Perched atop a hill overlooking the town of Sintra on the Portuguese Riviera, the Romanticist Pena Palace evokes mystery and magic among the many visitors who flock here each year.
(Photo: Michaela Loheit via Flickr / CC BY-ND 2.0)
A UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the Seven Wonders of Portugal, the majestic castle dates all the way back to the Middle Ages when a chapel was built on the top of the hill above Sintra. Today it attracts millions of tourists who come to marvel at its eye-catching profusion of architectural styles To visit Pena Palace, you can either buy standard admission tickets or book on to a guided tour that takes in other city attractions along the way. Here’s our breakdown of the two best options – and where to book them.
Tickets
Admission tickets for Pena Palace start at £20 for adults and £18 for children aged 6-17. This includes access to both wings of the palace, as well as the Chalet of the Countess of Edla and the forested grounds of Pena Park. When purchasing your tickets, you need to choose the day and time at which you want to visit. Opening hours for the attraction are 9.30am-6.30pm daily. Visitors should also note that access to the attraction from the centre of Sintra is not possible by private car. To avoid any queues, you can also purchase skip-the-line tickets.
We recommend buying standard Pena Palace admission tickets via GetYourGuide.
Tours
If you have the time and budget, Pena Palace also features on the itinerary of several guided tours that include visits to at least one other attraction as part of the package. For example, you can book a full-day sightseeing tour that takes in the palace and the stunning coastlines of Cabo da Roca and Cascais, as well as 1.5 hours of free time to explore Sintra. Tours of this type often take place as part of a small group, or for a more intimate and exclusive experience, there are also some private tours available that include visits to the palace.
We recommend booking Sintra tours that include Pena Palace via GetYourGuide.com.