Three of these trips are train rides of under an hour, and the fourth is better by coach and rewards an early start. Train and coach times are typical journey times; car times are estimates from a routing engine on OpenStreetMap data and assume free-flowing roads, so add time in summer and at weekends.
Sintra
Photo: Matej Simko / Pexels, Pexels License
about 40 minSintra line train from Rossio, Oriente or Entrecampos, then bus 434 or a steep walk to Pena
about 25 min
A hill town of royal palaces and mist-covered forests, on the UNESCO list. The Pena Palace, painted red and yellow on its peak, is the one everyone comes for, and the Moorish castle and Quinta da Regaleira are close behind.
Tip: Go on a weekday and be at the station early, because the queue for bus 434 builds through the morning. The park of Pena opens at 9 am and closes at 7 pm, the palace from 9.30 am to 6.30 pm. Palace tickets are for a fixed date and time: the Essential Visit costs €20 and the park alone €12, and a shuttle runs between the stops every 15 minutes. Sintra sits in the cooler hills, so take a jacket, and check the official page for current prices.
about 40 minCascais line train from Cais do Sodré, with the sea beside the tracks for the last half
about 25 min
A former fishing town on the sea that became the playground of the Portuguese royals. The small beaches, the marina and the Santa Marta lighthouse are good for an easy day, and the coastal path goes towards Estoril.
Tip: This is the easy day, so use it after a hard one in town. Swim at one of the town beaches in summer and walk the sea-front promenade to Estoril if you have energy. Scotturb bus 403 reaches Cabo da Roca, the westernmost point of mainland Europe, about 40 minutes from Sintra. The tourist office has the details.
about 57 minFertagus train from Roma-Areeiro, across the 25 de Abril Bridge, a journey of 57 minutes end to end
about 41 min
A working port south of the Tagus, with a fish market, a fortress and an excellent seafood tradition, backed by the steep green hills of the Serra da Arrábida and its pale beaches.
Tip: Go for lunch and order the fried cuttlefish, the local speciality, in a restaurant near the market. A ferry or catamaran runs across the Sado to the Tróia peninsula in 15 to 25 minutes and is the way to reach its beaches. The hills and beaches of Arrábida are easiest by car or taxi, so decide before you set out; the regional tourism page has the details. Fertagus timetables are at fertagus.pt.
about 2 to 3 hThe Western Line train from Lisbon takes two to three hours; the Rápida Verde coach from Campo Grande, at least hourly, takes about an hour and is the sensible choice
about 1 h 2 min
A walled medieval village of whitewashed houses trimmed in blue and yellow, with a castle that is now a hotel. You can walk along the top of the walls, which have no railing in places.
Tip: Come on a weekday and arrive early, because the day-trip crowd fills the main street from late morning. Buy a glass of ginjinha in a small chocolate cup, the local custom. Be careful on the walls: there are unprotected drops, and the stone is slippery when wet. The village website shows events and opening hours.
