National Palace of Pena: Essential Visit

Explore at your own pace — with an immersive experience

The Essential Visit is ideal for a first-time visit or for those who prefer maximum flexibility. The route focuses on the New Wing — the Palace’s state and representative rooms — while also revealing more everyday functions and lived spaces.

Inside the Palace, the Immersive Room offers a deep, sensory experience: art, audiovisual storytelling, interaction and multimedia engineering change the way you visit the National Palace of Pena, helping you understand and “feel” the place in a more intense, intuitive and emotional way.

What’s included

• Entrance to the National Palace of Pena (New Palace)
• Free exploration of the Park of Pena, including the Chalet of the Countess of Edla
• Access to the Immersive Room (from May 2nd)
• Terraces with panoramic views
• Free digital resources available in Portuguese, English, Spanish and French: Zoomguide – the official multimedia audio guide with integrated artificial intelligence; Pena Maps – a park orientation tool with recommended routes; Pena Quest – an interactive game inviting visitors to explore the park

Practical information

• Self-guided visit
• Languages available on digital resources: Portuguese, English, Spanish and French
• Visit to the interior of the Palace of Pena with date and time slot reservation.
• For online ticket purchases, the date and time on your ticket may be changed within one year.

Opening hours

• Park: 9.00am opening > 7.00pm closing (last ticket and last entry at 6.00pm)
• Palace: 9.30am opening > 6.30pm closing (last ticket and last entry at 6.00pm)

How to get there

• Entrances to the Park of Pena: Main Entrance – 38º 47’ 16.45” N 9º 23’ 15.35” W; Lakes Entrance – 38° 47' 21.4" N 9° 23' 31.9" W
• Public transport: Bus no. 434 (Scotturb) from Sintra railway station
• Private vehicle: Private traffic is not permitted on the access roads to this monument. Visitors are advised to use hiking trails or public transport from the railway station, the historic centre or the peripheral car parks around Sintra.
• Hiking trails: Santa Maria Trail (starting in São Pedro de Sintra, 1,770 metres, 1 hour); Seteais Trail (starting at the Palace of Seteais, 2,410 metres, 1h30); Villa Sassetti Trail (starting at the Historic Centre/Largo Ferreira de Castro, 1,850 metres, 45 minutes).
• Parques de Sintra’s responsibilities are limited to the parks and monuments under its management. The company is not responsible for external circumstances, namely access routes and transport to the sites.

Recommendations

• Please allow sufficient time for your journey to Pena. Access to Pena from Sintra Historic Centre by private vehicle is not permitted. Plan your journey in advance, considering the various options available: public transport or hiking trails.
• The time shown on your ticket corresponds to your entry time to the Palace, not to the Park. The Palace is located inside the Park of Pena, at the top of a hill. After validating your ticket at the Park entrance, you should allow time for the walk up to the Palace. If you are unable to make this journey on foot, a small transfer service is available at the Park’s main entrance to take you to the Palace (a ticket for this service must be purchased in advance). Regardless of how you travel between the Park entrance and the Palace, please allow approximately 30 minutes between the two points.
• If you arrive at the Palace before your reserved time, entry will not be permitted. Please proceed to the Palace entrance only at your scheduled time. Take the opportunity to explore the Park of Pena, the largest arboretum in Portugal, home to extensive botanical collections and hidden corners, including the Chalet of the Countess of Edla.
• Please have your ticket ready when you approach the Palace at your scheduled time.
• If you arrive after your reserved time, entry will not be permitted, and your ticket will not be refunded (please consult the general terms and conditions of sale). Plan your journey carefully to avoid delays.
• The ticket is valid for a single entry only.