A guided or self-guided comfortable walking holiday featuring the amazing Sintra Natural Park, with gorgeous coastal paths, forested micro climates with unique and rare flora and fauna, interesting ancient sites, stunning vistas and historic Sintra with its vast collection of palaces, castles and parks.
A self-guided comfortable walking holiday featuring the amazing Sintra Natural Park, with gorgeous coastal paths, forested micro climates with unique and rare flora and fauna, interesting ancient sites, stunning vistas and historic Sintra with its vast collection of palaces, castles and parks.Both the park and the town are UNESCO World Heritage Sites.The Sintra is over 14,000 hectares of widely varying landscapes, charming villages, historic sites, forested hills and valleys and a pristine coastline with some of Portugal´s most beautiful beaches. Lord Byron called it “Glorious Eden”!The daily walks begin from the gates of your accommodation at Colina Flora or a short shuttle ride to the designated starting point. Each days walk is special and a totally different experience alternating between coastal paths, villages, pristine beaches, rolling hills and forests. Each walk has an historic site to explore and interesting flora, fauna and birds to admire. The mild Mediterranean climate is perfect for walking year round. We offer two possible programmes – a purely self-guided option or a guided option to include night hikes and massages.
Price:
Self-Guided: £695 per person based on 2 people sharing
It is possible to include guided walks during your stay at a cost of £90 per day, £45 for half a day. These need to be booked in advance.
Airport shuttle is €65 per trip and can be paid locally or in advance.
One single room available.
Included (Self-Guided):
Each room is equipped with a tea station stocked with tea, coffee, biscuits, fresh fruit & bottled water.
Difficulty:
For people of average fitness. Minimum of two people.
Departures:
Daily according to availability.
The programme below is an example itinerary based on the guided walks. The self-guided option would feature a choice of walks in the same area which in general average in distance between 10 and 20 kms with average cumulative height gains of 200 metres.
Day 1: Arrival at Lisbon airport
Make your own way to Colina Flora or pre-book the shuttle service (€50 each way). Colina Flora is set in beautiful rural Pe da Serra (only 5 minutes to beaches).
Day 2: Walk to Peninha Chapel
Once a popular pilgramage site. Moderate 3 hour hike to this 17th century convent set on a summit, the second highest point (486 meters high) in the Sintra hills. The views from the baroque chapel, dedicated to Saint Saturin, are amazing. 7 km
Day 3: Coastal walk
Through the quaint villages of Ulgeira and Almocageme through hills and valleys with interesting flora and fauna. 8km
Day 4: Walk to Conventos dos Capuchos
Visit a Capuchin monastary from the 16th century. One of our favorite places with its warren of hobbit like cells, rooms, chapels and gardens. 6km
Day 5: Free Day – Night hike. 4 km
Day 6: Shuttle to Pena Palace
The inspiration for Disneyland castles, to explore the fairy tale palace and then walk in the park created by King Ferdinand, the artist king, in the 19th century. Continue to the Mouros Castle dating back to 9th century. 4 km.
Day 7: Sintra
Historic Sintra Walking tour, lunch in Sintra, afternoon exploring the Monserrat Park and Mansion.
Day 8: Departure after breakfast
