Palacio da Pena

Palacio da Pena is one of the most admired places in Sintra. Each year it welcomes hundreds of thousands of visitors, ready to admire its unique style, and its colorful exterior.

Originally a medieval chapel, the palace expertly mixes different architectural styles and various influences. What is most striking, however, are its splendid colored terraces. And, the beautiful park.
It has been part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1995 and, in 2007, it was classified among the Seven Wonders of Portugal. All this to support the historical and architectural importance of this building.

The Palace stands on a hill, in a splendid position among the hills, surrounded by dense vegetation. Gardens that contrasts with the flamboyant style of the building.
Many of the original elements are perfectly preserved and you can still admire them today in their maximum splendor: the splendid halls and the King’s Chambers; the small chapel; the portal; the Queen’s Terrace (Relógio de Sol), with splendid views and beautiful colors.

The park surrounding the palace is also beautiful. It covers about 200 hectares, including shaded paths, avenues, suggestive pavilions and many different species of trees. Visiting the estate in its entirety, and without haste, would take more than half a day. We pass in review the Fountain of the birds, the Templo das Colunas, the Statue of Warrior. You walk uphill for about 10 minutes to reach the Cruz Alta viewpoint.

A different path (in our opinion to be preferred) leads to the charming Chalet and Jardim da Condessa d’Edla. You arrive with a walk of about 30 minutes. Therefore, allow for at least an hour and a half between the visit and the return journey (difficult to estimate during a one-day trip to Sintra). The Chalet, built by Elisa Hensler, second wife of King Ferinando II, and Countess of Edla. Interesting construction with manicured gardens.

PRACTICAL INFO

HOW TO GET

From Sintra Station you can reach the Palace on foot, by bus or by car. The latter is highly not recommended due to the difficulty of parking and getting around the city, especially in high season.
Bus is the recommended method. The station is located a short distance from the railway station. Line 434, called “Circuito da Pena”, connects Sintra Station, Palacio Nacional, Castelo dos Mouros and Palacio da Pena in a circular route. It is ideal if you plan to visit Sintra in just one day because it reaches the main points of interest.
From the historic center, in fact, to reach the Palace, you have to walk uphill for at least an hour, along more or less demanding paths. Not ideal with little time available.

PALACIO DA PENA TIMETABLE

The Palace is open every day, from Monday to Sunday, including holidays, from 09:30 to 18:30. The gardens close at 7pm.
Admission is allowed up to 30 minutes before the closing of the building.
The ideal time for the visit is just open, at 09:30, and after 17:00 (if you don’t have the same-day return ticket to Lisbon). The peak times, where there is the greatest flow of visitors, are around 10:30, when they arrive mostly by tourist buses, and in the early afternoon, after 15:00, when tourists flock to after having lunch in the Center. Historical.
Buy tickets directly online to avoid queues at the entrance. On the official website you can download the complete map of the entire area to your device.