The only listing that puts a clock on Monserrate, reviewed: 4.9 from 17 ratings
From about fifty-nine euros a person, and unusually specific about what happens when: entry and a visit to Monserrate lasting about an hour and a quarter, then Quinta da Regaleira from three in the afternoon for about two and a half hours. It is the only listing in this catalogue that puts any duration on the Monserrate visit at all. It carries 4.9 from 17 ratings, so the five-star average is not a verdict on anything — it is seventeen people agreeing.
The clock, and where it comes from
| Which list it is filed under | The line, exactly as the listing writes it |
|---|---|
| Included | Entry ticket & visit to Palácio de Monserrate (starting at 12 a.m., lasts approx. 1h15) |
| Included | Access to botanical gardens |
| Included | Entry ticket & guided exploration of Quinta da Regaleira (starting at 3 p.m., lasts approx. 2h30) |
| Not included | Food and drinks |
| Not included | Transportation between palaces unless pickup is selected |
| Not included | Pena Palace exteriors unless option is purchased as an extra |
Read the first inclusion carefully. It states an entry ticket and a visit of about an hour and a quarter, and it gives a start time. This is one listing’s claim about its own itinerary, not a recommendation from the operator of the palace and not a measurement by anybody. It is quoted on this site as exactly that, because it is the only duration anyone states. Everything else this site says about timing comes from opening hours. How long you need is the honest version of the question.
The exclusions matter more than they look. Transportation between the palaces is not included unless pickup is selected, and Pena is exterior only unless you buy that option. So the base fare is two monuments with their tickets, and getting between them is your problem unless you have ticked the box.
A reviewer found the times harder to read than the list suggests
Deborah’s review is the most useful thing under this listing: “The time was not clear: the voucher said meet at 3 PM, but the Monserrate tour actually started at 12 PM.” She still gave five stars and praised the guide by name. What her line shows is that the times printed in an inclusion list and the times printed on a voucher are two different systems, and only one of them was right that day.
She also supplies the line this whole site is built around, and she gets there on her own: “Monserrate (less touristy) is the real gem”. That is a reviewer, not a claim of this site’s, and it happens to be the finding — the coaches go to Pena and Regaleira, so Monserrate is quiet.
K’s review shows what the transport exclusion looks like in practice. Their guide “was even kind enough to let us ride with him between the two palaces so we didn’t have to worry about driving or parking in downtown Sintra”, which is a kindness rather than an entitlement, and it is the exclusion the listing already told you about. If you are not driving, sort out how you get between the two before the day starts.
The rest of the ten are about guiding and they are warm about it. Guides are named individually — Laila, Dee, Simone Silva, Francisco, Miguel, João — which is a rota rather than one person, so the guide you get is whoever is on that morning. gillian, on the day itself: “Our guide was so impressive with a deep knowledge of the history along with amazing inside stories of the inhabitants of Sintra”.
One review under this listing is not quoted anywhere on this site. It recommends the company that ran the tour, by name, and tells readers to book with it. No tour operator’s company name appears here in any language, including inside a quotation, so that review is described and left alone. Minus the name it says the tour was amazing and the guide was knowledgeable and fun, which is what the other nine say too.
What works
- Monserrate entry is stated outright, with a duration attached — the only listing in the catalogue that does that
- Quinta da Regaleira entry is stated too, with its own start time and length
- Reviewers name their guides and rate them highly across several different names
- One reviewer independently calls Monserrate the less touristy one, which is the whole argument for coming
Worth knowing
- 4.9 from 17 ratings, so the five-star average rests on very few people
- Transportation between the palaces is excluded unless pickup is selected
- Pena is exteriors only unless bought as an extra
- A reviewer found the voucher time and the actual start time did not match
- The stated hour and a quarter is this listing’s claim about its own day, not the operator’s guidance
Confirm the meeting time in writing before you travel. One reviewer found the voucher and the itinerary disagreed by three hours, and the support team sorted it out on a Sunday evening — which is a good outcome and an avoidable evening.
The listings this one sits between
The one most people bookLisbon: Sintra Full Day Pena Palace, Regaleira & Monserrate
The ticket itselfSintra: Monserrate Palace & Park Ticket
Four monuments, entry by optionFrom Lisbon: SINTRA, Queluz, Monserrate, Castelo dos Mouros and Azenhas do Mar
Frequently asked questions
How long do you get at Monserrate on this tour?
The listing states entry and a visit of about an hour and a quarter, starting at midday, then Quinta da Regaleira from three in the afternoon for about two and a half hours. That is this listing’s claim about its own itinerary and it is the only duration anyone in this catalogue states.
Is entry to Monserrate included?
Yes, stated in the inclusions along with the botanical gardens and a Regaleira ticket. Two of the seven listings that name Monserrate state entry outright; three cross it out and one makes it depend on the option chosen.
Is transport between the palaces included?
Not unless you select pickup — the listing puts that in its exclusions. One reviewer was given a lift between the two by their guide and describes it as a kindness. Plan how you get across Sintra before the day.
Can I trust a 4.9 from seventeen ratings?
It is seventeen people agreeing, which is worth something and is not a verdict. Five of the seven listings that name Monserrate carry fewer than twenty-five ratings. The base is printed beside the average here for exactly that reason.