It’s a demanding hour-long hike from the center of town up to the gate at the top of the mountain, so unless you’re fit, enjoying hiking, and have plenty of time to spare, you need to take a bus, which departs from outside the train station.

Manueline doorway inside the palace, added in the 16th century.

It was used by the Portuguese royal family until the end of monarchy in 1910, although by that time the king preferred to stay in Pena Palace.

Then comes the Magpies Room, with a Renaissance fireplace made of marble and a ceiling divided into 136 triangular panels depicting magpies. Admission is €10 or adults and €8.50 for children up to the age of 17 (there’s a 10% discount with the Lisboa Card). The Grotto of the Baths, an 18th-century addition to the palace. See your transportation options. That’s the “Palace+Park” ticket, which allows you to tour the interior, walk around the terraces outside, and explore Pena Park below. Discover. Such a magnificent monument naturally attracts thousands of tourists. It’s one of the country’s most important collections of baroque tiles, created by one of the leading artists of the time, known simply as Master P.M.P. One journey, many mysteries to be revealed. It’s recommended that you make it your last stop in town, before heading back to the train station if you’re visiting Sintra on a day trip. There are many different ways to explore Sintra. Quinta Da Regaleira is a beautiful palace that sits in a World Heritage protected landscape. Discover Sintra through the charm of the stories behind each park and palace.

For complete details, see the guide to the 434 bus.

Admission and Tickets to the Sintra National Palace.

Its kitchen's gigantic 33m(108ft)-high conical chimneys, added in the 1300s, are Sintra icons, while much of the interior and the windows on the façade date from a later period, the early 1500s, when King Manuel I decided to beautify the building.

Another highlight is the tile-covered Swans Hall, with a ceiling from the late 1500s painted with the swans that gave it its name. This walk takes you to the beautiful historical sites of Sintra Palace, that is the best-preserved medieval royal palace in Portugal, the Castelo dos Mouros, which was established during the 9th century and the Pena Palace with its 19th century Romanticism style of architecture and stunning vistas. Chalet and Garden of the Countess of Edla, The Gardens and National Palace of Queluz.

It’s one of the world’s most spectacular palaces and one of Europe's most eclectic constructions.

That’s followed by the Central Courtyard, with a twisted column at the center and faced by the rococo “Grotto of the Baths,” completely covered in tile panels and stucco ornamentation representing the “Creation of the World,” the four seasons, and mythological themes. 2. The Natural History Museum is right behind it, while Vila Sassetti is about a 10-minute walk up the road. It’s a Palace with Moorish origins dating back a thousand years, that has been expanded by various Portuguese Kings, and that’s filled with intimate courtyards, decorated with beautiful azulejos, and topped with iconic chimneys. Admission is €10 or adults and €8.50 for children up to the age of 17 (there’s a 10% discount with the Lisboa Card). A National Monument since 1910, Pena is part of Sintra’s “cultural landscape” that was classified by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 1995. Often compared to Germany's Bavarian castles, Pena is as symbolic to Portugal as Neuschwanstein is to Germany, but it actually predates that Bavarian icon by two decades, and is considered the first Romantic palace in Europe.

You may buy your ticket online: Skip-the-Line Ticket to the Sintra National Palace. Pena Palace. Once we were in Sintra, we did come across some trail maps posted at the Moorish Castle and Pena Palace, which would have been nice to have beforehand, although the trail we initially took is not included on either.

Another highlight is the trompe-l’oeil on the ceiling and walls of the Arab Room, which creates the illusion of depth, and the stucco decoration of the Great Hall, which also features a golden bronze chandelier and four large sculptures of “Turks” holding candelabra with 25 candles each. Here are both Sintra walking maps (note that in the second map, the town at the bottom is actually North of the castle): It was planned by King Ferdinand, who also ordered the planting of Pena Park below it. I'd seen such beautiful photos of the colorful castle that I was convinced I'd be in total awe when seeing it myself. 1. In the kitchen are displays of large cooking utensils used to prepare the royal banquets. It was at this time that the most grandiose room, the “Sala dos Brasões” (“Coat-of-Arms Room”), was built, which later, in the 18th century, was lined with several extraordinary tile panels depicting bucolic and hunting scenes. 3. The Pena Palace, or the Pena National Palace, is the colorful fairytale castle on the very top of the Sintra Mountains, overlooking the town.The Sintra National Palace is the white Palace with two large white chimneys, resembling a church, situated in the center of the Sintra village itself. The trail is primarily used for hiking and walking and is accessible year-round.

