Peninha: the viewpoint at the top of the Sintra hills

Peninha is one of the highest points in the Sintra hills and probably the best viewpoint in the whole region — wider, in sheer sweep, than Cruz Alta inside Pena Park. From here you see the coast from Guincho round to Cabo da Roca, ocean across the entire western quadrant and, in good visibility, the line of Lisbon to the south-east.

At the top stands the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Peninha, a small religious complex that grew from a 16th and 17th-century hermitage built onto granite outcrops. The building is modest; it is the siting that is extraordinary.

Getting there and when to go

There is no tourist public transport to Peninha. The ways up:

• By car. About 30 minutes from Sintra’s historic centre on the hill road towards Cabo da Roca. The final stretch is narrow and climbs steeply.
• On foot. There are marked trails in the natural park, including links to the Convent of the Capuchos area. These are serious walks, not strolls.
• By jeep or tuk-tuk tour. Some operators include Peninha on hill routes, precisely because it is unreachable otherwise.

When to go

Late afternoon, with a clear sky. In fog — frequent in these hills — you see absolutely nothing, and the road becomes dangerous. If the day is closed in down in Sintra, postpone: there is nothing indoors here.