Sintra International Singing &
Choral Conducting Course

SINTRA - ACCOMMODATION

Please note, accommodation should not be reserved or booked until the application form and deposit have been received and a place on the course has been confirmed. When you receive conformation that your place in the course is secured, you will also receive the access code to a detailed list of accommodation in Sintra.

Participants on the course are responsible for booking and paying for accommodation themselves. Please be prepared to pay in cash as this is often requested. Please contact pedrodorey@sapo.pt with any queries or problems.

Pedro is the course interpreter, a native of Sintra. He can respond to queries in Portuguese, Spanish, Italian or French. He has compiled a recommended list of establishments, and has numerous contacts. The guidebooks often seem to list expensive places. Pedro has access to accommodation not advertised on the Internet.

Please advise Pedro if you are interested in sharing accommodations to reduce expenses, or to apply for a small bursary available to Portuguese applicants or those in full time education.

OPTIONS

From 5 star hotels to cheap rooms for 40€ a night in characterful old buildings. The best deals are self catering apartments and rooms in the heart of the old quarter. For example a twin bedded apartment can be 60€ a night (30€ per person) and a twin bedded room 40€ a night (20€ per person). There are also large houses 10–15 minutes’ walk away with attractive grounds and stunning views, as Sintra is built over several ravines. Please check whether breakfast is included, and whether there is air-conditioning. The nights are cooler than the day because of the breeze from the sea.

DISTRICTS OF SINTRA

Of the three quarters of Sintra, the old quarter, Vila Velha is closest to the rehearsal and concert venues. Accommodation here can be in narrow, winding streets, sometimes with great views. It is strongly recommended that accommodation is booked in the old quarter, as the other districts are interesting to visit, but too far away to be practical unless one is prepared for hearty walks. Estefânea is the modern quarter close to the railway station; this is the cheapest area. São Pedro is a former village where the twice-monthly market is held.