Hotels near Convento dos Capuchos

Convento dos Capuchos is the oddest place in the Serra de Sintra and the least visited on this list. Franciscan friars founded it in 1560 and lined the cells, doorframes and corridors with cork slabs for insulation, which is why locals still call it the Cork Convent. Eight friars lived here at a time, in rooms barely long enough to lie down in.

Getting there is the obstacle. No regular bus route reaches it, so plan on a taxi at around 20 EUR each way from Sintra, or a long walk through the forest. Admission is roughly 8 EUR. What you get in return is real solitude: moss on granite, doorways under 1.5 metres high, and no sound but wind in the trees. Give it 45 minutes.

Pro Tip: Pair Convento dos Capuchos with the Peninha viewpoint two kilometres further on and use one taxi for both. Ask the driver to wait - the fare for waiting time beats arranging a second pickup from a spot with patchy phone signal.