Never drive up to the palace, as there is almost no parking, and navigating the narrow twisting roads of Sintra can be nerve-wracking. Even more tiles cover the walls of the Arab Room, these dating from the 1400s. However, it is very much a must see, you just need some patience in the high season (April to September).

Skip-the-Line Ticket to the Sintra National Palace. No, it is not. Admission to Pena is €14 for adults and €12.50 for children between the ages of 6 and 17. Sintra Palace, Castle of the Moors and Pena Palace Loop is a 6.8 mile heavily trafficked loop trail located near Sintra, Lisbon, Portugal that offers scenic views and is rated as moderate. Savour Sintra's charm and enchantment from the most relaxing location: a contemporary spa set in an 18th century palace. 1. One journey, different senses to be awakened.

The "Visitor's Room" is covered with trompe-l'œil paintings, creating the optical illusion of sculpted walls and ceilings. There are watchtowers of various shapes, one of the gateways is topped by the half-man half-fish Triton, and much of the interior (untouched since the last royals left in 1910) is decorated with oriental porcelain and European furniture.

The exterior of the palace mixes several architectural styles. The jewel in the crown of the artist king.

Queluz Royal Palace, Mafra Royal Palace and Convent Private Tour from Lisbon (From $178.76) Sintra - Cascais Small Group Full Day Pena and Regaleira guided Tour from Lisbon (From $89.74) Private Sintra Tour from Lisbon with Regaleira Experience (From $227.35) Across the building is a pillory, whose origins go back to the 16th century. Suggested itineraries. The jewel in the crown of the artist king. This medieval palace, which stands in the center of Sintra and is also known as Palácio da Vila ("The Town Palace"), dates back to the 9th century, when the Moorish governors built their residence on the site. One journey, countless stories to be told.

Around the corner from the palace is the News Museum, while the palaces of Seteais and Quinta da Regaleira are within walking distance.

Resembling a fairytale castle, it was built in 1840 over an old monastery, which was incorporated into the new building (including a 16th-century chapel with a marble and alabaster altarpiece, and a Manueline cloister with decorative tiles from 1520). The exterior of the palace mixes several architectural styles. It’s here that many tourists stop for selfies, due to the magnificent view. Plan what to see and do. Located at the top of a mountain, it’s a fantasy palace mixing details inspired by the Gothic, Manueline, Moorish and Renaissance styles, creating one of the finest examples of European Romanticism.

The Sintra National Palace is located about a 10-minute walk from the train station, down the scenic road known as Volta do Duche. The art and furnishings that decorate the interior have been preserved to show what it was like to live like royalty between the end of the 1800s and the early 20th century. Finally, there’s a 14th-century chapel dedicated to the Holy Spirit, depicted as doves in the fresco paintings on the walls. Decide where to stay. The Anantara Seteais Spa and Wellness Centre offers pampering treatments fit for royalty, combining lush indulgences with restorative holistic awakenings. It was destroyed in 1854, but was eventually restored.

The palace is comprised of two wings -- the one built over the former monastery (painted pink) and the new one (painted yellow), ringed by storybook watchtowers, battlements, and even a drawbridge. 3. See your transportation options. If you just want to get close to the monument and see it from the terrace outside by the gate, you may acquire a cheaper ticket (the “Park” ticket), of just €7.50 for adults and €6.50 for children, which is the admission to Pena Park alone. When I was planning our stay in Sintra, Pena Palace was the palace I was most looking forward to visiting. Older tiles cover the walls of other rooms, making up the most important set of Mudejar (Moorish-Iberian) tiles in the world. This grandiose and magnificent palace is the beating heart of Sintra. Park and National Palace of Pena.