A 100% must visit in my opinion! One of the most stunning properties in Sintra and from the outside, you don't think much but WOW, the gardens are spectacular. Expect lots of walking but there's so many areas to see from the towers to the caves, to the sculptures. Enchanting is just the word for it. We took an uber after seeing other landmarks in Sintra and it was relatively easy to book and affordable. read more

UNESCO World Heritage Site The palace is also known as "The Palace of Monteiro the Millionaire." The exterior is a sight to behold. Beyond the palace, there is an extensive park that features lakes, grottoes, wells, fountains, etc. The initiation well is a must. It consists of a spiral staircase with 9 platforms. I enjoyed our visit here, but wished I had more time exploring the grounds. read more

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This was an enchanting and somewhat otherworldly property with mystical grounds, initiation wells and hidden paths. This quinta, or manor house, is considered a UNESCO World Heritage site due to its cultural homage to freemasonry, the Knights Templar, and Gothic/Roman/Renaissance architecture. We weren't entirely sure what to expect, but I felt like this could be the setting for a new Dan Brown novel. The four-hectare grounds included the palace, a chapel, a 9-story initiation well (apparently used by free masons for ritualistic purposes, and also meant to represent Dante's 9 levels of hell?), and other mystical oddities. We spent the next two hours exploring the ins and outs of the forest, walking down the well and doing our own sort of initiation, exploring underground tunnels and grottos, and walking through the manor house. It was a unique experience and would definitely recommend as one of the attractions to do on a Sintra day trip read more

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This was on my short list of "must see" items while in Sintra. Like everyone else. It's very picture-perfect and Instagram-worthy. I was impressed with the size of the garden and grounds and the massive amount of trails and ways to get through to everything. It seems like there are a dozen different unmarked paths to take to get somewhere and it's easy to wander around and get lost and enjoy. The cafe was nice with a pretty view, the main house was OK but not the star of the show, and the various many follies were beautiful and interesting. We did not purchase a timed ticket in advance but arrived right at open and were able to purchase one for 2 hours later - so we went and had lunch and came back. You definitely need to buy tickets in advance - this is probably even more popular than the palace. Very clean and well-kept with restrooms available, a small cafe with a beautiful view on the patio, and a small gift shop. It's easy to walk here from the historic center of town. read more

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I visited Quinta da Regaleira on a very rainy and windy November day, and despite the weather, the property was absolutely stunning and one of the highlights of my trip to Portugal. I didn't have a ticket in advance, but because of the rain, I was able to walk right in after buying one from the ticket machine for €15, which felt like a great deal though I do wish they offered an audio guide. The Initiation Well and the underground tunnels were unforgettable and truly magical. The residence itself was just ok but nice break from the rain. I also ate at the café; the food was good, just a bit overpriced. Overall, I'm so glad I went, and I can't wait to return someday in better weather. Highly recommend! read more

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It was such treat to explore the beautiful gardens of the Quinta. Loved the underground grottos, lush landscaping and the Poco Iniciatico (Initiation Well); walked 90 feet down the dramatic spiral staircase wrapped well, covered in moss and plants. And then wound through a series of natural caves and tunnels into a grotto on the back side of a waterfall. Wow! We admired the outside of the mansion, but after all our walking in Sintra, didn't feel like we needed to go inside. Maybe next time! read more

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Welcome to Regaleira Palace, Portugal's most dramatic structure. Built in the early 1900s by Monteiro the Millionaire (yeah seriously), this gothic mashup comes with towers and all underground tunnels emulating a secret society. It's part palace and part mystery escape room, part Think gardens full of Masonic symbols and spiral staircases into the abyss's truly stunning. Is it over the top? Absolutely. Worth it? Also yes. Put your inner conspiracy theorist at work. read more

Quinta da Regaleira - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Sintra, 11

Out of the Pena palace, the Moors castle, and this, I would say this is the best thing we saw all day. They have a decent cafe if you're hungry and the well was amazing and led down to some tunnels that you can see some other really cool sights like a porthole above you and the backside of a waterfall. Don't skip this one! read more

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Absolutely stunning grounds, gardens, inspiration well. This is a beautiful location you could spend an entire day here. Highly recommend. read more

Quinta da Regaleira - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Sintra, 11

