Pena Palace is the red-and-yellow Romantic palace on a summit of the Sintra hills, created for King Ferdinand II from 1838 around a 16th-century monastery and set in an 85-hectare park of exotic trees. Palace tickets are sold for a fixed date and entry time. The Essential Visit costs €20 for adults, and the park opens 9:00–19:00 (as of October 2026). The walk from the park gate to the palace takes about 30 minutes. Allow at least half a day.
Right now in Pena Palace
- Wed15–19°C59–67°FPartly cloudy
- Thu13–22°C56–71°FMostly clear
- Fri16–24°C60–75°FClear
Tickets and tours for Pena Palace
See all tours for Pena Palace →
From local operators, with prices and reviews; you check availability and book on Viator, our partner. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. How we earn money
Why Pena matters
The story starts with a chapel built on the summit after reported apparitions of the Virgin, followed in 1503 by Manuel I’s Monastery of Our Lady of Pena, given to the Order of Saint Jerome. The monastery survived the 1755 earthquake but was abandoned when the religious orders were dissolved in 1834.
In 1838 the ruin was bought by Ferdinand II, the German-born prince of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha who had married Queen Maria II and became king consort. He was a painter, collector and patron, known in Portugal as the King-Artist. What began as a restoration became a new palace attached to the old monastery, built under the supervision of Baron Wilhelm Ludwig von Eschwege. It mixes Manueline and Moorish motifs with walkways, watchtowers, a tunnel and even a drawbridge. Parques de Sintra calls the result the pinnacle of Romanticism in Portugal.
The royal family kept using Pena until the end of the monarchy. Queen Amélia was staying here when the Republic was declared on 5 October 1910 and left from here for Mafra and then Ericeira, where the royal family sailed into exile. The palace became a national monument in 1910. It is the most important site in the Cultural Landscape of Sintra, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1995.
What you’ll see
The palace has two wings. The New Palace holds the state rooms: the Stag Room, the Great Hall, the Smoking Room and the princes’ chambers in the tower. The Old Palace, the former monastery, keeps the Manueline cloister, the chapel and the private apartments where the royal family actually lived: Ferdinand II’s bedroom, Queen Amélia’s dressing room and tea room, King Carlos’s chambers, and the dining room. Outside, the terraces (the Queen’s Terrace, Triton’s Terrace, the sentry walk) give huge views over the hills to the Atlantic.
The Park of Pena, laid out by Ferdinand II, is Portugal’s most important arboretum, with trees from every continent and camellias introduced in the 1840s. Paths lead to the High Cross, the Temple of Columns, the Monk’s Grotto, the Valley of the Lakes, the Queen’s Fern Valley and the Alpine-style Chalet of the Countess of Edla, built by Ferdinand and his second wife. Entry to the chalet is included in all Pena tickets.
Tickets and how to visit
From Parques de Sintra, the official operator, as of October 2026. Ages: adults 18–64, youths 6–17, seniors 65+; children under 6 are free.
- Essential Visit (park + New Palace, self-guided): adult €20, youth or senior €18, family (2 adults + 2 youths) €65.
- Complete Visit (park + New Palace + private apartments): adult €45, youth €20, senior €35, family €115. A Parques de Sintra visitor assistant goes with each group.
- Guided Visit (90 minutes with a guide): adult €75. Park only: adult €12, youth or senior €10, family €40.
- Hours: park 9:00–19:00 (last ticket and entry 18:00); palace 9:30–18:30 (last ticket 17:30, last entry 18:00).
- Closed: 24, 25 and 31 December and 1 January. Sites in the hills can also close for very high fire risk, strong winds or State events.
- Timed entry: palace tickets are for a fixed date and time, and that time is when you enter the palace, not the park. If you arrive late you can’t get in, and there’s no refund. Online tickets can be rescheduled up to 18:00 the day before.
- Discounts: 5% when you buy two sites in one purchase, rising to 10% for six. Visitors with a disability get 50% off, and a companion goes free. Residents of Portugal enter free on Sundays and public holidays at the ticket office.
How long to allow and when to go
Plan 3–4 hours: 30 minutes from the gate up to the palace, about an hour inside, and time for the terraces and at least part of the park. Parques de Sintra says the afternoon is currently the quietest time inside the palace, and suggests exploring the park in the morning and booking an afternoon palace slot. Mist often wraps the hill, so bring a layer even in summer.
Accessibility
The palace interior is not accessible to visitors with reduced mobility because there are stairs throughout the route. In the park, a paid transfer (€4.50 return, runs about every 15 minutes) goes from the main entrance to the foot of the palace. Its wheelchair platforms are temporarily out of service, so Parques de Sintra offers Swiss-trac traction units instead (book ahead). From the drop-off, a ramp of about 90 metres, up to 18% steep, leads to the palace entrance. The electric Hop-On Hop-Off park shuttle (€4.50) carries wheelchairs. The palace restaurant, café and shop are accessible, with an adapted toilet and a lift.
Getting there
Take the CP Sintra-line train from Rossio, Entrecampos or Oriente to Sintra (about 40 minutes from Rossio). From Sintra station, Scotturb bus 434 runs up to Pena. Private cars are not allowed up to Pena, and driving in the historic centre is limited to residents. As of October 2026, CP lists its “Train & Bus” day ticket (train plus buses 434 and 435) as temporarily suspended, so buy the train and bus tickets separately. Fit walkers can climb on marked trails, such as the Villa Sassetti trail from Largo Ferreira de Castro (1.85 km, about 45 minutes) or the Santa Maria trail from São Pedro de Sintra (1.77 km, about 1 hour).
Combine it with
The Moorish Castle is on the next peak, also on the 434 route, so many people do both in one morning (a combined purchase gets 5% off). Below in town are the Sintra National Palace and Quinta da Regaleira. One day fits two or three sites comfortably. See our Sintra guide and Lisbon guide for day-trip planning.
Pena Palace FAQ
Do I need to book Pena Palace in advance?
Yes, ideally. Palace entry is only at the date and time on your ticket, and late arrivals are not admitted. Booking online also lets you reschedule up to 18:00 the day before.
How much are Pena Palace tickets?
As of October 2026, the Essential Visit (park and New Palace) is €20 for adults and €18 for youths and seniors. The Complete Visit, adding the royal apartments, is €45. Park-only tickets are €12. Under-6s are free.
What is the difference between the Essential and Complete visits?
The Essential Visit covers the New Palace state rooms and the whole park. The Complete Visit adds the private apartments in the old monastery wing, such as the royal bedrooms and dining room, with a visitor assistant.
How long does it take to walk from the entrance to the palace?
About 30 minutes, uphill. A transfer shuttle (€4.50 return) runs from the main entrance. Either way, build that time in before your palace slot.
Can I drive to Pena Palace?
No. Private cars are not allowed to Pena or the Moorish Castle. Use bus 434 from Sintra station, the walking trails, or park in the peripheral car parks.
Is Pena Palace accessible for wheelchair users?
The interior isn’t, because of stairs throughout. Parts of the park, plus the palace café, restaurant and shop, can be reached with the transfer, bookable traction units or the Hop-On Hop-Off shuttle.