Sintra or Evora

[calliopecruiser]

Starting to plan a day trip from Lisbon at the end of my cruise........I'm wondering if I should take a trip to Sintra or Evora? I'm more interested in art and architecture than I am in history or the beach; I've been to Lisbon before, so I want to take one of my 3 days there to do a day trip somewhere I've never been.

[buggins0402]

Originally Posted by calliopecruiser

Starting to plan a day trip from Lisbon at the end of my cruise........I'm wondering if I should take a trip to Sintra or Evora? I'm more interested in art and architecture than I am in history or the beach; I've been to Lisbon before, so I want to take one of my 3 days there to do a day trip somewhere I've never been.

Tough question. Evora is definitely less touristy, with a real Portugal feel. Sintra is pretty cool, though. Not as much to see and do in Evora - but then again we stayed there two nights so it might not have felt that way because we weren't rushed. Sintra we did as a day trip from Lisbon and really had to rock and roll through all the sights and town. Sights in Sintra are more memorable, but Evora seems more real.

[cruisemom42]

If you're into art and architecture, I'd recommend Sintra -- with several palaces that have unusual architecture and art collections, it would seem a better fit and there is plenty to do to fill a day (more than a day).

I liked Sintra but probably liked Evora better. I took the bus there on my own from Lisbon, arrived around 10:00 am and spent about 7 hours there before taking the bus back. I really went more for the Roman temple than anything else, but also enjoyed the Cathedral (and its museum) and the Chapel of Bones. There are lots of lively outdoor cafes, making it a pleasant place, but a bit more leisurely than Sintra.

[hkto]

Sintra is much easier to get to, only 40 min train ride from Rossio station. Evora is at least 2 hr trip (90 min by bus from Sete Rios station). Sintra has 5 different palaces (4 managed by Parques Sintra) http://www.parquesdesintra.pt/en/index.php#.UPQnzawZ7QA plus Quinta De Regaleira http://www.regaleira.pt/Default.aspx You can also visit Queluz palace (reachable by train) http://www.pnqueluz.imc-ip.pt/en-GB/Default.aspx