Pena Palace in Sintra, Portugal: How to get there, best photo spots and tips

The basic how-to’s for getting to Pena Palace, ticket types, best photo spots and other helpful tips.

Pena Palace, possibly the most colorful palace on the Iberian peninsula, was constructed in 1839 by King Fernando I, as a holiday residence for the Royal family. Pena Palace is a must visit while in Portugal – this multi-colored palace is the primary image on several postcards – is fittingly a fusion of several architectural styles including Gothic, Renaissance and Romanticism. Located on top of the highest peak of the Serra de Sintra, Pena Palace has this mystical air giving it both an idyllic and magical touch; trust me, you won’t get bored of photographing it from every angle possible.

Pena Palace is located in Sintra – a 40-minute train ride from Lisbon giving you little excuse not to visit it. If you prefer, there are also several tours from Lisbon that take you to Pena Palace and other popular locations in Sintra. On a clear day, Pena Palace can be seen from Lisbon. Check if you can see it from Lisbon’s several viewpoints.

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What to see in Pena Palace

In addition to the gardens, where we go into depth in the next section, there are several sections of the palace which should be visited. My favorite were the terraces which allow you to look at the colorful exterior of the palace. Look for the Triton – a mythological monster that is half-man and half-fish, or merman – while in the Triton’s terrace.

The Courtyard of Arches is another part of Pena Palace that’s worth visiting. Here you can see the Portuguese landscape that surrounds Pena Palace providing you a backdrop for some really nice photographs of the palace’s exterior. The stairs in the Courtyard of Arches section leads you to a small tiled covered chapel (with an amazing altar) and the Wall Walk allows you to get really nice views of the Moorish Castle, the Quinta da Regaleira and the Palace of Seteais. Also, if you go inside the Palace, you will get a chance to see how royalty lived with late 19th century furniture, art, and the personal objects of the royal family.

The gardens of Pena Palace: Where to find the best views

The gardens of Pena Palace shouldn’t be overlooked – especially if you want to get nice photos of the castle’s exterior. Make sure to pick up a map once you enter so you know where you are going – the gardens can be a bit of a maze, and we got a bit turned around. There are also some signs to the most important attractions as well as the distance to get there, but some are not so obvious.

There are two viewpoints that I highly recommend – the Cruz Alta viewpoint and St Catherine’s Heights (my personal favorite). Apparently, St Catherine’s Heights was the favorite spot of the queen – easy to understand why as it offers a magnificent view of Pena Palace. To get here, you will need to look for the fish pond/fountain, then take the path that leads up and you will find a staircase you have to climb (there is also a ramp like path on the other side of the fountain which is easier), once you get to the top there is a stone bench where you can look at the palace’s colorful exterior.

The Cruz Alta viewpoint offers a nice view but the issue is that the trees have grown so much that the view is obstructed. We climbed up a rock to take the photo but I highly recommend you bring a stick with you – such as this one. This is a popular spot and the area to stand next to the cross is fairly small for the amount of people who visit.

Getting to Pena Palace

I highly recommend you don’t walk all the way to Pena Palace from the center of Sintra. There are signs that indicate that it will take you around 65-75 minutes uphill – believe me, you don’t want to lose all of your energy walking up to the castle. Once you get there, you will need it to walk around. Here are a few options to get to the castle:

• By Uber: This was our preferred option and wasn’t expensive, and very reliable, so I highly recommend it.
• By Tuk Tuk: There are several Tuk Tuk offering their service. I recommend you asked in advance the price to get you to the Palace. While this is fun way to see the area, they will overcharge.
• By bus: Bus 434 that you can take from the center of Sintra, is another option. It costs around 12 euros for unlimited rides. We considered this option but after seeing the long lines and how crowded the bus gets (doesn’t matter the time of the day) we quickly dismissed it. Bus 434 runs every 15-20 minutes. There is a 435 green line as well but we never saw it the entire trip.

Getting your tickets to Pena Palace

Pena Palace is among the most touristic attractions in Sintra, and in Portugal as a whole. Therefore, it gets packed…massively packed. We went in the offseason to visit, and the tourists’ lines were insane so I can’t recommend enough the importance of booking your tickets in advance. Pena Palace will most likely be the most touristy and crowded attraction no matter what time of year you go. So if you buy tickets online, you will be able to select a time slot. Plan early, we booked our tickets two days before visiting and morning tickets were already sold out. Make sure you are on time, if you miss your time slot you will be denied entry to Pena Palace.

We visited at 3:00 pm and the light was perfect for photos. I would encourage you go to early in the morning or late in the afternoon. However, please note that crazy lines of people eager to enter the Pena Palace are a certainty, it doesn’t matter the day you go or the time you choose. The beauty of the palace will make it worth it though.

Tip: if you get a timed ticket, please note that you need to be in line at the time indicated. Once you get to Pena Palace, you will have to walk (the sign says for 30 minutes) to get to the palace. Therefore, make sure you get to the Palace with plenty of time. You can visit the gardens prior to your entry time, so you won’t be bored visiting early.

Additional tips

• The Palacio da Pena sits 390m higher than the center of Sintra so it can get cold. In fact, when we visited in April the wind made it quite chilly despite being a sunny and quite warm afternoon. I recommend you bring a sweater or a jacket.
• Lines to get water/food are long so make sure you bring a bottle of water and a snack during your visit. We recommend you bring a sandwich or two from town and enjoy a picnic in the gardens.
• Bring comfortable footwear and thank me later.
• Don’t even think about driving to Sintra. The streets are tiny, super packed, and there is hardly any parking.

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