Incredible world heritage site with awesome displays of beautiful architectural with lovely gardens as well. This is a bit of a jaunt away from Lisbon but it's worth the effort to visit as the grounds were lovely. The iconic initiation well is one of the centerpieces of this location and is absolutely a must-visit in Sintra. A few things to keep in mind. The grounds are very big so expect to do a lot of walking - including a walk from downtown Sintra on narrow sidewalks with a lot of cars flying by. If you are in the company of older people or anyone with difficulty walking this will be a bit of a trek for them. A lot of uneven ground in the gardens as well and obviously walking down the initiation well and through the caverns after that is a bit of a traverse too, so you have to just be careful. The caverns are low ceilings too so watch your head! read more

"Do you have $3.47? I left my purse in the Underworld." (Elizabeth Hurley, Bedazzled) As Dante would say, abandon all hope, ye who enter here......but do bring with a pair of grippy shoes and your sense of adventure! Quinta da Regaleira is a ten-acre park built by the eccentric Carvalho Monteiro, a wealthy Brazilian mining owner and possible initiate of the Knight's Templar. The grounds include a palace, beautiful gardens, lakes, and the famous Initiation Well, built to represent the nine circles of Dante's Inferno. The well was linked to the Knight's Templar initiation rituals, and there are many other symbols related to Freemasonry, astrology, alchemy, and such scattered throughout the park. The main footpath winds uphill towards the entrance of the Initiation Well, but there are many trails that meander off along the way. There will likely be an intimidatingly long queue for the well no matter what time you arrive, but it moves quickly. As we passed through the well's entrance, we saw no flames and heard no anguished screams...only the deafening silence of those concentrating on their balance down the dark, wet, spooky spiral into the abyss. There are no handrails inside the well, but you can at least grab on to pillars for extra security. Take note that about halfway down, water will start dripping onto you and will puddle up on the steps. At the bottom of the well you will exit through tunnels back out to the park. As for the park's cafe, I would avoid it altogether. Once seated we found ourselves cursed to be completely surrounded by smokers. To make matters worse, our fish entrées looked inedible. We didn't send them back, but re-ordered a Nutella Crepe to split instead. It was a miserable experience. Pack snacks instead. This attraction is a must if you are visiting Sintra, unless you have mobility issues. I would allot 2-3 hours to explore the grounds, including your virtual descent into Hades. I give it 5 beasts of the nether world...but in a good way. *This review is endorsed by George Burns, Al Pacino, Jack Nicholson, Nicholas Cage, and Viggo Mortenson. read more

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What can you do while in Sintra? Visit every possible tourist site you can muster up. It's about 15 minute tuk tuk rode from the National Palace of Pena. If you are thinking of walking, forget it. Too many cars whizzing by. Quinta da Regaleira will need at least two hours to immerse yourself in this beautiful place. This Romantic Palace its consists of chapel , lakes, grottoes, wells, benches, fountains, and a vast array of exquisite constructions. Definitely loved the wells and grotto that leads to waterfall. Definitely worth $20 read more

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Excellent visit on my own in May, 2025. Did not tour inside the mansion but checked out the well, tower and castle. Beautiful grounds. Best to buy tickets in advance. The line to enter the well took about 25 minutes. About a 10 minute walk from the town center. If taking Uber back to Lisbon use Ale-Hop as your pickup point. read more

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This place is really unbelievable. I am not sure why everyone wants to go to Pena Palace in Sintra as this place is so much cooler. Built by an eccentric rich guy with an obsession for secret societies, garden is huge with caves, secret passages, turrets, hidden pathways, etc. not much to see in the mansion itself but the grounds are amazing. If you are going to Sintra make sure you go here! read more

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Worth a day trip from Lisbon. We were focused on the initiation well and more pleasantly surprised to see how large the grounds were. One could easily spend 2+ hours here exploring. They seem to be locks about your entry time as we were 10 minutes late and we're still not the last ones in. read more

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Fantastic palace, something out of this world. One of my favorite palaces in Sintra , Portugal . It's beautiful inside and out , we really enjoyed this castle out of all of the castles in sintra. The pictures outside and in the garden are also really nice. Highly recommend it, it's so well preserved and beautifully designed. read more

