John and Maria were so welcoming and kind, and I loved staying in their beautiful, artistic home filled with John’s original paintings. They provided a hand-drawn map and lots of helpful information about the area, as well as a nice breakfast at 9 am or a bit earlier each morning. There was a small electric heater in the room that was welcome at night even in May.
The house is about a 15-minute walk up the hill from the train station. From there, you can easily continue up the hill to the Moorish Castle, and from there to the Pena Palace, then back down again to the center using the hiking trails to make a nice loop. I skipped entering the Pena Palace due to the crowds and just visited the grounds, which were lovely. Get your combination tickets ahead of time in the well-organized tourist center in town to avoid having to queue. Sintra is magical, and I hope to return and stay with John and Maria again.