Hidden gem
Pena Palace
Sintra, Portugal
Palácio Nacional da Pena
A king's red-and-yellow fantasy castle on a misty hilltop above Sintra, 40 minutes from Lisbon.
Checked 6 October 2026
Pena Palace is the Romantic palace King Ferdinand II built on top of a ruined monastery in the Sintra hills, surrounded by an 85-hectare park, with the Moorish Castle, Quinta da Regaleira and Monserrate close by. The one rule that catches people out: the palace interior is sold only for a fixed entry time, there is no delay tolerance, and the walk from the park gate up to the palace door takes about 30 minutes, so you must be inside the park well before your slot.
About Pena Palace
Pena Palace sits on the second-highest peak of the Sintra hills, a riot of ochre and pink towers, onion domes, crenellations and a tiled sea-monster archway, with a view that on a clear day reaches the Atlantic, the Tagus and Lisbon's bridge. Around it lies the Park of Pena, 85 hectares of winding paths, lakes, fern valleys and trees from every continent, which the operator calls Portugal's most important arboretum.
It is the high point of 19th-century Romanticism in Portugal, and the anchor of the Cultural Landscape of Sintra, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1995. Next to the Alhambra or Neuschwanstein it gets less international attention, but it repays the trip: in one day on the same wooded ridge you can walk a 10th-century Moorish fortress, a king's fantasy palace and a millionaire's esoteric garden with an initiation well, each completely different from the others.
A chapel stood here from the 12th century, and in 1503 King Manuel I built a monastery for the Order of Saint Jerome on the summit. After religious orders were dissolved in 1834 it fell empty, and in 1838 Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, consort of Queen Maria II and known as the King-Artist, bought the ruin with his own money. With the German engineer Baron von Eschwege he added a whole new palace to the old monastery, wrapped both in walls, watchtowers, a tunnel and a drawbridge, and planted the park around it.
The two wings are still easy to tell apart: the pink Old Palace (the former monastery, with its cloister and the royal family's private apartments) and the ochre New Palace with the state rooms. After Maria II died in 1853, Ferdinand lived in the old monastery with his second wife, the opera singer Elise Hensler, Countess of Edla, whose Swiss-style chalet still hides in the west of the park. The palace became a National Monument in 1910, the year the monarchy fell.
What to see
The palace terraces
The walkways around the palace, including the Triton's Terrace under the tiled sea-monster arch and the Sentry Walk, give the classic views over the hills and the ocean. They are included even in the €12 park-only ticket, together with the kitchen and the chapel, so you can see the famous exterior without a timed palace slot.
The New Palace state rooms
The Stag Room, the Great Hall, the Smoking Room and the rooms of the last royal residents, King Manuel II and Queen Amélia. This is the Essential Visit route (€20): self-guided, entry only at the time on your ticket, and you cannot go back in.
The Private Apartments in the old monastery
The Manueline cloister, Ferdinand II's bedroom, Queen Amélia's dressing room and tea room, the Green Room and King Carlos's chambers. Only the Complete Visit (€45, groups of up to 20), the official guided visit (€75, up to 25) and the theatrical visit (€95) get you in.
High Cross and the park viewpoints
The High Cross on the highest point of the hills, the Temple of Columns and the Monk's Grotto are a steep but quiet walk from the palace, and are often where you get the full view of the palace that you cannot get from its own terraces.
Chalet and Garden of the Countess of Edla
The Alpine-style chalet Ferdinand built with his second wife, in the western part of the park, is included in every Pena ticket. Its entrance gate closes from 12:00 to 14:00, but you can still reach it from inside the park.
Valley of the Lakes and the Queen's Fern Valley
A string of lakes with duck houses, and a valley of tree ferns, in the lower park near the Lakes Entrance. In winter the camellias here are in flower; the park has been an International Camellia Society Garden of Excellence since 2014.
Moorish Castle walls next door
The 10th-century castle walls run along the next ridge, a few minutes from the Pena main entrance, with the best view of Pena itself. It needs a separate ticket (€12) and the same 434 bus stops at both.
