Pena Palace FAQ
Short answers to the questions visitors ask most. Every number comes from the official Parques de Sintra website.
How much is the ticket to Pena Palace?
The Essential Visit, which covers the palace and the whole park, costs €20 for adults aged 18–64 and €18 for youths and seniors; children under 6 enter free. The park alone costs €12, and the Complete Visit with the Private Apartments €45.
Do you need to book Pena Palace in advance?
Palace tickets are always for a set date and entry time, so booking online ahead is the safe way to get the slot you want. Bought online in advance, they can be rescheduled on the Parques de Sintra website within one year.
What happens if you are late for your Pena Palace time slot?
You will not get in. The official rules say palace tickets are for one date and entry time; there is no tolerance for delays, you cannot go in early, and a missed slot is not refunded. The time is for the palace door, which is about 30 minutes uphill from the park entrance.
How long do you need at Pena Palace?
Plan about 1.5–2 hours for the terraces and the outside, 2.5–3 hours with the palace rooms, longer to explore the park: the walk up from the park entrance alone takes about 30 minutes, then the palace route, the terraces and the park, which covers over 200 hectares.
How do you get to Pena Palace from Lisbon?
Take CP Sintra Line trains from Lisbon’s Rossio, Oriente or Entrecampos stations; about 40 minutes from Rossio to Sintra, then Scotturb bus 434 from Sintra station to Pena. Private cars cannot drive up to Pena from Sintra’s historic centre.
How far is Pena Palace from the park entrance?
It is about 30 minutes uphill from the park entrance. If you would rather not walk, there is a small shuttle every 15 minutes between the main park entrance and the palace: first ascent 9:00, last ascent 18:15; last departure from the palace 18:30; the round trip costs €4.50 (ages 6+) and must be bought in advance.
What is the difference between the Essential and the Complete Visit?
The Essential Visit (€20) includes the New Palace wing of the palace (self-guided, at a booked time) and the whole Park of Pena, including the Chalet of the Countess of Edla. The Complete Visit (€45) adds the Private Apartments, at fixed times (11:15, 14:15, 15:00, 15:45, 16:15 and 17:00), maximum 20 people, with a Parques de Sintra visitor assistant.
Is the park-only ticket worth it?
At €12 it covers the Temple of Columns, the High Cross (Cruz Alta), the Valley of the Lakes, the Queen’s Fern Valley, the Camellia Garden, Pena Farm and the Chalet and Garden of the Countess of Edla, but not the palace rooms. For only a little more, the Essential Visit at €20 adds the palace interior.
What time does Pena Palace open and close?
Park 9:00–19:00 · Palace 9:30–18:30. Park: last ticket and last admission 18:00. Palace: last ticket 17:30, last admission 18:00.
Can you drive to Pena Palace?
Private cars cannot drive up to Pena from Sintra’s historic centre. Park in Sintra and take Scotturb bus 434 from Sintra station to Pena, or come by train from Lisbon.
Is the Chalet of the Countess of Edla included?
Yes. The chalet and its garden are part of the park, so both the Essential Visit and the park-only ticket include them.
Are there discounts for visitors with a disability?
Yes: 50% off for visitors with a disability, with proof; a companion enters free. Identified assistance dogs are allowed.
Who built Pena Palace?
King Ferdinand II had it built in 1842–1854, with Wilhelm Ludwig von Eschwege as architect, on the site of a Hieronymite monastery founded by King Manuel I, left in ruins by the 1755 Lisbon earthquake (its chapel survived). It became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995, as part of the Cultural Landscape of Sintra.
Do children pay at Pena Palace?
Under 6, no: children under 6 enter free. Youths aged 6–17 pay €18 for the Essential Visit, and a family ticket for 2 adults and 2 youths costs €65.
Need the numbers with their sources? See the Pena Palace key facts.