1. Fojo da Adraga and Carneiro Beach Viewpoint

Hidden among the cliffs of Adraga Beach, the Fojo da Adraga is an impressive and little-known geological formation. It is a vertical cavity that connects the surface to the sea, forming a natural shaft that, on high-tide days, amplifies the sound of the waves with an almost mystical force. Access requires caution, but the view and the sense of discovery are well worth the effort. It is an ideal spot for lovers of geology and adventure.

You can reach Fojo da Adraga via the GR11 Atlantic Route hiking trail and the Cabo da Roca, Adraga Beach path, both available on the Walk Sintra app and at walksintra.com.

Along this route, before reaching the Fojo, you’ll find the Caneiro Beach Viewpoint, one of the region’s best-kept secrets. Located between Ursa Beach and Adraga Beach, this viewpoint sits at a high point with difficult access. The path requires an adventurous spirit, but the reward is one of the wildest and most unspoilt coastal landscapes in Portugal, perfect for watching the sunset.

2. Dinosaur Footprints

At Praia Grande, hidden within the limestone cliffs, lie fossilised dinosaur footprints that are millions of years old. These traces bear witness to the presence of dinosaurs in the region during the Jurassic period. The location is discreet and poorly signposted, making the experience feel even more special — like discovering a secret place.

How to get there
For those unable to climb stairs, part of the footprints can be observed from an upper platform, accessible by car and followed by a short walk. The staircase is part of the E9/GR11 and PR7 Sintra walking routes, between Adraga Beach and Praia Grande. Praia Grande is served by Scotturb local buses 439 and 441.

The best time of day to see the footprints is in the afternoon, when the sunlight illuminates the rock face.

For prehistory enthusiasts and dinosaur lovers, the Sintra Natural History Museum is a must-visit. There, you can see fossils that are millions of years old and explore an exhibition designed to spark curiosity in visitors of all ages. Click here to check the museum’s opening hours.

3. The Circular Chapel of São Mamede

Probably dating back to the 16th century (or earlier), the Chapel of São Mamede stands out for its circular floor plan — a rare feature in Portuguese religious architecture. Its simple, whitewashed structure resembles a dovecote, giving it a peculiar charm and raising questions about the influences behind its construction.

The circular shape, associated with eternity and divine perfection, is uncommon in Christian chapels and may have roots in pagan traditions that predate the Christianisation of the region.

Complemented by a south-facing porch, the chapel is set in a landscape where the grandeur of the Sintra mountains meets the Atlantic breeze.

How to visit (with a bit of luck)
Visiting the Chapel of São Mamede is a rare privilege. Outside the August festivities, access is virtually impossible, as the building remains closed to the public for the rest of the year. Those wishing to attend the traditional blessing of the animals or to see the interior of the chapel must follow the local religious calendar.

Still, the surroundings are well worth exploring. The landscape is shaped by natural trails with magnificent views over the countryside and the ocean. Sitting beside the chapel, listening to the wind and birdsong, can feel like a quiet communion with the spirit of São Mamede. Some secrets, after all, are best when they are never fully revealed.

The chapel can be reached via the PR8 walking route (Vinho de Colares), available on walksintra.com.

4. Santa Eufémia Viewpoint

Little known even among locals, the Santa Eufémia Viewpoint offers a unique view over the town of Sintra and Pena Palace, framed by the lush vegetation of the mountains. Located next to an ancient hermitage, this is an ideal spot for a picnic or a peaceful break during a walk. Far from the bustle of the most popular tourist attractions, it is a true refuge for nature and photography lovers.

A wooden boardwalk has recently been installed, elevated above the ground and equipped with stairs, connecting the viewpoint to Miguel Torga Street. The route begins at the Chapel of Santa Eufémia and leads to Casa da Lapa. At 470 metres above sea level, the view over Lisbon and the Tagus River is simply stunning.

The recent intervention also included transforming an old ramp into a staircase and restoring the surrounding walking paths. Benches were placed along the route so walkers can pause and enjoy the landscape, sounds and scents of the Sintra hills.

The project also enhanced the surroundings of the hermitage, which dates back to the 13th century. It is believed that the water from the Fountain of Santa Eufémia once had healing properties, making this an important pilgrimage site.

5. Odrinhas Museum

The Archaeological Museum of São Miguel de Odrinhas is a hidden gem for lovers of history and culture. Located in Odrinhas, this museum brings together artefacts from across the region, offering a fascinating journey through the lives of the peoples who passed through here over the centuries.

From ceramics to coins and jewellery, the collection is diverse and impressive. The exhibitions explore themes such as ancient art forms, traditional lifestyles and craftsmanship from other eras.

More than just a museum, this space is an opportunity to immerse yourself in Portugal’s cultural heritage. With interactive exhibitions and an engaging atmosphere, it is ideal for those who wish to explore the past in greater depth. If you’re nearby, don’t miss this experience.

