Visit Pena Palace: The Hilltop Fairytale
Sintra Portugal was a favorite summer retreat of the Portuguese Royal family. Pena Palace was commissioned by Ferdinand August Franz Anton to become their summer residence. Ferdinand was from Austria and married into the Portuguese royal family becoming King Ferdinand II. He fell in love with the views and surrounding land of Pena Convent. The property had been damaged during the 1755 earthquake and was in disrepair. An amateur architect from Germany’s Rhine Valley was commissioned to design the castle. Ferdinand was artistic and wanted the castle to reflect an opera. He purchased the castle in 1838; construction began in 1842.
READ Complete Travel Guide to Portugal
READ Sintra Portugal: Magical Things to Do and See
The Queen died while giving birth to their 11th child and never lived in the palace. Ferdinand remarried. He passed away in 1885, the year the castle was completed. Pena Palace was willed to his second wife, the Countess of Edla. The palace was purchased by the Portuguese State in 1889. The royal family fled during the Republican Revolt of 1910 and the palace was abandoned. The state declared the palace a national monument and turned it into a museum.
Pena National Palace became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995. The staterooms have been restored to their 1910 décor. The surrounding 270-acre grounds consist of 500 species of foliage, paths, ponds, fountains, statues, grottos, and pergolas. Hike up to the High Cross for a postcard-perfect picture of Pena Palace. It would be easy to spend an entire day exploring Pena Palace, the Duck House, Valley of the Lakes, and surrounding forest trails.
Pena Palace: Tips For Your Visit
The lines at the palace are long, purchase your tickets online. You also need a ticket for the bus up to the palace entrance. It is a beautiful place but do not walk up the mountain. Save your energy to explore the forest grounds inside the palace. The bus runs every 15 minutes. Once at the entrance, get in line to enter the palace right away and take turns stepping out of line for photos. If you are short on time the interior of Pena Palace is nice, but it is not breathtaking and it would not be a catastrophe to miss it.
Check the Pena Palace website for current events
My Favorite Booking Resources
- Discover Cars Search, compare and save on car rentals.
- Trainline Explore effortlessly by train and bus.
- Booking.com Search Booking.com to find the perfect property.
- Hostelworld Hostelworld has great inexpensive options.
- Get Your Guide Don’t chance it, the best attractions sell out.
- Tiqets Get your tickets now, relax when you arrive.
- Big Bus Tours Hop-on Hop-off at all the iconic landmarks.
- Go City Card Save up to 50% on attractions, tours and activities.
- Welcome Pickups Airport and port transfers.
- Visitors Coverage Pick the right travel insurance for you.
- Use code SAVE10 to pick up a travel guide from Lonely Planet to browse on the plane.
- Shop my Amazon travel essentials and have them delivered to your home.
Bookmark and Pin Visit Pena Palace
