Visiting Pena Palace | Day Trip to Sintra from Lisbon, Portugal

Join us as we visit Pena Palace on a day trip to Sintra from Lisbon, Portugal. Traveling to Sintra from Lisbon is as easy as can be with frequent trains departing from Rossio station in central Lisbon making a 30-40 minute journey to Sintra, Portugal. We paid 5 Euros for a our ticket and hoped on the next train departing shortly after we arrived at the station. Before we did any sightseeing, as per our usual style, we grabbed a quick bite at Café Saudade where we had scrumptious paninis and a couple of local desserts (queijada and travesseiro). We'd highly recommend this place as the prices were very reasonable and the quality of food was excellent.
After it was time to figure out how we'd visit the attraction we came all the way to Sintra to visit - Pena Palace! After checking several options we realized the local bus was the cheapest option (5.50 Euros for a return trip) and so we hopped on bus number 434.
After arriving at Pena Palace we paid 11.50 Euros each for an adult ticket and my parents got a senior discount at 9 Euros per person. Firstly we toured the exterior of Pena Palace where we we marvelled at the bright colors and various influences in terms of its eclectic architecture. We also had wonderful views over Sintra and especially of the Moorish Castle. Afterwards we walked around inside before calling it a day. Overall, we'd say it would take around an hour to three hours to check this place out thoroughly. It is bigger than it looks from a lower vantage point.
And that was our day! Visiting Sintra to properly check out the town and other attractions warrants an overnight stay and with just an afternoon to spare we really only focussed on Pena Palace. However, if you're looking for an interesting day trip from Lisbon we'd highly recommend considering Sintra. Ciao for now!
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Visiting Pena Palace on a day trip to Sintra, Portugal Travel Video Transcript:
But you guys know the drill. First things first, we needed to grab a quick bite. We spotted a cafe serving up pastries, paninis, and all sorts of baked goods, and that was all the convincing we needed.
With our appetites satiated, we continued our stroll through town, and then decided we should probably hop on a bus, and save our legs for visiting the attraction that brought us all the way out here: the Pena Palace.
Once we reached the gates of the Pena Palace we purchased our tickets, and began the climb to this colourful, whimsical, and somewhat kitschy construction set atop a hill in the Sintra Mountains.
Though Pena Palace’s history dates back to the Middle Ages, what you see today dates from the 19th century, with construction of the current castle completed in 1854.
You may think that this place looks like a mish-mash of different styles, and that’s because Pena Palace is a Romanticist castle, that was influenced by Gothic, Manueline, Moorish and Renaissance architecture.
The commission for this castle was given to a German amateur architect, and the King’s only request was that “this palace should reflect an opera” - whatever that means.
The tour of the interior of the palace followed a carpeted-route that guided us through a chapel, bedrooms, dining rooms, living rooms, and a kitchen - all decorated with historical furniture to reflect how it would have looked when the Portuguese royal family lived here before their escape to Brazil during the revolution.
Then we stopped for one more glimpse of the surrounding hills, and it was time to head back down.
And yes, that’s all we did in Sintra that day: ate lunch, rode a bus, and visited one palace. We’re not kidding about maybe coming here for 2-3 days, because there’s way more to cover than you can on a day trip!
This is part of our Travel in Portugal video series showcasing Portuguese food, Portuguese culture and Portuguese cuisine.
Music by Birocratic: birocratic.bandcamp.com/

[@LeoFtravels]

Portugal will always have a special place in my ❤. My first visit to Europe was in *Lisboa* and the food was AMAZING

[@samuelandaudrey]

That is very cool to hear! Portugal is a great introduction to Europe.

[@LeoFtravels]

Samuel and Audrey - Travel and Food Videos Also that's how I found your channel, searching for things to do in Lisbon Thanks

[@jsilvamaintenance]

Sintra is from another world !

[@samuelandaudrey]

It certainly is!

[@kaustavkundu6426]

A very different sort of palace. I loved the different colours! Great work you two!

[@samuelandaudrey]

Thank you very much!

[@glomunoz58]

Great video. I remember my visit in May 2018 to Pena Palace, beautiful place. Sintra is beautiful and I have great memories from there. For ever Portugal in my heart, the first country that I visit in Europe. From there we goes to Spain, Paris and Italy.

