El Palacio da Pena is the most famous of all the castles in Sintra, and the one you'll see on all the Portugal guidebook photos. The brightly coloured red and yellow towers are visible from all around Sintra, as this castle is high on the hillside and the gardens include the highest point in Sintra.

Yes, you can see Pena Palace from almost everywhere in the town of Sintra. Because the palace is perched on one of the highest peaks of the Sintra Mountains (Serra de Sintra), its vivid red and yellow towers are visible from the historic center, the train station, and even from the distant Atlantic coastline on clear days. The most iconic view from below is from the Sintra National Palace (the one with the two "chimneys") in the town square; if you look up toward the clouds, you will see the romanticist castle shimmering above the green forest canopy. In 2026, many visitors enjoy the view of the palace "floating" in the morning mist, which adds to its fairytale reputation. However, the best way to see the palace is actually from the Castle of the Moors, which sits on a neighboring ridge and provides a direct, eye-level panoramic view of Pena's intricate architecture and colorful terraces.