12 beautiful places to see and visit near Lisbon

For many years I have had the opportunity to make numerous trips to Lisbon, many of them for professional reasons, but also several for tourist reasons.

And I have to tell you that for me, travel to lisbon Not only does it mean visiting the most attractive corners of the Portuguese capital, but it implicitly includes doing visits in its surroundings.

What's more, I consider that the trip is incomplete if you do not take the opportunity to discover some of the beautiful towns or scenic corners that this region known as Estoril Coast.

On your trip you have the option of signing up for a excursion around Lisbon with guide in spanish to discover some of the most interesting corners.

But if you prefer to go on your own, it will be useful for you to know what the 12 most beautiful places to see and visit around Lisbon during your next tourism trip to the Portuguese capital.

What to see and visit around Lisbon

The first thing you have to know is that everything is very, very close to Lisbon, and not everyone is aware of this reality.

Si you travel by car, in a radius of no more than 35 kilometers you can access all the attractions of the area.

And I mean Cascais and Guincho beach, or Sintra, center of a leafy mountain range, with various palaces and gardens among which the imposing Pena Palace.

And you even have the town of Mafra, with its imposing convent, which is just 43 kilometers away.

And I don't want to forget obidos, although it is already outside this coastal region, a fortified town, perhaps the most beautiful and charming that you find just an hour's drive north of Lisbon.

Also, if you don't have a car, you should know that from Lisbon you can get to Cascais or Sintra by commuter train in less than half an hour.

Excursions to Sintra, Cascais and Estoril

Now, you also have the option of signing up for one of the tours and excursions that in a comfortable minibus and with the company of a guide in spanish, allow you to discover the most outstanding corners of this area, such as the Sintra Mountains o Cascais.

So, you have this excursion to Sintra and Cascais in which you will visit the Pena Palace, and you will also visit Cabo de Roca, Guincho beach, Boca del Infierno and Cascais; here you have others similar options.

This other excursion to Sintra It will allow you to visit the Quinta de Regaleira, and you will also have time to walk around Cascais.

And in this other excursion to Sintra, Cascais and Estoril You will visit the aforementioned Pena Palace and Quinta de Regaleira.

What to see in the Sintra Mountains near Lisbon

This region surrounding Lisbon Its geographical center is the spectacular Sintra Mountains, a mountainous enclave with lush eucalyptus forests, which will surely remind you of the landscapes of Galicia.

But the contrast between the leafy trees is also very attractive. landscapes and gardens of the Sintra park and the monumental monumental corners that it contains, which have the town of Sintra.

In advance of your trip, here you can buy the tickets to visit the monuments of Sintra.

Sintra National Palace

So you have your own Sintra, a town whose history dates back to Roman times and was occupied by Muslims, although the most interesting places to visit are found in the surrounding area, in various corners of the lush forest.

Specifically, it is the Palace of Pena, Quinta de Regaleira, Castle of the Moors and Capuchin Convent.

In the old town you can visit the building of the Sintra National Palace, built at the time of the Muslim occupation, and which in 1147 passed into the hands of the first king of portugal.

Its importance lies in the fact that it is the only one preserved in Portugal from that time, although the building that you can now visit is from the beginning of the 15th century, and in which the elements of Manueline architecture and the Mudejar tiles.

Here you can buy in advance of your trip the tickets to visit the National Palace of Sintra.

Pena Palace in Sintra

When you go to Sintra You should know that the center of your visit should be the Palace of Pena, which was the summer residence of the last kings of Portugal, and which in its majestic enclave seems to be taken from a story.

This imposing palace was built in the mid-19th century and is the expression of the Portuguese romanticism.

In this enclave there was an old monastery, whose structure is preserved in a part of the palace building that you are now going to visit.

El Palace of Pena It is currently a declared monument Heritage awarded by the Unesco.

In your visit of the Pena palace you will see its iconic architectural element, the Portico and window El Tritón. as well as various rooms and rooms, among which the Arab Room or Indian Room.