[@clairetomtravel4328]

We loved Sintra. If anyone is there, you need to see Ursa beach it's so beautiful. Great video!

[@samuelandaudrey]

Thanks! Appreciate that tip!

[@growingwildheather]

Sintra is sooooo cool. We still have to go back. We went one rainy afternoon and ended up going to the Myths and legends museum. It was cool and very informative, but that and a little wandering was all we got to do. Lol next time! Thanks as always for sharing!!

[@samuelandaudrey]

That is really cool to hear! Sounds like a great experience.

[@farhangani2534]

I love Portugal and sintra! I wish I had been in sintra for longer time. But we had a great time in Algarve.

[@samuelandaudrey]

Thanks! That is cool to hear. Would love to visit Algarve next time.

[@farhangani2534]

Samuel and Audrey - Travel and Food Videos I will be looking forward to that vlog if you do :)

[@jefferydeborah]

Great day spent in Sintra. Loved this video.

[@samuelandaudrey]

Such great memories!

[@Wideolink]

just came back from Portugal and I had a blast ! Can't wait to go back and visit more cities !

[@samuelandaudrey]

That is really cool to hear!

[@abeshura]

I love how thorough your videos are .

[@samuelandaudrey]

Thank you very much Alexa!

[@schadesloth7933]

It's very true what you say about Sintra having too many sights for just the one day. When I visited a few years ago, I spent the morning and early afternoon at Quinta da Regaleira (highly recommended, like a Disneyland for adults!) and then got the same bus you used to the Moorish castle. The plan was to continue to Pena Palace but I was too palaced-out by that stage and it was getting late in the day. I guess I will have to revisit Sintra another time to check out Pena Palace because it looked extraordinary. Thanks for your great travel blogs!

[@samuelandaudrey]

Thank you! We feel like if we get another chance to revisit we'll end up staying a night or two to pace ourselves a bit better.

[@catherinejeanne4770]

Last year in Sintra we toured the Moors Castle and the Quinta da Regaleira, but we didn't have time to visit the Pena Palace. This video makes me want to go back and see even more :) Sintra has so much to offer!

[@samuelandaudrey]

Hope you can revisit. There is quite a bit to do in Sintra!

[@glomunoz58]

Quinta da Regaleira so beautiful place to see, we get a great pictures from there to. Sintra is lovely!

[@halfdohm]

I was just there in October and the two you visited were the best. Pena Palace is not worth the effort in my opinion. You are basically in a line going from room to room. The Moor castle was a blast with outstanding views.

[@leito1257]

I was in Sintra twice and was there no time to see everything. Next time I plan to look for accommodation in Sintra and stay for at least 4 days to be able to see everything without stress.😊 It’s sad when you are there and you miss so much to see. Is also there a forest with lots of exotic trees brought from the orient many years ago. The predisposition of the Sintra mountains with the air currents from the Atlantic Ocean makes the forest unique with a tropical climate.. Sintra is magic.🥰

[@samuelandaudrey]

Thank you! That is very true. It is far more than just a day-trip destination.

[@Fuchs7456]

Never been to Portugal (although I know neighbouring Spain pretty well) but your excellent videos are truly inspiring. Many thanks! Portugal now on my "to do" list!

[@samuelandaudrey]

Thank you! That is great to hear.

[@suayhughes8103]

Beautiful place and good food 👍👍👍

[@samuelandaudrey]

Thank you very much!

[@brunogambini5683]

Great video of Sintra!

[@samuelandaudrey]

Thank you very much!

[@isabelsfoodandtravel4769]

Great video, I'm planning on going in January :)

[@samuelandaudrey]

That is great to hear!

[@ratkomladenic9567]

Audrey and Sam, I just love your reviews. Sintra is just beautiful and easy reachable from Lisbon. At Rossio station you can buy a 15€ ticket that covers train to Sintra (and back) and even local busses. We decided to take a ride (bus no. 403), from Sintra, to Cascais (covered in 15€ ticket). Line passes through Cabo da Roca (most western point of Europe) so you hop off and when you are done with tour just hop on the next one (pay attention to the direction of the line Sintra/Cascais - we almost made a mistake). Train From Cascais to Lisbon (Cais do Sodre) is covered in that 15€ ticket (great value).