Pena Palace tickets: which to buy and where
Buy from Parques de Sintra, the state company that runs Pena, the Moorish Castle and Monserrate. For most visitors the Essential Visit (€20) is enough; if you only want the views and the gardens, the park ticket (€12) includes the palace terraces and needs no timed slot. Your palace time is the time you must be at the palace door, not the park gate: allow 30 minutes from the gate, and if you are late you lose the visit with no refund.
The official ticket site
Parques de Sintra – Monte da Lua
The official online shop is bilheteira.parquesdesintra.pt, linked from the operator's own site parquesdesintra.pt. Online tickets bought there can be rescheduled until 18:00 the day before, for up to a year; tickets from the ticket office or machines cannot be changed.
Visit to the Park of Pena
€12 adult; €10 ages 6–17 and over 65; under 6 free; family (2+2) €40
Official ticketsSkips some lines
- Includes
- The whole park, Chalet of the Countess of Edla, the palace terraces, kitchen and chapel; no palace interior and no timed slot
- Best for
- Views and gardens on a tight budget, or when palace slots are sold out
Official site · as of October 2026See this ticket → (opens in a new tab)Essential Visit (park and palace)
€20 adult; €18 ages 6–17 and over 65; under 6 free; family (2+2) €65
Official ticketsSkips some lines
- Includes
- Self-guided route through the New Palace at a fixed entry time, the terraces and the whole park with the Chalet; skips the ticket office but not the queue at the palace door
- Best for
- Most first-time visitors
Official site · as of October 2026See this ticket → (opens in a new tab)Complete Visit to the Palace of Pena
€45 adult; €20 ages 6–17; €35 over 65; under 6 free; family (2+2) €115
Official ticketsSkips the ticket line
- Includes
- New Palace plus the Private Apartments, in a group of up to 20 with a visitor assistant; park and Chalet; slots at 11:15, 14:15, 15:00, 15:45, 16:15 and 17:00
- Best for
- Anyone who wants the whole interior, including the old monastery rooms
Official site · as of October 2026See this ticket → (opens in a new tab)Feel Sintra: Royal Palaces (two palaces and transport)
€42
Official ticketsSkips some lines
- Includes
- Pena Essential Visit and park, the National Palace of Sintra, and a 24-hour pass on Scotturb buses 434 and 435
- Best for
- Visitors arriving by train who want Pena, the town palace and the bus in one ticket
Official site · as of October 2026See this ticket → (opens in a new tab)National Palace of Pena and Park: Priority Entry Ticket
from €22.40
ResellerSkips the ticket line
- Includes
- Timed palace entry with fast-track access at the park gate and at the palace door, escorted from a meeting point by the palace shop; park included; no refunds or changes
- Best for
- Peak days when you want to skip the queue at the palace door; worth it only if you will be on time
Tiqets · as of October 2026See this ticket → (opens in a new tab)Sintra: Pena Palace and Park Entrance Ticket
from €12 (park only; palace options cost more)
ResellerSkips some lines
- Includes
- Park, Chalet and, depending on the option, the palace; the listing itself says it skips the ticket office, not the queue to enter the palace; non-refundable
- Best for
- People who already book everything in the GetYourGuide app; check which option you are buying
GetYourGuide · as of October 2026See this ticket → (opens in a new tab)
How to buy
- Decide what you want inside: park only (€12, terraces included), the New Palace (Essential Visit, €20) or the whole palace including the Private Apartments (Complete Visit, €45).
- Buy at bilheteira.parquesdesintra.pt. If you also want the Moorish Castle, Monserrate or the National Palace of Sintra, put them in the same basket: two sites get 5% off, three 6%, up to 10% for six.
- Pick a palace time at least 30 minutes after you expect to pass the park gate, and more on a summer day when the 434 bus queue is long. The time printed is your entry at the palace door, not the park gate.
- Keep the e-ticket on your phone (printing is not needed). If the forecast turns to thick fog or storm, you can reschedule online until 18:00 the day before.
