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A whimsical mix of colors, turrets, and towers perched high above Sintra, Pena Palace is Portugal’s most visited attraction and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. With multiple ticket types and upgrades, knowing what to book can save time, money, and effort. Here’s a quick overview before you choose your tickets.
Your ticket is first validated at the park entrance. From here, you can either wander through the forested gardens or head straight uphill toward the palace, then return later to explore the park’s trails, lakes, and viewpoints at leisure.
The path to Pena Palace climbs steadily for about 30 minutes through winding roads shaded by tall trees. To save time and energy, you can take the shuttle that runs between the park gate and the palace entrance.
Only tickets that include palace access grant entry inside. Explore the lavish royal apartments, the Manueline cloister, and the King’s private study, where every room reflects the eccentric vision of King Ferdinand II. Balconies and terraces reveal dazzling views over Sintra and the Atlantic coast.
Choose a guided tour for rich storytelling about King Ferdinand II’s vision and the palace’s construction, symbolism, and blend of architectural styles. Audio guides are a flexible alternative for exploring at your own pace.
Beyond the palace walls, follow quiet trails to find the Chalet of the Countess of Edla, the romantic retreat built by Ferdinand II for his second wife. The park’s ponds, exotic plants, and lookout points make it a destination worth lingering in.
End your visit with nearby sites like the Moorish Castle or Quinta da Regaleira, both easily reachable, to uncover more of Sintra’s royal history and fairytale scenery.
Location: Palace façade, between the cloister and terrace
A mythic guardian— half-man— half-fish bursts from coral and vines, symbolizing harmony between land and sea. Its sculpted detail, catching both shadow and sunlight, sets the tone for the palace’s fantasy-like design.
Location: South-facing terrace
From this sweeping balcony, the Sintra hills roll toward the Atlantic. Turrets glow in red and ochre, the Moorish Castle crowns a nearby peak, and mist drifts through the forest, a quintessential Pena view.
Location: Central courtyard
Step into calm symmetry surrounded by Gothic arches and azulejo tiles. Once part of a 16th-century monastery, this cloister blends Portuguese faith, artistry, and the quiet echo of monastic life.
Location: Palace interior
Inside the former monastery’s chapel, shafts of colored light spill through stained glass, illuminating gilded carvings and a marble altar. A moment of silence in a palace alive with color and sound.
Location: Upper palace
Walls shimmer with hand-painted arabesques, and every curve recalls Moorish design. The dim, golden light and geometric patterns create a hushed, dreamlike space inspired by Granada’s Alhambra.
Location: Palace interior
Laid as if awaiting royal guests, the table gleams with silver, crystal, and porcelain. Intricate ceiling moldings and velvet drapery recreate the quiet elegance of 19th-century courtly life.
Location: Western façade
Sea motifs twist around this stone balcony, where you can gaze across forest canopies to the distant coast. It’s one of the most photogenic corners of Pena, a mix of sculpture and sky.
Location: Winding through the park’s forested slopes
Wander through fern-filled trails and shaded clearings designed for royal solitude. Each turn reveals new angles of the palace—sometimes just a flash of red or yellow through the mist.
You should ideally book your Pena Palace tickets online a few days before your visit, especially during the peak season. Ticket availability on the day of your visit will be subject to availability.
Yes, you can book a guided tour of the Pena Palace. This gets you the benefit of having a local expert help you navigate the palace and its gardens while offering nuanced insights into its history and architecture.
You have three combo ticket options to choose from - one with the Moorish Castle, another with the Quinta da Regaleira, and the third that gets you the Lisbon Card. This card gets you a 48 or 72-hour pass to 51 attractions across Lisbon and free access to the city’s public transport, besides entry to some of its most notable landmarks.
The palace's hilltop location and historic architecture present some accessibility challenges, including uneven surfaces and stairs. While efforts have been made to accommodate all visitors, those with mobility issues may find certain areas difficult to navigate. It's recommended that you contact the palace in advance to discuss specific accessibility needs.
Yes, you can use the shuttle service to transport you from the park’s entrance to the palace. It runs every 15 minutes and is ideal if you’d prefer to avoid the 30-minute walk uphill. These shuttles also have space for a wheelchair if needed.
