We are headed to Portugal next week, and the forecast is for rain every day of our trip 
We can adjust plans to shift to more museums/cafes and other indoor spaces in Lisbon, but I am wondering whether it is still worth it to go to Sintra and Obidos? Looking for suggestions for anyone who has been…also, frankly looking for some words of encouragement that we will still have a great time, as it is hard not to feel a little dispirited.
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When we were in Portugal in October of 2023 we had a rainy day in Porto where we visited the Douro Valley for wine tasting on a bus tour. We left for the tour from Porto and the rain didn’t ruin our day. We also had a day of rain in Lisbon and went to the National Tile Museum and really liked that. We went to the Carriage Museum in Lisbon and enjoyed that too. I think you can still go to Sintra. Just try and pick a day that is supposed to be less rainy.
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We’ve been on plenty of trips that were rainy and we always had a good time! Bring a raincoat, waterproof pants, and umbrella. Also two pairs of walking shoes so you can alternate days so they can dry out. My mantra is always “we won’t melt”!
I haven’t been to Obidos but have been to Sintra. Sintra Palace is worth going to rain or shine. The line to get in is outdoors but IMO, it’s totally worth it. You may want to skip walking the Moorish castle walls (the steps will be slippery when wet) but you should still be able to walk around the ruins. You can also go visit Quinta da Regaleira. The mansion is worth going through and you can walk through the caves without going down the well steps.
Don’t be discouraged! You’ll have a great time!
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This is a timely thread. My wife and I are planning a Portugal visit in April.
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I would probably not go to Sintra on a rainy day because the traffic to get to the castles be very heavy. It was very difficult to get ride share to go to the top on a sunny day so I can only imagine how busy it is on a rainy days. Weather forecast changes so I would use any non rainy day to go to Sintra. Sintra was my favorite part of the trip.
What’s the best way to reach Sintra from Lisbon? By car, or train?
we are taking a train. I’ve heard parking is difficult.
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We drove as we had a rental car. There are a bunch of public parking areas. We opted to walk to the top but you can get a ride share to the palace.
If you are inclined to walk, it’s a gorgeous hike through a forest, albeit uphill.
My recollection is that there is a train option but it requires a bus too.
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By train. Then ride share or bus that stops at every attraction to the top. The cost of the bus ticket is not much less than ride share considering that realistically you probably will see not more than two attractions per day.
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We are also going in late April. I read that several museums in Lisbon (including the tile museum, which I really wanted to see) are closed for renovations
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I was in Lisbon for few days by myself. I booked a small tour (12 people) to Sintra with Peña Palace. It was one of the highlights of my trip. We had less waiting with full guide. It well worth it.
I am going to Faro, Portugal again this summer. We go there for the beach, and it’s a lot less crowded than Porto or Lisbon.