A great old palace, The.National Palace really traces the history of Portugal. There is much to see here but in particular I liked the Heraldry Room, the State Apartments and the kitchens with their huge chimneys. We had visited Sintra many years ago and visited the Peña Palace then. This palace, less mobbed, is perhaps more important historically. We missed it years ago and are glad to have now checked it off our bucket list. Buy tickets in advance from the official Parques de Sintra and get a discount and audio guide.

Interesting palace to learn about the Portuguese dynasties and richness of the Royal family. The palace is quite large and well preserved. There is an information panel in Portuguese and English in each room/chamber. Not very crowded which allowed us to visit at our own speed. The garden is of little interest.

I would recommend going somewhere else. It cost 16€ each to get in. 10€ each to take a small taxi to the top and 5€ each to come back down, the ride takes approximately 15 minutes so walking to the castle uphill would take a lengthy period of time, we were told to walk back down would take 45 minutes. Then you need to take a bus at 3€ each to get to the admission gate (that’s for both ways) or walk an additional 1/2 hr. You buy your tickets for an allotted time so better to book in advance online. There are lineups for everything, you are herded like cattle, you take mini steps throughout the whole castle. I hated all of it. So in total it cost for a couple 68€, that’s approximately $100 Canadian. You can only park at the bottom, you can’t go to the top with your own car, only buses and taxis can.

This was the first place we visited in Sintra and was a fabulous start to the day. Originally a Moorish castle, Sintra was reconquered in the 12th century and constantly remodelled until the 19th, most of what we can see now dating from the 15th and 16th centuries. A lot of the style is Portugese Gothic and the English connections are particularly fascinating, for me, with Phillipa of Lancaster featuring prominently. As expected there are lots of fabulous tiled rooms and also lots of heraldic rooms as the court seemed obsessed with lineage and ancestry. Walking round the castle, the route is well laid out and linear so you can't miss anything. There are information boards in each room which just adds so much to the experience. The gardens and terraces were fabulous as well and gave views over Sintra and also up to the Moorish castle. Excellent value at €10 and a great insight into Portugese history and character.

Sintra and Pena Palace was part of the day trip I took with Buendia Tours. My guide, Robinson, was fantastic! He was knowledgeable, warm, and friendly, pointing out the gardens as we made our way up to the palace. Robinson had high energy, enthusiasm, and passion for his work, and regaled our group with history, fun facts, and more! There's a lot of walking so be prepared; wear comfy shoes, bring a bottle of water, and a hat and sunglasses. We had beautiful weather so it was bright and sunny, not a cloud in the sky!

The National Palace of Sintra (Palacio de Sintra) also known as the Town Palace (Palacio da Villa) to distinguish it from the National Palace of Pena the town’s other Palace is located in Sintra a small mountain top town a short distance from Lisbon. The Palace was in use by the Portuguese Royal families almost continually for 400 years from its initial construction commencing in the 15th Century until the 19th Century. It was used primarily as a hunting retreat and also as a summer residence to allow a respite from the heat and potential diseases in Lisbon. These days it as one of two palaces in the mountain town of Sintra is a major tourist attraction and was designated a UNESCO Heritage site in 1995. As we were part of an organized group tour, admission was included and there was a minimal wait to enter. Normal admission runs about 18 Euros. Entrance is controlled to ensure that the place is not overcrowded and that there is sufficient time and distance between groups. Our group was given head sets to listen to our guide (English and Portuguese) but we knew from an earlier tour that they weren’t reliable and to be honest not even needed. Staying close to the guide we could easily hear her as she spoke into her microphone. Besides most rooms and artifacts have signage describing what they were in Portuguese and English. The tour follows a rambling route through various halls, throne rooms, courtyards, kitchens, bedrooms, and even a privy. There is ample time to fully exam the ornate furniture and painted ceilings and even glance out of the numerous windows to view the gardens, the town, and the surrounding countryside. As the tour does include numerous narrow staircases both going up and down it may not be appropriate for those that are mobility challenged. Once one exits the Palace take some time to explore the Historic Centre of Sintra. Buy some fresh roasted chess nuts from the vendors in the square of visit one of the many cafes that line its sides. As noted, we visited as part of a group tour and there are several options that can be arranged in Lisbon. Alternatively, one can easily reach Sintra from Lisbon by train of which there are several a day and then use a taxi or local bus to reach the palace from the station. It is possible to visit the Palace and some of the other attractions in a single day, however if one wants to take their time and visit both Palaces as well as some of the other attractions an overnight visit is suggested. Again, there are plenty of local accommodations available.

Absolutely stunning and so different to other palaces we have visited in Europe. The views are a definite highlight and the interesting chimneys. We were recommend to visit this place when visiting Sintra rather than Pena by a Lisboa local and we’re glad we followed this advice.

My wife and I really enjoyed visiting this palace. There's some interesting interiors - the ceilings of the Sawn Room and Magpie Rooms for example, and both my wife and I separately went 'wow' when entering the Coat of Arms room. The rooms are furnished to give a good feel and have information plaques with information about the each room and a bit of the history of the people and places. You walk at your own pace, so you could complete the tour in 20 minutes at a push or amble for an hour and a half and visit the small gardens outside.

Visited on our day trip to Sintra from Lisbon. Well worth going in. Not the prettiest from the outside but so much interest inside! Excellent description of each room, informative and felt no rush despite being very busy.

Well-preserved and maintained Medieval palace dating back to the 14th and 15th centuries. The palace was used as a summer palace by King Joao I and Queen Philippa of Lancasterin the early 1400s. The palace is fairly plain from the outside, but includes lots of beautiful rooms (the Swan Room and the Magpie Room especially notable), tiles, ceramics, furniture, and more. Two massive white chimneys in the restored kitchen boggle the mind (what could they possibly have needed such chimneys for?). Views of the town and castle on the hill above from the palace grounds are fabulous.