Out of all the castles and palaces we visited in Sintra, this was absolutely my favorite one! It is a MUST-SEE! DO NOT SKIP THIS! From Lisbon, we took a train to Sintra and our first palace site was Regaleira. From the research I did, I already knew that I would love this castle and its fairytale like gardens full of cave networks, wells, towers, and narrow spiral staircases. It was everything I expected it to be, and so much more. We decided to walk to Regaleira from the vila since it wasn't too far. It is a bit steep and hilly to get to the entrance at the top so comfortable shoes are a must! We had pre-purchased our tickets and showed it to them on our phones at the entrance, and it was time to explore! We spent 2 hours here, but I honestly think we could have stayed for a third hour. It was quite grand with every twist and turn we took. I suggest that when you get here, you start taking pathways that lead up towards the initiation well. This is the start of a one-way direction path that ends at the oriente grotto. This way you don't have to walk all the way back up to the top. Additionally, the line will get long, especially once all those large tourist groups get there. The initiation well was wonderful. This is one of the photo spots associated with Regaleira. It is pretty wet in there so in addition to wearing comfortable shoes, make sure those are shoes you don't mind getting a little wet and dirty. The initiation well leads to the cave networks where it feels very cool to walk around. There is a spot where people line up to take pictures with a "waterfall", but honestly, just bypass this line, walk through to see it, and turn around. It's not worth the wait and the pictures turn out poorly since it's dark. After going through these caves, we headed towards the palace. The greenery surrounding the palace is just simply amazing. I felt like I was in a Disney movie. In my opinion, I feel that for most palaces, the outside is more spectacular than the interior and Regaleira is no different. It's honestly not that big inside the palace either, or at least the area open to the public was small, but you learn about the history of the castle inside. After going inside the castle, we continued exploring the rest of the sites we missed like the lake and some more caves, and we took some last-minute photos before leaving. What I love about Regaleira is that as beautiful as the palace exterior is, the gardens are also equally as wondrous, maybe even more so. That's why I feel that people should spend more time at this park because exploring the grounds is an absolute must. I cannot say that enough. 10/10 highly recommend. read more

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I thought Quinta da Regaleira was a great place to visit in Sintra. Highly underrated. A friend of mine suggestion coming here and it was one of the best parts about our trip to Portugal. Less crowded, great views and an incredible well. read more

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I came here on a day trip from Lisboa. It was quite the adventure. The place is absolutely beautiful and so unique. The spiral staircase stood out the most. They have a nice café with delicious croissants. Make sure to get there a little before 10 AM because the line gets pretty long otherwise. Our tour guide bought tickets in advance. It's definitely worth the visit. read more

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Quinta da Regaleira Garden located at central Lisbon Portugal. What a beautiful day to sightsee in Portugal. read more

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One of my favorite places in Sintra / Lisbon. It feels like a place taken straight out of a Disney story book or Studio Ghibhi movie. The whole state is charming and just beautiful. I would budget at least 3 hours just for walking around the estate. There's just so much to see , great photo ops, and there's actually quite a bit of people. I went on a weekday morning, right when it opened, on a somewhat rainy day and it felt packed! I imagine it would be even more crowded on a weekend or better weather. There's usually a line to enter the Initiation Well (Poço Iniciático), so try to tackle that early on. It's a really cool experience and apparently used as a ritual. I would recommend reading up on the historical facts of this area, I was not prepared when I first came, and will be more prepared next time around! PS: If you're coming on a date, this is a great photo spot, I saw several people taking engagement photos / couple's photos, the landmarks are so striking and unique that it's really a great opportunity! So plan accordingly if you're into that. read more

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I'm tired of walking and lines. It's not even the high season yet. Pretty and it smells like summer camp. read more

Quinta da Regaleira - Some old castle that's not really that old. - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Sintra, 11

People always mention Pena Palace when they think of Sintra, but do not skip out on Quina da Regaleira, which is by far my favorite spot to have explored on my short day trip from Lisbon. The castle grounds is absolutely gorgeous. When you first enter the park, you are given a variety of paths to take that lead you to some of the wonderful gems that are in the area. Inside the park, you can explore beautiful footpaths with gorgeous views, travel down the Initiation Well which is both eerie yet beautiful, walk through the cave dwellings, and marvel at the magnificent, picturesque castle. Carve out at least 1-2 hours for your visit. If you're feeling like exploring the internet, there is free wifi near the main castle itself for your connection convenience. Next time I visit, I'll pack a lunch and enjoy it while inside the park. read more