[@samuelandaudrey]

Thank you for those great tips!

[@violettanadtochyy3082]

My bf and I visited the palace back in October 2017 and I just wanted to mention that if anyone heads over there, don't skip the garden that's right near the palace. It is magical!!! We spent half the time at the palace and half the time at the garden, and I must say I enjoyed the garden a whole lot more. On top of that, no one seemed to care about the garden, so we had it pretty much all to ourselves :)

[@samuelandaudrey]

Wow! Thanks for sharing that tip. We missed it ourselves.

[@Gwjj27]

I really like the inserted photos as the video is playing. Not sure how you did it but keep them coming :-)

[@samuelandaudrey]

Thanks! We'll try to do more of that.

[@rachiddsydneycanada9614]

Beautiful video Than kyou vielen Dank aus Sydney Australien 👍👍👍❤❤❤

[@Amy_jane21]

This is where I’m thinking of going in 2 weeks time 😋

[@samuelandaudrey]

So cool to hear Amy. Highly recommend it.

[@livelovelaugh9820]

FINALKY THANK YOU FOR TALKING ABOUT TRANSPORTATION

[@JenShea]

Glad to see you went back to Portugal. Shame you didn't get to Initiation Wells and tunnels at the beautiful Quinta da Regaleira. I just found you guys, maybe there is more on another video... :-)

[@samuelandaudrey]

Thanks! I hope we can visit there next time. We'd love to do a return trip to Portugal.

[@kaortiz5693]

se ve delicioso la gastronomi de portugal

[@glomunoz58]

Asi es, yo que tuve el gusto de visitarla en mayo del presente, me he dado gusto disfrutando de la variedad y calidad de su gastronomia. Y ni que decir de los sitios tan maravillosos que hay para conocer. Un dia debes viajar a Portugal, veras que flechado-a- quedas por tan lindo pais.

[@aqsw57]

went to sintra in november, visited Pena Palace, the Mourish Castle and the Quinta da Regaleira. Three beautiful places, my favourite one was quinta da regaleira

[@samuelandaudrey]

That is really cool to hear! Did you leave early to fit them all into one day?

[@aqsw57]

Yep we arrived early and spent 3-4 hours in each location. Once we were there we moved by tuk-tuk, a little expensive but really fast

[@andrewlong6438]

We got the bus up the hill and then climbed even higher to reach Pena Castle. On the way down we walked to the Moorish castle located on the side of a cliff and then took bus down again. Well recommended.

[@samuelandaudrey]

Great to hear about your experience Andrew!

[@lostfox27]

You guys have great videos but i gotta say one thing that makes them even better is the details in the description - you get to enjoy the video without taking notes.

[@samuelandaudrey]

Thank you very much Jamie!

[@huntrrams]

Is it hard or easy to transfer to another bus route? I want to see Quinta da Regaleira and the Well after the Pena but on my google maps it keeps asking me to use a taxi. So should I just stick with two castle visits or just visit the Pena for one day?

[@BillMintjeHD-Brussels-Belgium]

will be our next destination.....thanks for let us know.

[@aqsw57]

while in Sintra visit Quinta da Regaleira too! must see

[@samuelandaudrey]

That is aesome to hear!

[@giannagiavelli5098]

nice music. no pastries here in texas. cry cry cry

[@samuelandaudrey]

Thank you! Hope you can have some soon.

[@satinsolstice]

Do you have to buy tickets to the castle far in advance? Or was it ok to buy it right on the spot (not too many line ups)? Love you guys!

[@antoniovieira8605]

And you lost the "travesseiros" from "Piriquita" cafe at old Sintra. It's a crime! And the best "queijadas de Sintra" at a little store in the middle way between the train station and the old Sintra, right side of the road, a single building. And here is a tip for the next time: take the tram from Sintra to Praia das Maçãs. It's a simply beautiful trip to an exquisite beach, and you can go to some other beaches around, just a few miles walking, like Praia Grande, a meca for surfers, or Azenhas do Mar, a beautiful village settle in cliffs over the sea. Or take a bus from Sintra to Ericeira, one of the biggest spot for world surfers and a great village. And please, try the seafood there. And more: from Sintra try to go to Mafra. A huge and beautiful convent and the "Tapada de Mafra" gardens, park and forest that makes you happy. All this from Sintra. Next time.