Sintra hides secrets that only the most curious are able to uncover. These five places are just a glimpse of what awaits those willing to venture beyond the obvious. Put on your walking shoes, bring water, and embrace your explorer’s spirit — the true Sintra reveals itself to those who are willing to discover it.

And if you wish to spend more than just a few hours in Sintra, stay at Casa do Valle: a place where you can watch the end of the day surrounded by nature, with exclusive views of Sintra’s most iconic landmarks, such as Pena Palace, the Moorish Castle and Quinta da Regaleira. And yes, it is yet another place we consider a secret. In fact, we can confidently say that Casa do Valle is Sintra’s 6th best-kept secret.

The post Sintra’s Best-Kept Secrets: 5 Places Almost No One Knows About appeared first on Casa do Valle.

We want to alert you to the following:

• The Pena Palace and its gardens are located in the mountain, within the natural park. The palace itself is in the middle of the park, which is about 15–30-minute walk from the gates. These are accessible by public transportation (bus and taxi) or by foot; private cars are not allowed up the mountain.
• When purchasing the ticket, keep in mind that you have to be at the gates of the park at least 30 minutes before your chosen time slot, as the public transportation will leave you at the main gates and not at the entrance of the Palace;
• We strongly recommend that you enter through the Garden Gates instead of the main gates, to avoid crowds on your way to the palace (and the gardens are magnificent). This walk will be at least 30 minutes.

How to get to Pena Palace from Casa do Valle?

• If you are hiking from Casa do Valle to the Palace, it will take you up to an hour and a half to get to the gates of the park, and nearly two hours to the main gates;
• If you are going by taxi from Casa do Valle, it will take you about 30 minutes;
• If you prefer the bus, you can walk to the Historical Center, 500 meters from Casa do Valle, and take the bus 434 up to the Pena Palace. This option will take you at least one hour.

As our guest, we will happily assist you with planning your visit at check-in if needed. We can provide you with maps for your hike, or, alternatively, you can guide yourself through our free hiking app WalkSintra, which you can download on Google Play and the APP Store to follow the trail of the amazing hike to the Palace.

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Our Hike & Wine suggestions take you to wonderful, local, award winning special vineyards of our region, where you can enjoy a guided tour and a wine tasting at the end of your walk. Best yet, there is a perfect walk for everyone:  there is a route for you, whether you wish to walk through the countryside, on the coast, or in the mountain. You can choose to walk just 5 kms or make it a day with a 15 km walk. Want to have lunch on the way? Also possible.

Following are some of our suggestions for you,

Through the mountain paths: Casa do Valle to Almoçageme and Casal Santa Maria or Adega Viuva Gomes, 13 kms.  Or 5,5 kms if you start near Monserrate palace.   There are nice little restaurants in the village for lunch or dinner.

From the Historic Center to the countryside of Janas: Casa do Valle to Quinta San Michel, 7.5 kms.  Lunch options in the nearby village.

The classic Colares roundtrip wine route:  15 kms in the Colares region in the villages, on the coast and in the in the pine forest starting and finishing at the Adega Regional of Colares. You can take the historic tram or a bus from Casa do Valle to the starting point.

These walks are great for you alone or for a group activity!

Take a look at short 1 minute videos on our YouTube Channel of what the walks and places look like.

And while you are at it, there are other little videos on walking in Sintra, our beaches and Casa do Valle!  Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel to receive notifications on new suggestions for your Sintra adventures.

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1. They are some of the oldest wines in Portugal, dating back to year 1255
2. A large part of the vines grow deep in sand dunes – a detail that protected them from the 1865 phylloxera plague
3. They get their special taste from the harsh coastal climate (westernmost vineyards of continental Europe)
4. And now most recently: the world famous chef Gordon Ramsay just featured the Colares Wines in the National Geographic program Uncharted, calling the wine ‘one of the best kept secrets of Portugal’!  (watch the trailer of his visit here)

The Colares wines in Sintra are some of the oldest in Portugal

The Colares wine region is the smallest demarcated wine region of Portugal (DOC Colares). The wine culture goes back to 1255 when king D Afonso lll ordered wine to be planted. Supposedly the Ramisco vines came from northern France, Boulogne region, where the king had previously lived.

A large part of the Colares vines are grown in the sand dunes

Dug deep like in trenches covered with sand, the vines lay on top of the ground almost looking abandoned. There is no trellising systems so the vines grow low due to the sea winds and are protected by hand-made palisades of dried canes sewn together with wicker. They survived the 1865 plague of phylloxera, as the bug could not reach the roots through the thick of sand. Because of this, the Colares Ramisco vines are some of the oldest vines in Portugal.

The uniqueness of the taste of these wines is due to the closeness of the sea

The coastal climate is very harsh, with moderate temperatures, strong sea winds and a high percentage of air moisture.

