Pena Palace

Pena Palace crowns a hilltop in the Sintra Mountains above the town of Sintra, about 25 kilometres west of Lisbon. On clear days it can be seen from Lisbon. It is managed by Parques de Sintra and forms part of the Cultural Landscape of Sintra, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1995. It is also one of the Seven Wonders of Portugal.

A Hieronymite monastery stood on the site from the sixteenth century, but it was badly damaged by the 1755 Lisbon earthquake. King Ferdinand II, consort of Queen Maria II, bought the ruins in 1838 and had the palace built over the following years, with the German architect Baron von Eschwege. The royal family used it as a summer residence.

The palace mixes Gothic, Manueline, Moorish and Renaissance styles, painted in strong yellows and reds. Highlights include the Triton Arch, the original monastery cloister and chapel, the terraces with views to the coast and the furnished royal rooms as they were left in 1910.

The surrounding Pena Park covers more than 200 hectares of woodland with exotic trees, lakes and the High Cross viewpoint. Tickets are timed and should be booked online, and the walk up from the park gate is steep, though a shuttle runs to the palace.

How much is a ticket to Pena Palace? Parques de Sintra sells the Essential Visit to the park and palace for EUR 20 for adults aged 18 to 64 and EUR 18 for ages 6 to 17 and over 65. A park-only ticket costs EUR 12, and a family ticket for two adults and two young people is EUR 65. Guided palace visits of about 90 minutes cost EUR 75 per adult.

The park opens from 9.00 to 19.00, with last admission at 18.00. The palace opens from 9.30 to 18.30, and the last palace ticket is sold at 17.30. The Pena Shuttle runs every 15 minutes between the park gate and the palace terrace, with the last ride up at 18.15.

Getting to Pena from Lisbon. CP trains on the Sintra line leave Rossio, Oriente and Entrecampos stations for Sintra. From Sintra station, Scotturb bus 434 climbs to Pena. Private cars cannot drive up to the monument, so drivers park in the historic centre or the outer car parks. Marked footpaths lead up from town, the shortest being the Villa Sassetti trail of about 1.9 km, which takes around 45 minutes.

The hills are often wrapped in mist, so views change through the day. Book an early palace slot, wear shoes with grip for the steep paths, and keep a layer handy, as the summit is cooler than Lisbon.