The 'Park Ticket' for the Palacio da Pena. There is a second entrance ticket to the Palacio da Pena, which provides entrance to the grounds only. The 'Park Ticket' costs €7.50, but surprisingly little of the palace and the terraces can be seen.
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I recommend going with the park/palace entry because it's worth the €14 euros. Now bring good comfortable walking shoes because when I tell you that you'll be doing a lot of walking only if you plan to explore more than just the palace.
What does my ticket include? If you buy a Park and Pena Palace ticket, you can visit the Pena Palace, the Pena Park and the Chalet of the Countess of Edla. If you purchase the Pena Park in Sintra ticket, you can access the Pena Park and the Chalet of the Countess of Edla, but not the Pena Palace.
Once inside, it takes about 45 minutes to an hour to walk through the interior of the palace. If you have less than 2 hours to spend at Pena Palace, I'd honestly skip the interior and use that time exploring the outside terraces, watchtowers, and gardens.
Standard fare is 5 euros per person. They are slower than taxi but make for a very pleasant, open air ride up to Pena Palace. And no waiting for bus. There are tuk tuks waiting at the train station, at city center/National Palace, at Pena Palace and at Moorish Castle.
Sintra in half a dayNo matter what you've seen or read, half a day is not long enough to fully appreciate Sintra. Three hours is only just enough time to see the historic centre and the Quinta da Regaleira (or Palácio Nacional de Sintra).
To reach the Palace of Pena, follow the signposted footpath as far as the main entrance to the Park of Pena and then climb to the Palace. This walk takes around 30 minutes.
If you arrive at the Palace of Pena after the time slot you booked, you will not be able to enter and your ticket cannot be refunded (see the general sales conditions here). Plan your trip ahead, to ensure you do not get late.
If you take an uber straight to the Pena palace, that would definitely be easiest (We drove from Lisbon and had to find parking in town and a way to get up the mountain because there is not much parking up there). I would get there 45-60 min before your scheduled time. Then you can walk down to the Moorish castle.
Where is the best viewpoint for Pena Palace in Sintra? There are several viewpoints in Sintra that offer great views of Pena Palace, but the most popular ones are the Pena Palace Terraces and the Cruz Alta viewpoint.
If you are starting your journey from Lisbon, you can take a direct train from Lisbon's Rossio Station or Oriente Station to Sintra. Once in Sintra, you can catch a bus or opt for a short taxi ride to reach the entrance of Pena Palace. You can also hail a taxi or an uber to the palace.
Tuk-tuks are best suited to short trips. Often it would cost the same (or even be cheaper) to take a cab to the same destination, but the smaller and more nimble tuk tuk will go a lot faster.
The 434 bus service is designed for tourists, and the fares reflect this. The highly promoted 24-hour ticket costs €15, a single fare costs € 4.10, and the Pena Circuit Round Trip €7.60.
Annual passes allow you to visit Sintra's heritage sites as many times as you like throughout the year. Here are the monuments you can visit with this pass: Park and Palae of Pena. Chalet of the Countess of Edla. Park and Palace of Monserrate.
The best time to visit the Pena Palace is in the early morning (9 am) or late afternoon (after 4 pm), when it has fewer visitors. This is perfect if you want to avoid crowds and tours which usually arrive between 10 am to 3pm.
As Pena Palace is the most visited palace in Portugal, which offers beautiful scenery with changing seasons, it is recommended to visit the place early in the morning after its opening, as it offers you more time to explore all the aspects of the attraction from the palace's interiors to its parks and surroundings.
Don't be like me—wear sneakers, or at least sturdier sandals. Due to its altitude and location closer to the coast, Sintra is often chillier than Lisbon, which was definitely the case when we visited. I recommend dressing in layers, and bringing a light jacket or sweater.