as suitcases and large backpacks are not allowed inside (service animals are permitted).
Professional photography sessions and the use of drones, tripods, and flash photography are not permitted.
How to get there
While you can drive or take a bus to the Quinta da Regaleira from the center of town, it’s actually quicker to walk—Sintra’s one-way streets force cars to take an indirect (and lengthy) route to get to the estate. Just keep in mind that the walk up from Sintra to the palace is quite steep.
When to get there
Sintra is a popular day trip destination, so it’s best to visit popular attractions like the Quinta da Regaleira either first thing in the morning or in the mid-afternoon as people return to Lisbon. Summer is the high season for tourism in Portugal, so come either in spring or autumn for nice sightseeing conditions without the crowds..
The best palaces in Sintra
Sintra has a history of being a royal retreat and resort for wealthy aristocrats, leading to the construction of many palaces, estates, and villas around town. The most historically important is the Sintra National Palace, which originally served as a royal residence for the Moorish rulers of the region. These days, Pena National Palace (Palacio Nacional da Pena) is the most recognizable palace in Sintra, thanks to its playful Romantic design and panoramic hilltop location.
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