Look-alike sites
Pena, the Moorish Castle, Monserrate, the National Palace of Sintra and Queluz are all run by Parques de Sintra – Monte da Lua, and its only online shop is bilheteira.parquesdesintra.pt, reached from parquesdesintra.pt. Many sites with Sintra or Pena in their name sell the same tickets with a mark-up or bundle a park-only ticket under a title that sounds like palace entry. Fast-track palace tickets are a separate product sold only through partners named on the operator's own site (Blueticket, Headout, Tiqets and GetYourGuide). Quinta da Regaleira is not part of this system at all: its only official online ticket office is regaleira.byblueticket.pt, and the foundation that runs it has warned that it turns away problems with tickets bought elsewhere.
We can never guarantee a ticket seller, tour company or deal. Prices, opening hours and what is included change, often without notice: check the details on the seller’s own page before you pay, and book through the official site where you can. How to avoid ticket scams · Disclaimer.
Guided tours of Pena Palace
You do not need a tour to see Pena: routes are signed, the Zoomguide audio guide app is free, and the official Complete Visit already puts you in a small group with an assistant. A tour earns its price if you want the history explained (the official 90-minute guided visit), or if you want someone else to handle the bus queue, the hill and a second sight such as Quinta da Regaleira in half a day. Check whether entry tickets are included: many day tours from Lisbon only see the Pena park, or ask for ticket money in cash on the day.
Official small-group guided visit
Guided Visit to the Palace of Pena
Parques de Sintra – Monte da Lua
New Palace and Private Apartments with a cultural mediator, up to 25 people, in Portuguese or English. Meets at the Welcome Centre at the park entrance and includes the transfer up to the palace; 15 minutes' tolerance. Park entry included.
€75 adult; €20 ages 6–17; €67.50 over 65
See this tour → (opens in a new tab)Official guided walk in the park
Park of Pena: Guided Tour
Parques de Sintra – Monte da Lua
For garden lovers: the park's follies, trees and lakes with a guide. No palace interior.
€20 adult; €10 ages 6–17; €18 over 65
See this tour → (opens in a new tab)Small-group guided tour starting in Sintra
Half-Day Sintra: Pena Palace & Regaleira Small-Group Tour
EasyEscape Tours (sold on GetYourGuide)Up to 8 people, in English, morning or afternoon. Meets in Sintra (Largo Vasco da Gama), drives you up to Pena, guides you round the grounds and terraces (the €12 ticket is park-only, so no palace interior), then walks to Quinta da Regaleira. You make your own way from Lisbon by train. About 7–8 km on foot.
€65, plus entry tickets paid in cash to the guide (Pena €12, Regaleira €20)
See this tour → (opens in a new tab)Full-day group tour from Lisbon
Sintra, Cabo da Roca, Cascais, Pena Palace & Quinta da Regaleira
Civitatis (local operator not named)Coach from Rossio Square with an English-speaking guide; entry to Quinta da Regaleira and to the Pena park and palace included, but the shuttle bus in Sintra costs €3.77 extra. Stops at Cabo da Roca and Cascais on the way back. Suits people who want everything arranged; you get less time at each place.
We can never guarantee a ticket seller, tour company or deal. Prices, opening hours and what is included change, often without notice: check the details on the seller’s own page before you pay, and book through the official site where you can. How to avoid ticket scams · Disclaimer.
Pena Palace deals and discounts
The official ticket bought online is the best buy; resellers add a mark-up for little extra. The real savings are the park-only ticket (€12 with the terraces), the multi-site discount when you buy several Parques de Sintra monuments in one basket, and free entry for under-6s.
Park-only ticket includes the terraces
At €12, the park ticket gets you onto the palace terraces, into the kitchen and the chapel, and the whole park with the Chalet, with no timed slot. Many visitors find this is all they need, especially on a crowded summer day.
Multi-site discount of 5–10%
Buy Pena with other Parques de Sintra sites in the same purchase: 5% off for two sites, 6% for three, 7% for four, 8% for five, 10% for six. Pena Essential Visit, the Moorish Castle and Monserrate come to €44 before the 6% discount.
Children, young people, seniors and families
Under 6s go free. Ages 6–17 and over 65 pay €18 for the Essential Visit and €10 for the park; a family ticket for two adults and two young people is €65 (Essential) or €40 (park). Proof of age may be asked for.
