How to visit Pena Palace (Sintra): schedules, prices

Do you know that the Palace of Pena must be a essential visit If you have time to take a tour of the surroundings of Lisbon?

In these surroundings you have numerous tourist attractions, but when it comes to a monument to visit, there is nothing comparable with the Pena Palace.

Located in an incredible location, at the top of the mountain that is located in the center of the peninsula that extends from Lisbon, Pena Palace it will really seem like a real fairy tale castle.

At its feet is the tourist town of Sintra and all in an environment of lush forests where other interesting palaces are located such as the Quinta de Regaleira o Monserrate.

Currently it is one of the most visited monuments in Portugal, with an architecture that is a sample of the so-called Manueline style.

Curiosities and history of the Pena Palace

The Pena Palace is the best expression of Portuguese romanticism of the nineteenth century.

Its construction is due to the impulse of the king consort Ferdinand II, who at the beginning of that century ordered the construction of this palace with the purpose of being a summer residence for royalty.

Precisely the special climate of the Sintra Mountains, with its lush forests, which make it the most important tree area in Portugal, led to the fact that since the time of the Arab occupation this area was chosen to build palaces, gardens and summer houses.

He is known as Sintra Park It comes to occupy about 900 hectares, and the entire landscape and monumental enclave of the Sintra Mountains, in 1995 it was declared Heritage awarded by the Unesco.

On the other hand, do you know that the privileged location of the Pena Palace Was it previously occupied by a monastery?

Indeed, since 1503 there was the Hieronymite monastery Our Lady of La Peña, which was built from a 12th century chapel.

With the earthquake of 1755, the monastery suffered serious damage, and finally, in 1838 it was acquired by the king Ferdinand II to build the palace.

Since its completion, the Palace of Pena It was the residence of five kings of Portugal, whose periods of reign and dynasties you will be able to see in detail on a large panel that during your visit you will find in the cloister of the old monastery.

Manuel II He was the last king to reside in the palace, and after the implementation of the republic in Portugal In 1910, it became a museum open to visitors.

Sintra and Pena Palace tour from Lisbon

In order to visit this enclave, from Lisbon you have the option to sign up for one excursion to Sintra and the Pena Palace, in which in an 8-hour day accompanied by a guide in Spanish you will also visit Cascais.

If you prefer, you have the option of private excursion to Sintra and Cascais, in which you can include the visit of the Pena palace.

These excursions with guide in Spanish They are ideal for a group of family or friends and allow you to organize visits to suit you.

How to go up to Pena Palace from Sintra

If you are going to visit it on your own driveI warn you that at the top of the hill there are hardly any parking areas. And if your visit coincides with a weekend or during a period of high tourist influx, it is certain that you will not even have a place to leave your vehicle.

Precisely on one of the first visits I made to Sintra This reason made me give up visit the palace Well, I arrived at its doors and there was no way to park.

Of course, it was a massive festive weekend...

You have the option of get on the regular bus that takes you to the palace from the town of Sintra.

How to visit and what to see in the Pena Palace

When you reach the top, you will find yourself at the entrance to the so-called Pena Park that surrounds the palace.

Here you will find the ticket offices, but you will still have a stretch to walk up to the entrance of this curious fortification.

For only two euros you have the alternative of ride a small bus decorated as if it were a tram, and if you opt for it, with the same ticket you can then get off in said vehicle.

And before the imposing palace, you will be struck by the fact that its architecture is a mixture of styles that includes the manueliNo., an evolution in Portugal of the Gothic combined with Mudejar.

You will see that the palace has two clearly delimited areas.

Former Hieronymite monastery in Pena palace

You will start the visit at central cloister, and then enter the building ancient Hieronymite monastery that had been in that place since the 1842th century, which from XNUMX was adapted for this summer palace.

The first rooms you will see, all small in size, are the old family dining room, king's assistant's room, as well as the office of King Charles I.

On the second floor of this old monastic area of ​​the palace You will see the rooms of the queen and her assistants, where the ceilings decorated with different stuccos will catch your attention.

With traditional Portuguese furniture, you will also see the Queen's dressing room and Reading room, and one of the rooms that stands out the most on this floor is the so-called Arab Room.

Queen's Terrace in Pena Palace

Then you arrive at the Queen's Terrace, from where you have the best panoramic views from the Pena Palace, including those of Lisbon.

Finally, from the aforementioned terrace you access the area of ​​the new palace, a building that was added to the old monastery to complete the summer residence.

Here, above all, the so-called Indian Room, with its striking wooden furniture.

Window of the Triton in the Pena Palace

On the exterior façade of this addition is the iconic corner of the Pena Palace, Porch of the Triton.

It is a large window with lush decoration, in which the figure of a type of monster called Triton.

Also known as the Triton's Window It is an allegory of the creation of the world.

With a basic structure of neo-Gothic style, characteristic of the Portuguese Manueline, all of it presents a profuse decoration of vegetation and coral shapes.

It is said to be a maritime interpretation of Manueline style.

Without a doubt, the element that stands out in this set of porch and window is the figure of the Triton, who is half man and half fish, and also adopts the position of the trunk of a tree.

When you see the Porch of the Triton, it will give you the feeling that the monstrous figure is supporting the entire window on its back, which is also surrounded by the branches and leafy vegetation of said tree.

For the realization of The Triton The architect was inspired by the window also from Manueline style of the sacristy of Convent of Christ, riding a Tomar, which dates from 1513.

A final tip: to see in more detail the Triton window, you can do it well from the aforementioned Queen's Terrace.

To finish the visit, you will pass through the living room whose walls are covered with dozens of stuffed deer heads, and through a large room that emulates the old kitchens of the palace.

In sum, a essential visit in the surroundings of Lisbon, since it is a building that maintains its ornate decoration and furniture,

I tell you that without a doubt you can feel how the Portuguese kings lived during their summer stays.

Below you have useful information for your visit to this monument, one of the most visited in Portugal.

Pena Palace visit schedules

The Pena Palace visiting hours They are, under normal conditions, from 9 a.m. to 19 p.m., with the last entry being 18,15:XNUMX p.m.

You can visit the park that surrounds this palace from 9,30:20 a.m. to XNUMX p.m., with last access to the park one hour before.

In low season, from November to April, visiting hours are from 10 a.m. to 17,30:9,30 p.m., and the park is from 18:XNUMX a.m. to XNUMX p.m.

Pena Palace ticket prices

The Pena Palace ticket prices They vary depending on whether it is high or low season, with the price for adults being 14 euros.

can also be purchased combined tickets to visit other monuments of the Sintra parksand Monserrate palace and park, Capuchin Convent or Castle of the Moors.

Here you can check the Updated rates for the Pena Park and Palace.

And here you can buy the tickets to visit the Pena Palace with priority access, which will allow you to avoid the frequent crowds that form in this monument which, I remind you, is one of the most visited in Portugal.