Here you can buy in advance of your trip the tickets to visit the Pena Palace, and this way you make sure not to wait in lines.

Quinta de Regaleira in Sintra

Other place to visit near Sintra is Quinta de Regaleira, a mansion located between large gardens and the lush forest of the mountains, which was built at the beginning of the 20th century.

This palace was built in the style french gothic, although when visiting its interior you will see other architectural styles such as italian renaissance.

On your walk through the park you will also see the Regaleira Chapel with its striking Manueline style, as well as the Initiatory Well 27 meters deep.

Monserrate Palace in Sintra

Of the places you can visit near Sintra, there is one that from my point of view has a special charm, the Monserrate palace and its gardens.

It is a palace from the mid-19th century that was built in romantic style with Arabic influences commissioned by a British millionaire.

The palace is located in lush, centuries-old gardens that, as a curiosity, have the first irrigated lawn installed in Portugal.

Inside the palace, its interior decoration stands out, with its large arches and the spectacular Music room.

Here you can buy the tickets to visit the Monserrate palace.

Azenhas de Mar near Lisbon

A characteristic of this region is the great diversity of its attractions.

Above all, it is a coastal area where you can see towns like Azenhas de Mar, located in a beautiful location on a cliff.

At its feet, very popular natural pools open in summer, and Azenhas de Mar It is also, due to its special location, a very nice place to go and eat fish in one of its restaurants with a terrace overlooking the sea.

Guincho beach near Lisbon

On the road that takes you along the coast from Cascais to Sintra you will pass through most famous beach of this area near Lisbon.

This is the Guincho beach, an unfriendly enclave to go just to bathe or sunbathe due to its special location open to the Atlantic.

In return Guincho It is a beach very frequented by practitioners of surf by the large waves that are formed, and windsurf due to the strong winds that are common throughout the year.

Adraga beach near Lisbon

In the beach section, there are other corners with special charm, such as the Adraga beach, which opens between cliffs and rock formations.

You find it north of Cape of Roca, in the coastal area west of Sintra.

Cape Roca near Lisbon

Did you know that on the Atlantic coast near Lisbon is the westernmost geographic point in Europe?

Indeed, it is the enclave of Cape of Roca, where the strong wind reminds us that we are at the gateway to the Atlantic currents.

When you go to this coastal area, you will arrive at a meadow located on some high cliffs, where there is a viewpoint with a monument and a plaque that reminds you of the geographical landmark, as well as a nearby lighthouse.

Hellmouth in Cascais

Ya near Cascais There is another natural enclave very visited by tourists, which is known as the Mouth of Hell.

This is called a large hole that opens in a rocky cliff, where in certain circumstances the waves hit with great force.

It will be easy for you to know where it is on the coast because of the large parking lot and the restaurant that announces that it is a very tourist spot.

Cascais near Lisbon

Undoubted protagonists of the area are Cascais y Estoril, towns that show you buildings that denote their long stately history, with a style that to some extent will remind you of San Sebastián.

This stately style is currently expressed with the wide range of five-star hotels in which leisure and rest (spa, golf...) are its great attractions.

Located at the entrance to Tagus River Estuary, Cascais It has a history as a place of residence for European monarchies during the last century,

This stately town where you can see great mansions and palaces, in its urban area it shows houses with bright white and tiled facades.

Among the corners that you can see is the palace of the Counts Castro de Guimaraes, which now houses a museum, the Lighthouse of Santa Marta and the old fortress where the Cascais Pousada.

Estoril near Lisbon

Also with a very stately style, I remind you that in Estoril is the mansion known as Villa Giralda, resided Don Juan, father of King Juan Carlos II.

This environment has a reference in the Estoril Palace hotel which has a long tradition of being the residence of kings…and spies during the Second World War.

If you decide to visit it, in its Royal Gallery You will see numerous portraits of the monarchs' passage through its halls and restaurants.

And we can't talk about Estoril without referring to its history Casino, which currently, beyond the game, is a great leisure center.