50% off for disabled visitors, companion free
Disabled visitors pay half price at Pena and a companion goes free. You can request tickets through the operator's form at least 3 working days ahead, with proof of disability.
Free on Sundays and holidays for residents of Portugal
Anyone resident in Portugal gets in free on Sundays and national public holidays, with a Citizen Card or ID plus residence document, issued only at a staffed ticket office on the day. It does not apply to tourists.
24-hour bus pass from the official shop
The Scotturb 434 and 435 pass costs €10.96 for 24 hours from first use and is sold in the Parques de Sintra shop, so you need not queue for it at the station. The Feel Sintra bundle (€42) adds the Pena Essential Visit and the National Palace of Sintra.
Best time to visit Pena Palace
Time of day: be at the park gate soon after it opens at 9:00 and walk the park while it is quiet, then use an afternoon palace slot. The operator itself says the afternoon is currently the quietest time inside the palace. Late morning to early afternoon is when the 434 bus queue, the road and the palace door are worst.
Weather: Sintra's hills make their own weather, and the palace is often wrapped in fog even when Lisbon is sunny, which hides the view you came for. Check a Sintra (not Lisbon) forecast and webcam the day before, and use the free online rescheduling up to 18:00 the day before if it looks grey.
Season and days: weekdays outside July and August are calmer. Winter brings the camellias and fewer people but more fog and rain. All Parques de Sintra sites close on 24, 25 and 31 December and 1 January, and the hilltop sites close at short notice for very high fire risk in summer and for storms and strong winds in winter; the operator posts these on its Notices page.
One day from Lisbon, in this order: an early train from Rossio; bus 434 or the trail up to Pena for the 9:00 opening; the park and terraces, then your palace slot; the Moorish Castle next door; walk down the Santa Maria or Villa Sassetti trail to town for lunch; Quinta da Regaleira in the afternoon (last entry was 17:30 in August–September 2026; check the current time). Monserrate (bus 435) and Cabo da Roca (bus 1253) need a second day or a taxi, as few people fit five sights into one day.
Tips and tricks
Gathered from travel forums, locals and the sight’s own advice, rewritten in our own words. What worked for others, not a guarantee.
Count 30 minutes from the gate to the palace door
The palace is a steep 30-minute walk above the park gate. Late arrivals are turned away with no refund, and early arrivals cannot go in before their slot either. If walking is hard, buy the €4.50 round-trip transfer from the main entrance.
From Parques de Sintra ticket conditions, 2026
Skip the interior if the day is packed
Regular visitors on travel forums often say the park ticket and terraces give the best of Pena without the timed slot and the queue at the palace door, and that the full exterior view is better from the High Cross or the Moorish Castle than from the palace itself.
From Rick Steves Portugal forum threads, 2024
Walk up, take the bus down or vice versa
Three marked trails lead up from town: Villa Sassetti from Largo Ferreira de Castro (1.85 km, about 45 minutes), Santa Maria from São Pedro de Sintra (1.77 km, about an hour) and Seteais (2.4 km, about 1.5 hours). Going up on foot beats the 434 queue on busy days; coming down is easy.
From Parques de Sintra, How to get there, 2026
The 434 is a one-way loop
The 434 runs in one direction only, and on busy afternoons it can pass stops near Pena already full. Visitors report having to walk down to town at the end of the day, so leave time and know the trail.
From GetYourGuide visitor reviews, September 2026
Use the Lakes Entrance for the lower park
Pena has two gates: the main entrance by the road up to the palace, and the Lakes Entrance lower down near the Valley of the Lakes. Starting at the Lakes gate puts you on the quieter garden paths first.
From Parques de Sintra, Park and National Palace of Pena, 2026
Do the Initiation Well first or last at Regaleira
The well at Quinta da Regaleira is one-way and gets a long queue with staff moving people on. Go straight to it when you enter, or leave it to the very end of the day.
From Travel blog reports on Quinta da Regaleira, 2026
Bring layers and grippy shoes
The hilltop is cooler, windier and damper than Lisbon, and the park paths are steep, uneven and slippery after rain. Visitors regularly mention tough uphill walking and poorly signed paths back down.
