National Palace of Pena & Park

The site began as a monastery of Our Lady of Pena, built by the Hieronymite order, which the Lisbon earthquake of 1755 left in ruins. King Ferdinand II bought the ruins in 1838 and had Baron Wilhelm Ludwig von Eschwege rebuild them as a royal summer residence between 1842 and 1854. Queen Amélia spent her last night here before going into exile after the revolution of 1910.

The palace is a showcase of 19th-century Romanticism, mixing Neo-Gothic, Neo-Manueline and Neo-Islamic elements. Its façades were originally red and yellow, faded to grey over the years and have been restored to their original colours. On clear days the palace can be seen from Lisbon. Around it, Pena Park covers more than 200 hectares, planted with trees from North America, China, Japan, Australia and New Zealand.

Pena is part of the Cultural Landscape of Sintra, a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1995, and was voted one of the Seven Wonders of Portugal. On Tiqets you can choose an entry ticket for the palace and park, a park-only ticket, a full access ticket with audio guide, a guided tour or a theatrical visit, as well as a combination with Quinta da Regaleira and day trips from Lisbon.

Sintra is busy, especially in summer and at weekends, so book a palace time slot and arrive early. The palace sits at the top of a steep hill above the town; allow time to get up there and to walk in the park, which is large enough to fill hours on its own.