Have you ever been to a wonderland? If you visit Lisbon, don’t miss the chance to go to Sintra to experience the wonderland of Portugal.
Sintra is a long time royal destination, with lush forest and magical palaces. Just 40 mins by train from Lisbon, the now Unesco World Heritage Site offers the perfect haven to venture out of Lisbon for a day.
Because any journey in wonderland should involve food, we put together the perfect guide to eat your way in Sintra in one day!
A Majestic Morning at the Star of Sintra – Palacio Nacional de Sintra
Start the day with a delicious cup of Portuguese coffee at Cafe Saudade which is located close to the Sintra train station. This cozy spot offers a variety of coffee drinks, including the signature Portuguese style Galão coffee, which is similar to a latte or cappuccino.
Served in a tall glass, it made with half milk and half coffee, perfect for breakfast or with a sweet pastry on the side.
A variety of Portuguese coffees to choose from
Frothy glass of Galão Portuguese coffeeOnce fueled up, make your way to the Palacio Nacional de Sintra and be impressed by the two unusual enormous large chimneys. This medieval royal palace was built on a site that was once a Moorish castle. New parts were added over time and it was a favorite with the Portuguese nobility from the early 15th to the late 19th centuries.
Impressive chimneys at the Palacio Nacional de Sintra The palace is lavishly decorated with richly decorated rooms, galleries, and corridors. You will be dazzled by the eclectic blend of Moorish, Gothic, and Manueline architectural styles.
Palatine chapel with elaborate Moorish style and Portuguese Mudejar woodwork
Don’t forget to stop by the kitchen and look up the 33 meter high massive chimneys. This is also where royal banquets were prepared and on display are the original roasting spits and various copper and iron kitchenware.
Huge kitchen where meals for over 1000 guests were preparedGourmet Lunch at a Steal – Incomum Restaurant The Best restaurant in Sintra
The kitchen visit at the Palacio Nacional de Sintra will leave you hungry. You’ll be eager to eat your way in Sintra and taste the local Portuguese delicacies unique to the region.
For lunch, don’t bother weighing any options, the menu executivo at Incomum Restaurant is a no-brainer. At the best restaurant in Sintra, chef Luis Santos offers a creative cuisine with local products at a defying price of only €11 euros.
With this, you have the choice of soup or salad, fish or meat, a dessert and a drink, a Portuguese wine, of course, is highly recommended. The price includes the famous “couvert” which is bread, olives and olive oil, that is typically paid for.
You can also choose your meal from the menu or opt for the tasting menu. Rosemary chose the Bacalhau a bras, one of our favorite ways to eat the famous Portuguese codfish style. I was tempted by the all-inclusive menu executivo.
The restaurant is upscale yet accessible with tasteful decor and soft lighting.
The inviting interior at Incomum Restaurant, SintraWe very much enjoyed the thoughtful touch from the waiter, bringing Rosemary a complimentary tasting of the local specialty, “pig’s ear with polenta” while I was enjoying my chickpea soup, the starter on the menu.
The Bacalhau a bras, revisited by Chef Luis Santos, was very fresh and tender, prepared with delicious vegetables and the eggs, lightly battered and fried.
Bacalhau a bras (codfish)
cooked to perfectionWith the menu executivo, I had the Portuguese pork also called Iberian pork served with beans, vegetables, and sausages. It was hearty and full of flavor.
We shared the menu executivo dessert, a pie made of almonds with a raspberry jam. Rich and tasty but a tad sweet. The perfect size for sharing.
For wines, Rosemary chose a fresh and fruity Vinho Verde, while I had a nice red from the Alentejo region. Both were a great pairing for our meals.
Delicious Portuguese winesSpend the Afternoon in Wonderland – Palacio Nacional da Pena
Perched on the hills is one of Portugal’s fairytale castles. This whimsical building is the magical realization of King Don Fernando II, in the 19th century, also known as the “Artist King”.
Work your lunch off as you make your way up the hills to the Palacio Nacional da Pena. It will take about 45 minutes, and it is a doable hike, contrary to what you might hear.
The palace is a remarkable example of Portuguese Romanticism architecture. The fanciful architecture includes a mix of Manueline and Moorish styles.
Magnificent colors and architecture at Palacio da Pena
Another view of the impressive palanceAfter your visit, walk around the 85-hectare park, which surrounds the palace. Waterfalls, ponds, pavilions and exotic plants and trees make this an exceptional place to explore.
One tip when buying your tickets is to purchase the combined ticket that gives you access to both the palace and the park grounds.
On your way up to the Palace, stop by Fábrica das Verdadeiras Queijadas da Sapa and pick up the famous queijada pastries as your reward after the 45-minute hike up. The combination of the breathtaking views and delicious pastries is sublime.
One of the oldest pastry shops that once served royaltyA Sweet Finish With Sintra Must Eat Desserts at Casa Piriquita
Finish the day at Casa Piriquita and have the two delicious and famous desserts of Sintra. This pastry shop has been “fattening up” royalty and visitors alike since 1862, and you too will be tempted.