From GetYourGuide visitor reviews, September 2026
No food inside, lockers at the gate
The general conditions ban bringing food products into the site. There are lockers and a cloakroom at the main park entrance and at the start of the palace route, and a café and restaurant by the palace.
From Parques de Sintra opening times and conditions, 2026
How to get to Pena Palace
- From Lisbon: CP urban train on the Sintra line from Rossio (also from Oriente and Entrecampos) to Sintra, the last stop, in about 40 minutes. Pay with a Navegante Occasional card (€0.50, valid a year) loaded with a ticket or zapping credit, or buy a ticket from the machines.
- Up the hill: Scotturb bus 434 runs a one-way loop from Sintra station through the historic centre to the Moorish Castle and Pena. A 24-hour pass for lines 434 and 435 costs €10.96 in the official Parques de Sintra shop. Bus 435 goes to Quinta da Regaleira and Monserrate. On peak days the queue at the station can be long; walking up one of the marked trails takes 45–90 minutes.
- Taxi, Uber, Bolt and tuk-tuk: under the council's summer 2026 rules (in force from 8 July to 8 September 2026, with a possible extension), ride-hailing cars had to use 12 designated pick-up and drop-off points in the Sintra hills, one of them at Pena Palace; check whether they still apply. Tuk-tuks wait at the station and in town; agree the price before you get in. Uber and Bolt rides are hard to get going down, when drivers dislike the slow, congested road.
- By car: private cars may not drive up to Pena or the Moorish Castle, and driving in Sintra's historic centre is for residents only. Park at the peripheral car parks such as Lourel (free, about 500 spaces) and take the bus or train in. The same summer 2026 rules (8 July to 8 September, possibly extended) also sent tour coaches away from Volta do Duche in the town centre to Lourel.
Scams and problems to watch for
Look-alike ticket sites
Sites with Sintra or Pena in their name sell Parques de Sintra tickets at a mark-up. Quinta da Regaleira has publicly warned about visitors arriving with tickets bought from unrelated sites. The tell-tale sign: any domain other than bilheteira.parquesdesintra.pt (Pena, Moorish Castle, Monserrate) or regaleira.byblueticket.pt (Regaleira).
"Pena Palace ticket" that is park only
Some reseller listings are titled as palace tickets but the cheapest option is the €12 park ticket with no interior. If there is no entry time on it, it does not include the palace rooms.
"Skip the line" that skips only one line
A normal pre-booked ticket only skips the ticket office; you still queue at the palace door. Only the priority tickets with escorted entry skip both, and they are limited to 25 people per slot. Read what the listing actually says before paying more.
Tuk-tuk and driver touts at the station
When the 434 queue is long, tuk-tuk drivers and unlicensed drivers work the crowd at Sintra station and charge high prices to go up. The tell-tale sign is a driver who will not name a price for the whole trip before you set off.
Only the 24-hour bus ticket on offer
Independent guides report that on busy days drivers and street sellers offer only the 24-hour pass and say there is no single ticket. If you plan to walk one way, ask for a single fare (the official sites do not publish it); if you need the pass, buying it in the official Parques de Sintra shop (€10.96) avoids the queue.
Accessibility
Pena is hard for wheelchair users but possible with planning. There is a disabled parking space at the park, manual folding wheelchairs can be reserved, and a paid transfer runs every 15 minutes from the main entrance to the foot of the palace (disabled visitors get a discount), though its wheelchair platforms were listed as temporarily out of service; the operator offers a reservable traction device that clips onto most manual wheelchairs instead, and the electric Hop On Hop Off park circuit carries wheelchairs. From the transfer stop to the palace door is a 90-metre ramp with gradients up to 18%, which needs assistance. The palace shop, restaurant and café have been refurbished for full access, with an accessible toilet and a lift between floors. Disabled visitors pay 50%, a companion is free, assistance dogs are allowed, and tickets can be requested through the operator's form at least 3 working days ahead.
Combine it with
Moorish Castle
A 10th-century fortress whose walls snake along the next ridge, with the best view of Pena itself. Same bus stop, same operator, €12; do it straight after Pena while you are up the hill.
