National Palace of Pena

Stunning place, get there early for opening so you can see the grounds without so many around. The inside of the palace is interesting but I wouldn’t felt like I missed out if I didn’t go inside. The audio that you can purchase with the facility did not work well and the app kept closing so I wouldn’t recommend this. Many people around us went on a tour and this may be better if you are looking for the information.

Despite visiting on a weekday, we were disappointed by the long waiting times. The sheer number of visitors took away from the overall experience. Admittance was in groups at specific times, so it's important not to be late. Although the castle’s architecture and history were impressive and worth seeing, it was difficult to truly enjoy it with the large crowds. We felt like we were constantly in a queue, walking in single file throughout the entire visit.

Incredible fairytale palace in the mountains with a rich history, breathtaking architecture and scenery. It is very likely to be like nothing you have ever seen before and well worth the trip.

We had an otherworldly experience as the mist lay in the valley while we had full sun at the palace. Be prepared for the weather to be several degrees cooler in the mountains especially in the cooler months.

There are also extensive gardens as well as a Moorish castle which could easily take a day to explore. Sadly we didn't have time to see either of these and will definitely come back another time.

This is well worth taking a guided tour originating in Lisbon to avoid queues and simplify the journey.

This is a fantastic palace to explore. There's a lot of history here with lots of plaques detailing lots of interesting facts on daily life of the occupants. The architecture is absolutely beautiful, as are the views.

You absolutely need to purchase tickets in advance. Tickets are timed and you need to arrive within your timeslot. Once in, you can stay as long as you'd like, though you'll likely be done after a couple of hours, unless you are a real history buff and wish to read every plaque in every room.

If you're visiting the palace, your ticket also allows you to explore the surrounding grounds, which are huge. You could certainly spend the rest of the day wandering the trails and monuments. If you enjoy hiking, you can allot as much time here as your schedule allows.

Bathrooms are available on site.

If you're visiting multiple sites in Sintra in a single day, I would recommend hiring a driver to maximize your time. You can certainly do it on your own with public transit, but it'll be rushed as you'll be spending more time waiting.

What a beautiful Palace it is. This was the second time I visit. What I don't like it is that was very crowded and you had lots of people near you. It is better to buy the tickets in advance if you want to be sure you will visit. Stick with the hour indicate on the ticket because you aren't allowed to get in.

What a beautiful place. Lines are very large so tickets should be bought in advance and you can only enter at the designated time.
If you want you can visit the exterior part only, but you won’t get to see all areas.
The restaurant in the basement serves great food and was a good option for lunch after a few hours on the lines and touring the castle.

It is a lovely and stunning palace. We got tickets ahead of time, but unfortunately, we walked up the mountain and didn't make it on time; the staff didn't allow us to visit inside the palace for being late... In the future, I recommend arriving 15-30 minutes before your time. You have to pay again if you are late; we skipped the palace inside since the outside is perfect photography. We had a lovely picnic in the park.