You can visit two of Portugal's most charming towns on a day trip from Lisbon that goes beyond the city to explore the Sintra Mountains, a place notoriously difficult to reach independently. You'll tour Sintra's Pena National Palace and the town's UNESCO-listed historic center, and than travel to the Atlantic coast to see Cascais and Cabo da Roca, the westernmost point in continental Europe.

Meet a driver at a central location in Lisbon, and then travel into the Sintra Mountains in a climate-controlled minivan.

The first stop of the day is Sintra's Pena National Palace, whose fascinating history starts in the Middle Ages, then you'll have free time to stroll through the heart of the old city, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Pause to taste travesseiros (a beloved local sweet that's stuffed with almonds), and meet back up for the trip to the Atlantic Ocean, passing the pretty towns of Colares and Azenhas do Mar.

Pause at Cabo da Roca, and then visit Cascais, a fishing village turned elegant seaside escape. Before the return to to Lisbon, you'll stop by a famed gelato shop that's among the best in the country.

Your tour ends at the original departure point.