Casa Piriquita in SintraThe famous Queijada de Sintra (if you didn’t try it at the Fábrica) is what got this pastry shop started, and was propelled to success by King Carlos I.
These delicious little pies have a crusty exterior and a soft inner batter made with cheese, sugar, eggs, flour and a little cinnamon. They are not too sweet and have a hint of a fresh cheese taste. Delectable!
Delicious Queijada de SintraOur absolute favorite and another signature dessert from Sintra and also created at Casa Piriquita is the Travesseiro. This dough based pastry, which is long and slender like a “pillow” absolutely melts in the mouth.
We ordered one to share and after the first bite, knew we made a mistake. We quickly ordered a second one because we couldn’t share. This light pastry filled with almond cream and other secret ingredients is heavenly. As you eat your way through Sintra, don’t miss the Travesseiro dessert and keep in mind this is one dessert you cannot share.
Heavenly delicious travesseiroIn Summary
Sintra is a fairytale destination worth visiting. You can also eat your way in Sintra. It is a gem for food travelers, particularly sweet lovers. Eating travesseiro is a wonderland for the palate, with each bite melting in the mouth.
Walking in Sintra and exploring the palaces and castles will leave you hungry for more delicious local specialties. Your wish will be granted with the gourmet cuisine from chef Luis Santos and additional sweets from the region such as the famous queijada de Sintra.
You will be surprised how a day in Sintra can go by so fast. If time isn’t a concern, you should definitely plan for two days or more in this wonderland!
Locations Mentioned To Eat Your Way in Sintra
Address: Av. Doutor Miguel Bombarda, nº6, Sintra
Hours: Everyday from 8:30 am pm to 8:00 pm
Address: R. Dr. Alfredo da Costa 22, Sintra
Hours: Everyday from 12:00 pm to 11:00 pm except Saturdays 5:00 pm to 11:00 pm
Fabricas das Verdadeiras Queijadas da Sapa
Address: Volta Duche 12, Sintra
Hours: Everyday from 9:30 am to 6:00 pm, closed on Mondays
Address: R. Padarias 1, 2710-533 Sintra
Hours: Everyday from 9:00 am to 8:00 pm, closed on Wednesdays
Have you been to Portugal before? In the comments below, tell us your favorite Portuguese city.
What kind of food traveler are you? Take our quiz and get your food traveler profile in minutes!
Savor the Adventure!
Book a Tour
Click below and book a convenient trip to Sintra from Lisbon.
Love it? Pin it!
Claire is a culinary explorer and the engineer brain behind Authentic Food Quest. Together with her partner, Rosemary, they created Authentic Food Quest to inspire people to travel deeper through authentic food. Through food, they believe, people can have more meaningful connections on their travels. Take the quiz and find out your Food Traveler Profile.
Hi! Welcome to Authentic Food Quest. We are Claire and Rosemary. Our goal is to invite you to explore the local flavors on your travels. Follow our quest for authentic foods from around the world.
Love your post! So funny that I have been to Lisbon, but to none of those places! Good to keep this in mind for my next visit.
Love,
Brigitte
That’s too bad if you were in Lisbon and missed Sintra…it truly is a wonderland that must be explored. I guess that means a trip to Portugal is the making 🙂 Cheers, Brigitte!
This posts was exactly what I was looking for! Headed to Sintra in May 🙂 great tips
Perfect Shareen…glad the post came in handy. Perfect timing and feel free to ask if you have any questions as you prepare for your trip!! Cheers.
That pastry shop is calling my name. The food looks so yummy!
Yum! What an awesome day with some fab food. I think if I ate like this every day I’d be massive and potentially have indigestion! Ah well!
That’s so funny…lol!! This is certainly not for everyday eating, but a must-eat experience in Sintra, Portugal’s wonderland!! Cheers.
Since Portugal has became pretty popular on the past couple of years, I have read quite a lot about Sintra. Now, it is the first time I read about the food scene there. Seems like you would not have to rough it there! I love those executive / three courses menus (I had several in Spain). The food is good and the price is better. I have not been to Portugal yet but I know I will love the food there.
That’s awesome that we introduced you to the food scene in Sintra. This is something that we also felt as missing in the midst of all the Sintra information. It truly is a wonderful place to explore and the local dishes are incredible too. Hope you get a chance to visit Portugal and Sintra soon!! Appreciate you stopping by Ruth.
I’ve never heard of Sintra but you have it on my radar now! The simple richness of the food and architecture has me salivating! Thanks for bringing this wonder to my attention 🙂
You are most welcome, Alicia. It is our pleasure to share the wonderful local Portuguese food in Sintra. The architecture is outstanding and it has the local food scene to go along with it!. Hope you get to visit Sintra soon!!
I’ve never been to Portugal before, but I sure do want to now! That Queijada de Sintra looks and sounds like a cheesy version of creme brulee, and I’m all for it. The Palacio da Pena also looks pretty stunning and worth a visit!
You would love Portugal Rachelle, there is so much to see and do. Sintra is quite exceptional and conveniently located close to Lisbon. The Queijada de Sintra is more like a cake than a creme brulee, and all around divine. The Pena Palace is quite amazing and worth a visit. Hope you get to Portugal soon!!
