Why go

Pena Palace is the fairy-tale castle on the hilltop above Sintra and the most visited monument in Portugal’s most famous day trip from Lisbon. It was created in the mid-19th century by King Ferdinand II, the German-born consort of Queen Maria II, who bought the ruins of a 16th-century monastery on the peak and turned them into a summer palace in a riot of styles: Gothic, Manueline, Moorish and Renaissance, painted in deep red and ochre yellow.

Around it Ferdinand laid out a park of more than 85 hectares, planting trees from around the world among the granite boulders of the Sintra hills, with lakes, follies and paths that lead to some of the best views in the region. Pena is part of the Cultural Landscape of Sintra, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Inside, the rooms are kept much as the royal family left them in the early 20th century. Outside, the terraces look over the Atlantic coast, the Castle of the Moors and, on a clear day, as far as Lisbon.

What to see

  • The palace terraces. The walkway around the palace walls gives the classic views, with the Triton arch and its sea monster over the gate.
  • The royal apartments. Rooms furnished as the last kings left them, with stucco, tiles and 19th-century furniture.
  • The monastery cloister and chapel. Remnants of the original 16th-century monastery, with a fine alabaster altarpiece.
  • The High Cross. The highest point of the Sintra hills, a short walk through the park, with views back to the palace.
  • The Chalet of the Countess of Edla. An Alpine-style chalet built for Ferdinand’s second wife, included in the essential ticket.

Plan your visit

The park opens daily from 9am to 7pm and the palace from 9.30am to 6.30pm, with last entry to both at 6pm. The essential ticket, covering park, palace and chalet, costs €20 for adults in 2026, €18 for ages 6 to 17 and over-65s, and €65 for a family. A park-only ticket costs €12. Palace entry is only with a booked date and time, and late arrivals are not admitted, so book online and allow time for the walk from the gate. A shuttle from the gate to the palace costs €4.50 return.

Sintra’s monuments can close in storms: all Parques de Sintra sites shut on 11 November 2026 for a weather alert, so check notices before you travel. Trains from Rossio reach Sintra in about 40 minutes, then bus 434 climbs to Pena. Allow three to four hours.

Leave the car in Lisbon. Parking near the palaces is very limited and the narrow roads up the hill are often congested, so the train and bus 434 are the simplest way up. If you want to combine Pena with Quinta da Regaleira, the Castle of the Moors or Monserrate on the same day, start early and book the Pena slot first, as it is the hardest ticket to get.

Nearby

The Castle of the Moors is next to Pena, reached by a path through the park. Down in the town are the Sintra National Palace and Quinta da Regaleira, and Monserrate is a few kilometres west.