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Oh gosh - what an amazing, amazing place to go check out while in the areas. The combination of the garden plus palace area is just amazing to walk around and explore all the nooks and crannies. Seriously, Dan Brown needs to write a book and include this place but then maybe it'll become overrun by tourists like some of the locations in his other books! The guide told us that this place was built by a Coffee Baron from Brazil, and fun fact was that he had One key for all his houses! The Initiation Well, y'all! Just felt very spiritual walking down into the earth I spent half-a-day easily just wandering around and day dreaming, saw this quote that stuck with me, ""Children sometimes don't respect Parents dreams" and that really got to me. I would definitely recommend checking this palace/ gardens out. Yelp 2019 read more

Stop by if you're already on the way to Peña palace or in Sintra! In many ways I much preferred the Quinta da Regaleira to Peña Palace- the grounds are huge and you can take your time exploring. Find your way to the Incantation Well and make your way down. Ultra spooky! It's delightful to wander the gardens and take in the architecture and scenery. read more

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Must see if you are in Sintra! There's an ATM inside. There was a food place within quinta da regaleira garden. We self seated ourselves and the server took our order. We ordered ham and cheese crepes x2 and coke after our trip to initiation well. Initiation well- there was a line full of people but fast. Nine story deep going down, be careful, it is wet! Overall, I appreciated the architecture of Sintra! read more

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This was the best place to visit in Sintra! Definitely go to the well first, as that gets a long line during the day! And don't just go to the well and the castle definitely go to the gardens where there's a labyrinth and a grotto that's fun to explore. There's also a church, a fountain, another hidden well, Greek statues, and all sorts of things to find. This was definitely my favorite out of my whole Portugal trip! So do not miss this spot! Plus, the people at this location were really nice and helpful! Unlike some of the other places in Sintra! Such a Cole Castle! It reminds me of the Addams family for some reason... also look at all of the statues. Some are gargoyles that look like they're eating themselves. Interesting. read more

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A quinta is a type of palace or manor house and I didn't know that until I started exploring the Quinta da Regaleira. I walked here from the city center and I'm glad I did. Interesting landscape and a pretty good uphill climb that got my cardio going in time for the later food tour today. This large piece of land is half palace and half park and half botanical garden and half castle with lots of interesting structures all about, many botanical scenes to appreciate and a few reflecting pools with fountains that are just beautiful. While you're here, do not miss the Initiation Well which is amazingly open during COVID though masks are required. It's a "reverse tower" with a spiral staircase that goes down 27 meters to a cave structure that comes out of the mountain at a completely different spot. Entrance is timed to ensure social distancing and you'll need to keep moving so that the traffic doesn't bunch up. Take pictures at the top and bottom. You could easily spend two hours here and still miss things. But worth it. [Review 16665 overall - 176 in Portugal - 177 of 2022.] read more

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I'm not saying this estate was designed by someone who intended on hunting people for sport...but I wouldn't be surprised either. Quinta de Regaleria is like nowhere I've ever been before. Perched high in the (endless, seriously endless) Sintra hills, Quinta is a dreamy wonderland of gardens, sculptures, grottoes and secret passageways. Don't be afraid to take a staircase or a path - you'll likely be very surprised at where it will lead you. Every direction offers incredible views, beautiful gardens and mysterious symbolism. Apparently the owner was a mason and many features (the well especially) were used for rituals. Don't miss the incredible "palace" - the interior is lavish but surprisingly livable (it reminded me a little of Schloss Linderhof). Be ready for lots of uphill climbing too - basically everything after the entrance is straight up and the comes back down, encouraging you to wend your way through the different areas. I don't think you can come to Sintra and miss this - it's completely unique and worth your time. read more

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Magical. Just...wow. Unfortunately, the only day we had available for a Sintra trip from Lisbon was on a very rainy day. Honestly, the overcast skies and fog made for a really cool skyline and views. We became a bit soggy as we wandered the grounds and steep hills, but so be it! There are, of course ample areas to explore: a house, with beautiful fountains, caves, statues, beautiful flora, and the famous spiral staircase (the Initiation Well). So much history and interesting architecture here, making it a must-see! We enjoyed Quinta far more than our Pena Palace experience. read more

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Need to go here for the spiraling staircase if nothing else. This is The spot you come to if you are in this area. It is a beautiful piece of art. I believe a former rich man used to live here and the entire place with lush gardens and this lush entrance way became the not so corny must-go-to site that it is today. Needs more than 1 bathroom stall by the gift shop. read more