[@samuelandaudrey]

Thank you for all of the tips and suggestions! We could hopefully make a part 2 video in the future :)

[@TheRedwind20]

Did you see the Word in the background? "Saudade" is a word that has no literal translation in any other language. Fado is also based a lot on the meaning of the word.

[@samuelandaudrey]

Thanks for sharing that!

[@pvfsm]

Next time don't forget Quinta da Regaleira (specially the Initiation Well) and Monserrate Palace. Cabo da Roca (Continental Europe's most western point is a "must go" too).

[@samuelandaudrey]

Thank you for those tips!

[@65rainz]

very detail info, fantastic. Were you there in April? The weather looks good. (I'm Malaysian, I don't like heat)

[@samuelandaudrey]

Thank you! We actually visited in January which is even cooler. April would be a nice time to go though. A bit warmer but not hot then.

[@craigelsdon-dew8832]

Are you coming to the Algarve? We are in Lagos for the month of May, would love to meet you guys for a coffee or beer, been following your channel for a fair while. We have been travelling for 18 months now ourselves!

[@samuelandaudrey]

Thank you! We'd love to next time.

[@richardcotton7102]

Great camera work as usual and where did you stash the parental units? Lol

[@samuelandaudrey]

Thank you!

[@desmonda9061]

I just came across your videos and loving it. I am planning a trip on September from Toronto to Barcelona, Madrid and then Portugal (either Porto or Lisbon). How long did it take you to visit all these places in Lisbon? Where did you guys stay and which is cheaper (hotel or airbnb)? How did you find the places to visit and eat? I am a rookie when it comes to traveling and I need your help. Have you guys visited Spain? Any tips for Barcelona and Madrid? Places and what to do over there? Any advice for a solo traveller? Big fan and a subscriber. Hope to hear from you guys.

[@samuelandaudrey]

Thank you! That sounds like a great trip. For accommodations we use airbnb mostly in Europe but you could check out booking dot com for hotel rooms if you like. Try to find a neighborhood that is near places you want to visit and/or close to metro stations or good public transportation to get around. We've made guides for both Barcelona and Madrid if you want to check those out. For other research search for and read blog posts online and watch other guides on KZbin and maybe consider a guidebook like Lonely Planet or Rough Guide for further reading on countries or cities.

[@TravelQuintessence]

Wow!! Great Video!

[@samuelandaudrey]

Thank you!

[@jantysingh6607]

Portugal wall and good travels

[@samuelandaudrey]

Thanks Janty!

[@donfrank4429]

hey guys, I am 62 and watch what I eat, yes I love pizza too, you guys I hope workout with all the good food you taste!!!! If I hung with you I would be 500lbs. with all the great food. LOL

[@samuelandaudrey]

Thank you! LOL, if we didn't walk like crazy we'd be 500 pounds too ;)

[@ritankarsasmal380]

Hey, which is the month exactly? Seems really cold?...

[@samuelandaudrey]

It was in the middle of January. Definitely in heart of winter.

[@chorks23]

I have a 12 hour lay over in Lisbon in July, you think it’s worth the visit ?

[@samuelandaudrey]

Definitely if you have the time.

[@pbleil]

part of the hit Johnny Depp movie "the Ninth Gate " was filmed in Sintra.

[@samuelandaudrey]

Fascinating to hear!

[@OxysLokiMoros]

How do you get all the money for your travelling?

[@samuelandaudrey]

We work as we travel.

[@Sugho2023]

You went to Sintra and didn't visit "Quinta da Regaleira"? You missed an awesome place.

[@samuelandaudrey]

Next time hope we can visit.

[@andgainingspeed]

Kitschy kan be kool.

[@samuelandaudrey]

:)

[@error404usernamenotfound9]

Sintra is still in Lisboa

[@fernandotonolli689]

Like.

[@samuelandaudrey]

Thank you!

[@ohhi1134]

The Portuguese royalty fled during the napolionic invasions and not in a revolution.

[@samuelandaudrey]

?