Audio Guide to the National Palace of Pena & Park

If you’re coming from Lisbon, I highly recommend leaving very early to get to Sintra because, in addition to the train, once you arrive at the station, you’ll need to buy an €11 all-day bus ticket to reach Pena Palace (the ride takes about 20 minutes), and once you arrive at the park, there’s another walk of about ten minutes. The palace is charming, with a beautiful park surrounding it where you can take numerous walks. As for the Quinta, on the other hand, it’s another fairytale castle, surrounded by a beautiful park with a few interesting anecdotes. Perhaps the cost is a bit excessive for what you get to see

The day went really well. I had planned my schedule so that I could easily get between the Palacio da Pena (10:30 a.m. admission) and the Quinta da Regaleira (3:30 p.m., though 3:00 p.m. would have been fine too). There were no long waits—just a little patience due to the large crowds during a time of year when there are typically more tourists. Security checks were quick and efficient, and the staff was very kind. Once inside, there’s complete freedom of movement. The castles, the park, and the gardens are wonderful, and the town of Sintra is also very welcoming. Perhaps, for families, a larger discount on the total ticket price could be considered, and audio guides in additional languages—beyond those already available—could be provided. Given the large number of Italians, for example, it might be worth adding Italian to the language options. In any case, the visit is well worth it.

Very cool! A must in the Lisbon area. Historical Sintra is beautiful and charming. The Pena Palace is very cool and worth seeing. The hike to the Cross is definitely a challenge but short and worth the view. The Valley of the Lake Trail is a MUST!! We walked down from the cross and down this path and it was incredible. The park itself is absolutely beautiful!

I enjoyed both tours. However, we had to take two buses to reach each destination, so we spent a lot of time on public transportation; it’s better to stick to just one tour. The Pena Palace is magnificent, as is the park.

Two must-see excursions. You can see the Palacio de la Peña—the castle—in 2 hours. But the gardens are huge, with a thousand things to discover; you can easily spend almost the whole day there. There are picnic areas, and you can bring your own food. The Regatira is amazing.

The architecture at Pena Palace was stunning, not to mention the views. But, as a gardener, the highlight for me was the creativity in the secret passages and connections in all the gardens at Quinta de Regaleira.