Quinta da Regaleira
On SightsaleA millionaire's early-1900s estate of tunnels, grottoes and the spiralling Initiation Well, a 15-minute walk from the town centre. Run by a separate foundation (Fundação Cultursintra) with its own timed tickets: €20 adult, €15 ages 6–17 and over 65, entry up to an hour after your slot (last entry 17:30 in August–September 2026; check current hours).
Monserrate Palace
An English collector's Moorish-Gothic palace in exotic gardens, 10 minutes from the centre on bus 435, and far calmer than Pena. €12 from Parques de Sintra, so it adds to the multi-site discount.
Cabo da Roca
The westernmost point of mainland Europe, on cliffs above the Atlantic, reached by Carris Metropolitano bus 1253 from Sintra station. The lighthouse courtyard and interpretation centre (€5) are now also run by Parques de Sintra; a good last stop for sunset.
National Palace of Sintra
The medieval royal palace with two giant conical chimneys in the town square, the only one lived in through all of Portugal's history. €13, open until 18:30, and handy for a rainy hour.
Questions people ask about visiting Pena Palace
How do I buy Pena Palace tickets?
Online at bilheteira.parquesdesintra.pt, the official shop of Parques de Sintra, or at the machines and ticket office at the park entrance. Online tickets let you skip the ticket queue and can be rescheduled until 18:00 the day before. Palace tickets come with a fixed entry time (2026).
Is it worth going inside Pena Palace?
If you like interiors, yes: the Essential Visit (€20) covers the New Palace state rooms and the Complete Visit (€45) adds the royal family's private apartments in the old monastery. If you mainly want the views and gardens, the €12 park ticket includes the terraces, kitchen and chapel, with no timed slot and no queue at the palace door (2026 prices).
How far in advance should I book Pena Palace?
A few days ahead is usually enough outside summer, but in summer and at weekends the popular morning slots go first, and the Complete Visit has only six 20-person slots a day. Many visitors book the night before so they can check the fog forecast; online tickets can be moved for free until 18:00 the day before.
How do you get from Lisbon to Pena Palace?
Take the CP train from Rossio to Sintra (about 40 minutes), then Scotturb bus 434 up to Pena, or walk up one of the marked trails in 45 to 90 minutes. A 24-hour pass for buses 434 and 435 costs €10.96 (2026). Private cars cannot drive up to the palace.
Can you skip the line at Pena Palace?
A pre-booked ticket skips the ticket office only. To skip the queue at the palace door as well, you need a fast-track priority ticket, sold only through partners (Blueticket, Headout, Tiqets, GetYourGuide) from about €22.40, with 25 places per slot and no tolerance for lateness (2026).
How long do you need at Pena Palace?
Plan 3 to 4 hours for the park and palace, including the 30-minute walk from the gate to the palace. For Pena plus the Moorish Castle and Quinta da Regaleira, allow a full day from an early train out of Lisbon.
Is Quinta da Regaleira included in the Pena ticket?
No. Quinta da Regaleira is run by Fundação Cultursintra, not Parques de Sintra, and sells its own timed tickets only at regaleira.byblueticket.pt or on site: €20 adult, €15 ages 6–17 and over 65, under 6 free (2026). Combined discounts apply only among Parques de Sintra sites such as Pena, the Moorish Castle and Monserrate.
More sights in Portugal
Hidden gemConvent of Christ
Tomar, Portugal
The Templars' hilltop castle in Tomar, with a round church and Portugal's wildest window.
- From
- €15
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours inside; a full day from Lisbon by train
Jerónimos Monastery
Lisbon, Portugal
Lisbon's carved-stone monastery of the sea voyages, with Vasco da Gama's tomb, in Belém.
- From
- Church free; cloister €18
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours for cloister and church; half a day with Belém Tower and a pastel de nata
Hidden gemMonastery of Batalha
Batalha, Portugal
Portugal's Gothic victory monastery, with royal tombs and chapels left open to the sky.
- From
- Church free; full visit €15
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours inside; half a day with lunch in the town
Before you go
The things that apply at every big sight: booking ahead, what skip-the-line really means, and the scams that follow tourists everywhere.