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This was one of the two main attractions we decided to visit while in Sintra, and we loved it! Very romantic, beautiful, and quirky, even if it lacks some of the historical significance of the other sites in Sintra. We loved leisurely strolling through the grounds and finding little hidden staircases leading to mysterious grottos or picturesque gardens. Even in January, the grounds were green and beautiful. Don't miss the Initiation Well, the chapel, and the intricately carved wooden ceilings in the main palace. If you're thinking about making this a stop in Sintra on your way to Pena Palace, do it! read more

We pre-purchased tickets for a 3pm arrival. We happened to arrive an hour and a half early, and so we asked if we could eat lunch in their café while we're waiting for 3pm. They said absolutely not. They said there is absolutely no way they will let us in before 3pm, even to buy food their own café. They said we would have to wait in front for an hour and a half until 3pm. Very welcoming and helpful. read more

Definitely worth a visit. Quinta de Regaleira is a sprawling estate once owned by a wealthy individual. It's most interesting site is the Initiation Well -- a spiral staircase into a well with several chambers leading to different places. Lots of Knights Templar influences here. So, that history is interesting. Also, lots of pretty gardens and sights to see. read more

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If you visit the Lisbon area but don't have a lot of time, spend a day in Sintra to visit the Pena Palace in the morning and Quinta da Regaleira in the afternoon. read more

I think another Yelper put it best-something about "fairy tales & romantic dreams." I was disappointed they didn't have the guided tour the day I went but it worked out fine as I enjoyed putting away the map & getting lost over and over again & at the same time discovering the amazing parts of Quinta. Got here on a Friday around 1:30 and line wasn't long (about 20 in front of me) but when I left at 4:30 about 100 in line for a ticket. So looks like earlier is better. They suggest 1.5 - 2 hours but I would say take the time and spend at least 3 hours. Enter this palace and go back in time. Stroll in a garden, enjoy the view from a few towers, walk in a cave or two, step into the spiral staircase Well (initiation Well) & of course there is a Waterfall. The photo opportunities are endless. This is the hidden gem of the "Discover Sintra" line (take the 435). Definitely worth prioritizing! read more

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We decided to visit this estate first in the morning. We figured out that Pena and Moorish castle will be anyway overrun by visitors, so let at least have a quiet morning walking the gorgeous gardens. There are 2 lines that are being formed at the entrance-e-tickets already purchased online on the left from the gate and the line to purchase the ticket on the kiosk on the right.. so, make sure you're in correct line from the start. We arrived at 9, an hour before the opening and there were few peoples already there. By 10 when they've opened the door, e-tickets line had over 200 people waiting. We had a car rental and we parked it 2 min uphill from the property there were few available spots on the side of the road. The small parking across of the actual property had 6 spots and was already full. Most of the people were being just dropped off by shuttles and cabs. First thing we did was walked uphill straight to the initiation well , on the way back stopped and looked the main house and had a quick snack at the restaurant's terrace. It was a perfect start of the day, did everything within an hour, took all the photos we wanted and we got out an hour later. By than there were 100+ people in each lines waiting to get in. Initiation well was our favorite, but found main building interior quite delightful on our surprise. Seems much larger from the outside thought. read more

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This was our best stop in Sintra -- way better than Pena Palace (mainly because Pena is swarming with tourists, whereas this place is chill). The actual house here is pretty lackluster. But the gardens are gorgeous and fun to explore, with hidden grottos and caves and rivers and ponds. It's quite hilly, so come ready to climb many flights. Overall a treat. read more

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This was our third stop on our visit to Sintra. After hiking downhill following visits to Pena and the Moorish Castle we walked the road to the Qunita. It was later in the afternoon so it was not crowded. We knew the gardens were the main attraction vs the house so we skipped the house until the end. There were no maps available and the ones on the grounds were not super helpful but with directions from other visitors we made it up to the well. This cannot be missed. We then walked down into the well and through the labyrinth of tunnels to the waterfall. It was a lot of fun. There were many other hidden treats in this fairytale landscape. The house itself took about 10 minutes. Another five star attraction in Sintra! read more

Quinta da Regaleira - Crazy place - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Sintra, 11

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Beautiful, majestic monument from the Romantic era. Gardens are well maintained and filled with flora from around the world due to the history. read more

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