Tiled spires, palace chimneys and mountain springs: the Sintra hunt
The Sintra scavenger hunt is a self-guided city game you play on your phone: you walk from landmark to landmark, solve a riddle at each one by looking closely at what is in front of you, and unlock the stories and legends behind it. Allow about 2 hours for the game, with only around 34 minutes of it on foot over 2.5 km and 10 stops, some of them uphill, and you set off from the station whenever you arrive.
Highlights include the neo-Manueline town hall with its tiled spire, Parque da Liberdade, the National Palace with its two giant white chimneys, the Church of São Martinho and the fountain and waterfall of Pisões. Sintra's streets wind between green, wooded hills, so expect some ups and downs on a short walk that combines palaces, parks and running water.
- Durationabout 2 hours
- Walkingabout 34 min · 2.5 km
- Stops10
- LanguagesEnglish, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese
Riddles from the railway station to the Pisões waterfall
A tiled spire, two white chimneys and a mother's embrace
Each of the 10 stops poses a riddle you answer by looking: the coloured tiles on the town hall spire, the sculpture of a mother cradling her baby, the two giant conical chimneys of the National Palace, the old fountain where the water of the hills comes out. Observation and logic are enough, and no Portuguese is needed.
Kings, an earthquake and the mills of Pisões
The answers unlock Sintra's stories: the kings who summered in the National Palace until the monarchy ended in 1910, the great earthquake of 1755 that left the Church of São Martinho to be rebuilt, the noble families behind houses such as Palácio Valenças and the water-powered fulling mills that gave Pisões its name. The audio narration can read each one aloud under the trees.
2.5 km with some climbing
About 34 minutes of walking take you from the Estefânia district along the Volta do Duche and through Parque da Liberdade to the historic centre, then on to the springs and the waterfall. Sintra sits on the slopes of its wooded hills, so expect some ups and downs, and let Google Maps guide you between the stops.
Queijadas, shade and a pause by the water
No clock runs, so stop for a queijada or a travesseiro, Sintra's two famous pastries, rest on a bench in Parque da Liberdade, follow the app's tips to local food and shops, and finish another day if the palaces on the hill call first.
See the route and attractions →
How it works
- Book online Choose the number of players. Your booking reference arrives by email straight away.
- Get the app Download the World City Trail app from the App Store or Google Play and enter your booking reference.
- Play when you like Start whenever you are ready, walk at your own pace and pause any time. No guide, no fixed schedule.
Lisbon day-trippers, families and groups in Sintra
A day trip from Lisbon by train
The trains from Lisbon's Rossio station end right where the game begins, so about 2 hours of riddles fit neatly into a day out before or after the palaces on the hills. You get to know the town itself, its park, its church and its springs, which many visitors hurry past on the way up.
Children, chimneys and a waterfall
Kids like guessing what the palace's giant chimneys were for, finding the sculpture of the mother and her baby and ending the game beside a real waterfall. A grown-up plays in every team, and the shady park makes a good halfway break.
Groups and teams from Lisbon
Teams of up to 5, each player on their own phone, can leave the station a few minutes apart and meet again at the Pisões waterfall. The whole game uses public streets, the park and the old centre, so the tickets are all there is to arrange.
Good to know
- Bring a charged smartphone with mobile data; a power bank helps.
- No entry tickets needed: everything happens outside the buildings. Going inside is optional and paid separately.
- Family friendly; children must be accompanied by an adult.
- Not suitable for wheelchair users and difficult with strollers.
- Teams of up to 5 work best; bigger groups split into several teams, one ticket per player.
- Every purchase helps support stray cats and dogs in Greece.
France –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Germany –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Toller Einblick in die Stadt mit dieser Schnitzeljagd. Die Rätsel machen es für Kinder und Erwachsene abwechslungsreich. Empfehlenswert.
Eleftheria– Italy –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Excellent experience! We had a lot of fun! Recommended!!
Mathilde– France –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Super moyen de découvrir Sintra ! À faire en complément de la visite d’un palais par exemple !
Emma– United Arab Emirates –
Collected on GetYourGuide
This was a fun idea, and the app/Google maps/information was great. It took about 1.5-2 hours to complete with two adults. The puzzles were just okay – some were confusing and/or had wrong answers. I think the price is a bit high for the puzzle quality, but overall it was a fun experience. I would recommend it for families.
Netherlands –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Geeft een globale indruk van het stadje Sintra. Aan het einde van de stadstour ben je bijna bij Quinta da Regaleira. De andere highlights van Sintra zijn verder weg.
France –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Activité parfaite pour découvrir la ville de sintra Elle est très bien pensée et nous amène naturellement à faire les visiter des principaux point à absolument voir dans cette magnifique ville.
Austria –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Eine schöne Runde durch den Ort, mit tollen Hintergrundinfos. Die Angaben der Rätselaufgaben waren teilweise schon herausfordernd zu verstehen. Da wären dann mehr Infos gut gewesen (die Aufgabe mit den Pfeilen und das abschließende Mosaik). Vielleicht hatten wir uns aber auch nur zu wenig Zeit genommen .
marianodi –
Excellent activity