The Ramisco wines take a long time to mature, a minimum of 18 months, but often up to 6-8 years, in wooden barrels and the bottle. Its aroma is complex, with hints of nuts and red fruits. The production is quite small, with no more than 20 000 bottles per year. The typical white Colares wine is Malvasia (of Greek origin); a fresh and citrine wine with fruity and floral aroma, that has even a smaller annual production of about 15 000 bottles a year. The small production of these high quality wines have made this region a special treat for the connoisseurs!

There are several vineyards and cellars in Sintra that produce a vast variety of wines of excellent quality

Some of our favourite Sintra vineyards include

• Cooperativa de Colares, the country’s oldest wine co-op
• Casal Santa Maria and Adega Viúva Gomes in Almoçageme
• Quinta San Michel in Janas

All of them organize tours and wine tastings – enquire and set up yours through our office so that you can taste these wonderful wines. We will be happy to suggest hikes to visit the cellars and the vineyards!

For more information on walks that take you to these vineyards, check out the WalkSintra page.

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How they came to be

The dinosaurs did not of course walk like lizards, up the walls. They walked on muddy and horizontal ground, imprinting their footsteps on the ground that was then covered by layers of sediments.  When the Sintra Mountain was formed, the grounds were deformed and raised – and consequently the top layers crumbled away, leaving once again the layer with the footprints uncovered for everyone to see.

And I mean everyone.   Roughly a 370-step staircase leads from the South end of the beach up to the top of the cliffs, all along which these footprints are clear and easy to see.Millions of years ago (125 million to be a bit more exact), large dinosaurs roamed in Sintra. Plant eating Saurôpodes and Ornitôpodes as well as meat eating Terôpodes,  walked on these lands way before the Sintra Mountain was a mountain. They were all about 2.5meters tall only until the hip.  We can now observe their footprints, some of which are a humongous 67cm tall and 60cm wide. Observing the path of the prints, we know that the vegetarian Saurôpodes with its elephant-like large body, long neck and small head walked between 6 to 7 km/hour. The Terôpodes who walked on two strong legs, of which only three of the four toes touch ground, walked about 2 kms/hour.  It is fascinating to see the three distinct types of footprints, all different sizes, and all well conserved, on the vertical cliffs of Praia Grande do Rodízio. There are a total of 66 foot prints, 51 of them are in 11 tracks and the rest are isolated.

How they came to be

The dinosaurs did not of course walk like lizards, up the walls. They walked on muddy and horizontal ground, imprinting their footsteps on the ground that was then covered by layers of sediments.  When the Sintra Mountain was formed, the grounds were deformed and raised – and consequently the top layers crumbled away, leaving once again the layer with the footprints uncovered for everyone to see.

And I mean everyone.   Roughly a 370-step staircase leads from the South end of the beach up to the top of the cliffs, all along which these footprints are clear and easy to see.

How to get there

Those keen on seeing the footprints and not able to walk steps can see a part of them from the platform up top. This is accessible by car. The staircase is a part of Sintra’s E9/GR11 and PR7 footpaths, on the stretch between Praia da Adraga and Praia Grande.  Praia Grande is served by the local Scotturb busses 439 and 441.  The best time of the day to see the prints clearly is in the afternoon, when the sun hits the wall before setting down.

Also in Sintra

The Natural History Museum boasts of the only complete flying dinosaur, (Brasileodactylus Barbosensis), skeleton in the world. In addition to it, there are dinosaurs’ nests complete with eggs and a great collection of fossils in remarkable state – and even fragments of the Nantan meteorite that fell in China in the 16^th century.

Add another dimension to your stay in Sintra and get a real Jurassic experience!

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Ernesto Biester, a Portuguese journalist and playwright of German origin, famous in his time,  ordered this mansion to be built in around 1880 from the architect José Luis Monteiro.  Its interior was conceived by the famous Italian that worked on Quinta da Regaleira, also in Sintra, and the sceneries of La Scala Opera in Milano, and theater São Carlos in Lisbon: Luigi Manini – and the sculpture Leandro Braga.  Biester asked Monteiro to use the English style  called ‘Queen Ann’ style, a mixture of Neo-Gothic and Neo-Romantic. The result is one of the most important buildings of his career  and of Portuguese revivalist architecture, the Biester Chalet.  Interestingly, all the four façades are completely different from each other, using a harmonious composition of various elements and of various architectural and decorative styles.

The chalet sits on the way to Pena Palace, perfectly fitting its surroundings. Its gardens are simple and perfect, adding to the artistic effect of the chalet.  The house became an attraction and a landmark for Sintra, and is one of the first buildings and finest examples of chalets of its kind.  I was lucky enough to visit it in about 1994 when it was rented by an American family.  Impressive.  The inside has a centralized plan with a large staircase.  The house is well organized by use, practical, has a couple of kitchens, a second ‘service staircase’ more in hiding and an interior chapel.  Even if every tenant changes some of the furniture, they cannot change the impressive woodwork and stain glass windows, yet the house was still ‘homey’.  If you want to see its inside, watch the movie, the Ninth Gate!

But no,  I don’t think it’s for sale, if that was your next thought!

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