Seems like you had a really tough time conducting research for this. Seriously, the food looks incredible, and your pictures of Sintra are gorgeous.
Thanks so much Yvette…lol it is our sincere pleasure to seek out the local and traditional foods and write about them. Glad you enjoyed the article!!
Your post made me so hungry, I should’ve read it after lunch! Good idea trying the menu executivo at Incomum Restaurant, it’s cheap and if they have local products and traditional recipes, then I’d definitely be up for it!
Glad you enjoyed reading about the delightful food at Incomum. It is certainly an experience not to be missed. Hope you make it to Sintra soon!!
I would love to try Portugeuse coffee and Queijada de Sintra. And the buildings look so colourful. Great post!
You are most welcome Clio. So glad you enjoyed the article and discovering the delights in Sintra!!
We had a great visit to Sintra last April. The Pena Palace was beautiful and yes, we did end up in the Casa Piriquita eating too much food. The Portuguese love their sweet foods.
Indeed, Casa Piriquita is tempting and the sweets are divine. Did you enjoy the local desserts? Agreed, Pena Palace is not to be missed in Sintra. Thanks for stopping by!
Palacio De Pena looks so stunning with those bright yellow and red colors against a blue sky. I am not a much of a food tourist and being a vegetarian comes with its own limitations. How would you rate Sintra for vegetarians?
Pena Palace is truly amazing. The architecture and colors are unlike anything else. From my experience traveling through food, you’ll always find vegetarian dishes and Sintra is no exception. Go for the architecture and delight in the vegetarian-friendly cuisine!!
We loved the fairytale Pena Palace in Sintra but unfortunately didn’t have time to eat there. We intend to go back in the future because we somehow missed the The Quinta Regaleira and when we do I definitely want to try one of those Queijadas. They sound so good. And I like the look of that coffee poster at Cafe Saudade.
It’s too bad you missed eating the local treats which are authentic to Sintra. I guess that means a trip is in the near future. Save this article to guide you on your next trip to Sintra. Thanks for stopping by.
Hope this doesn’t say too much about my food naivety, but I had never really thought about Portuguese food as being outstanding until we toured Thailand with a chef. He told us about how the best flavors we loved from Thai cooking were actually imported by the Portuguese. That opened my eyes. Ever since then, I have been noticing Portuguese cooking and influence every where I look. Sinatra looks like a true fairy tale town, right down to its castle. We are sweet lovers, so it is calling us. We are also coffee lovers and that Galão looks better than anything Starbucks has on their menu.
OMG, the galao is amazing…much better than anything you’ll find in most places. The Portuguese influence is global, from the age of discovery and it is reflected in the food. If you are sweet lovers, Portugal is your country. Be on the lookout for a future article about the sweets of Portugal soon. It’s amazing how much you learn on food tours…thanks to your chef in Thailand!!
OMG… I swear I am drooling right now:) We were in Sintra 10years or more ago and had some yummy foods (can’t remember LOL). Traditional cuisine is the way to go…. great job and thanks for sharing:)
You are most welcome and so happy to read that the article reflects your amazing memories of Sintra. Hope the article inspired to make another trip to Sintra soon 🙂
I did not know that Sintra is a UNESCO World Heritage Site! I love that coffee by the way, just the way I like to have mine. Since I have a sweet tooth, my eyes always follow sweet food and I couldn’t help noticing how yummy the travesseiro looks (I have never heard of it but it looks yum). Would love to try all sorts of Portuguese food when I am there, thanks for these suggestions!
Thanks, Medha, and it sounds like Portugal is for you!! The sweets are everywhere and with amazing coffee options, you’ll be right at home. Hope you make it to Portugal soon!!
We hardly explored the food scene at Sintra and now I regret. The pastries are so delicious looking 🙂
The Sintra interiors look grand, my memories got revived seeing them.
That’s too bad you missed the food scene in Sintra. It is fascinating because it goes hand in hand with the Portuguese nobles. Glad you enjoyed the article!!
That bacalhao looks fabulous. It always amazes me how salt dried cod can end up tasting so fresh. Sintra is beautiful isn’t it – lovely tips for where to eat the next time I go!
You are right, all the different preparations for bacalhau are incredible and so fresh. It truly is amazing how something so dried up can taste so good! Indeed, to keep the food recommendations for your next trip. Thanks for stopping by, Fiona.
I would love to visit Sintra for the history and architecture but now seeing all this food, I have another reason to go there! The pork and the desserts seem delicious!
There are plenty of reasons to go to Sintra and the food ties it all together 🙂 Hope you get there soon! Cheers.
Portugese coffee sounds like my way to start the day! And the Palacio Nacional de Sintra does look like a fabulous spot to sightsee. Incomum Restaurant sounds incredible though, and I love that they create amazing food that’s affordable too! €11 euros is a steal for lunch!! I’ve seen photos of the Palacio Nacional da Pena and it really does look as though it belongs in a fairytale. Thanks for this great guide for what to eat and see in a day 🙂
You are most welcome Meg, Sintra is truly magical and worth visiting, even for the food!! Thanks for stopping by.