Absolutely! The best way to do this is to buy yourself a Pena Park ticket. This lets you explore the lush 200 hectares of greenery that surround the vibrant palace.
The Pena Palace is open every day from 9:30am to 6:30pm. The Pena Park remains open from 9:30am to 7pm. Keep in mind that the last entry is at 5:30pm.
A day trip is ideal for those who want a day-long journey exploring some of Portugal’s best landmarks and urban centers, including the Pena Palace. The key highlight is that they include round-trip transfers in an AC coach, eliminating the need to navigate the public transport infrastructure.
Absolutely! All day trips to Pena Palace have four language options, based on which your guide will offer key insights into the different attractions covered. These include English, Spanish, Portuguese, and French.
Yes, all the day trips offer round-trip transfers in an AC coach from a common meeting point in Lisbon, so you don’t have to worry about getting from one attraction to another yourself.
Headout is an authorized and trusted partner of the venue, offering curated experiences to enjoy this attraction.
Start your morning at Pena Palace before the crowds roll in, then take a short hike to the Moorish Castle for rugged views and a golden-hour sunset. Add an audio guide and make every stop count.
Explore Sintra’s iconic landmark with timed access, convenient shuttles, and audio guides.
Inclusions #
Entry to Pena Park
Skip-the-line entry/ standard entry to Pena Palace (as per option selected)
Audio guide in Portuguese, French, English, and Spanish (as per option selected)
Round-trip shuttle service between the main entrance of Pena Park and Pena Palace (as per option selected)
Exclusions #
Quinta da Regaleira
Pena Palace
Pena Palace
Quinta da Regaleira
Pena Palace
Quinta da Regaleira
Pena Palace
Quinta da Regaleira
Inclusions #
Pena Palace
Entry to Pena Palace & Park
Audio guide in English, Spanish & French (as per option selected)
Quinta da Regaleira
Entry to Quinta da Regaleira
Audio guide in English, French, Portuguese, Spanish & German (as per option selected)
Exclusions #
Live guide
Transfers
Shuttle between the Pena Palace and Pane Park gates
Moorish Castle
Pena Palace and Park
Moorish Castle
Pena Palace and Park
Moorish Castle
Pena Palace and Park
Moorish Castle
Pena Palace and Park
Inclusions #
Moorish Castle
Entry to Moorish Castle
Audio guide in Portuguese, English, Spanish, and French (as per option selected)
Offline content: text, audio, narration, and maps (as per option selected)
Pena Palace and Park
Entry to Pena Palace and Park
Audio guide in English, Spanish, French, and German (as per option selected)
Exclusions #
Transfers
Live guide
The ultimate Sintra day trip with fairytale palaces, ocean cliffs, and comfy AC transfers.
Inclusions #
Full-day trip to Sintra, Cascais, and Cabo da Roca
Round-trip AC transfers from Lisbon
Free time in Sintra and Cascais
Live commentary from local expert
Guided tour of Pena Palace, Pena Park, and Quinta da Regaleira with entry (as per option selected)
Expert Portuguese, Spanish, French, German, Italian, and English-speaking guide (as per option selected)
Exclusions #
Hotel pickup and drop-off
Food and drinks
Inclusions #
Guided tour of the Pena Palace and Park with entry
Expert English-speaking guide
Exclusions #
Hotel transfers
Shuttle service from Pena Park gate to Pena Palace gate
Experience the best of Sintra with a guided walking tour and AC transfers from Lisbon.
Inclusions #
8-hour full-day tour of Sintra
Round-trip AC transfers from Lisbon
Expert English, Portuguese, Spanish, or French-speaking guide (as per option selected)
Entry to Quinta da Regaleira and Pena Palace (as per option selected)
Exclusions #
Tips
Meals and beverages
You can cancel these tickets up to 24 hours before the experience begins and get a full refund.
Book now without paying anything. Cancel for free if your plans change.
You can cancel these tickets up to 24 hours before the experience begins and get a full refund.
Book now without paying anything. Cancel for free if your plans change.
