Sintra: Pena Palace to Moorish Castle Circuit

This 4km loop begins at the car park of the Palácio Nacional da Pena, reached from Sintra station by bus 434 or tuk-tuk since there is no direct road access for casual parking near the palace. Entry tickets to Pena Palace and the Moorish Castle (Castelo dos Mouros) are required to access both monuments along the route, though the connecting forest path itself is free to walk. The circuit has about 200m of elevation gain and loss on a mix of cobbled palace paths and dirt forest trail through the Serra de Sintra's laurel woodland, with generally good shade except at the two exposed hilltop monuments. The path connects Pena Palace's colourful ramparts to the Moorish Castle's stone walls, with the high point of the castle's watchtower offering views over Sintra town and, on clear days, the Atlantic coast. A reasonable turn-around point for a shorter visit is the Moorish Castle itself, roughly 2km from the Pena car park, skipping the return loop through the forest. There are no water sources or shelters along the connecting trail, though cafés and water are available at both palace complexes. The castle's ramparts involve narrow stone steps without railings in places, requiring careful footing and a head for heights.