Sintra Castle 2026: Pena, Moorish Castle, Tickets & Tours

Tickets

Choose your Sintra castle ticket

In the centre, the official Pena Palace and Park ticket. On the left, the real castle on the next ridge; on the right, a half-day tour from Lisbon that adds Quinta da Regaleira.

The real castle Valid 1 dayWalls & towersNon-refundable

Castle of the Moors Ticket

BattlementsAudio appOcean views

The medieval fortress on the ridge next to Pena, with walls you can walk from tower to tower. Fewer people than at the palace and views from Pena to the Atlantic.

What is included

Official fast-track ticket to the Moorish Castle
Audio guide on the Zoomguide app in Portuguese, English, Spanish or French
Bus 434 from Sintra station stops at the castle; transport is not included
Lots of steep steps on the walls: wear shoes with grip
Non-refundable

LengthValid 1 dayWalls & towers Book this

Official ticket Valid 1 dayTimed palace entryNon-refundable

Pena Palace & Park Entrance Ticket

Palace & parkAudio appTimed slot

The official ticket for the park and the painted palace on the hill, with the Countess of Edla's chalet included. Book your palace time first and plan the bus or the walk around it.

What is included

Entrance to the Park of Pena and, depending on the option, the palace interior
Entrance to the Chalet of the Countess of Edla
Audio guide on the Zoomguide app in Portuguese, English, Spanish or French
Skips the ticket office line only; the palace itself is entered at your timed slot
Non-refundable; transport to Pena is not included and private cars cannot drive up

LengthValid 1 dayTimed palace entry Book this

From Lisbon 5.5 hoursSmall group, max 8Free cancellation 24 h

Half-Day Sintra Tour: Pena & Regaleira

MinivanGuidePastry tasting

A minivan from Lisbon, the terraces of Pena with a guide, pastries in the village and a guided walk through Regaleira. Entrance tickets are paid in cash to the guide on the day.

What is included

Local guide in English, Portuguese, Spanish, Russian or French; small group of up to 8
Air-conditioned minivan from Avenida da Liberdade in Lisbon and back
Guided visit of the Pena Palace terraces (outside), then Quinta da Regaleira
A travesseiro and a queijada in Sintra village
Entrance tickets not included: the guide buys them and you repay in cash; free cancellation up to 24 hours before

Length5.5 hoursSmall group, max 8 Book this

Five more ways to see Sintra

The mystic Regaleira, the palace in the village, the garden palace of Monserrate, a small group that starts in Sintra and a full day with the coast

Initiation Well 80 minutesTimed e-ticket

Side by side

What each option really covers

Tickets get you through one gate at your own pace. Tours add transport and a guide, but the entrance tickets on both half-day tours are paid separately in cash. Everything below comes from each listing.

Option	Where it starts	Best for	Length	Format	Entry tickets	Cancellation
Pena Palace & Park Entrance Ticket	Pena Park main entrance	The palace rooms, the terraces and the park, at your own pace	Valid 1 day	Ticket, audio app	Included	Non-refundable	Book this
Castle of the Moors Ticket	Moorish Castle gate	Walls, towers and the widest views, with fewer people	Valid 1 day	Ticket, audio app	Included	Non-refundable	Book this
Half-Day Sintra Tour: Pena & Regaleira	Av. da Liberdade, Lisbon	A first visit from Lisbon without driving or planning	5.5 hours	Guide, minivan	Paid in cash to the guide	Free cancellation 24 h	Book this
Quinta da Regaleira Ticket & Audio Guide	Regaleira gate, Sintra	Wells, tunnels and gardens with a story on your phone	80 minutes	E-ticket, audio app	Included	Free cancellation 24 h	Book this
National Palace of Sintra Ticket	Largo Rainha D. Amelia	Painted ceilings and tiles, with no bus ride	Valid 1 day	Ticket, audio app	Included	Non-refundable	Book this
Monserrate Palace & Park Ticket	4 km west of the centre	A quiet garden afternoon away from the crowds	Valid 1 day	Ticket, audio app	Included	Non-refundable	Book this
Small-Group Half Day: Pena & Regaleira	Portela de Sintra station	Travellers already in Sintra or Cascais who want a guide	4 hours	Guide, van in Sintra	Paid in cash to the guide	Free cancellation 24 h	Book this
Sintra, Pena, Regaleira, Cabo da Roca & Cascais	Rossio Square, Lisbon	One long day that adds Cabo da Roca and the coast	9.5 to 10 hours	Guide, coach	Depends on the option	Free cancellation 24 h	Book this
Sintra Village Ghost Stories Walk	Correnteza viewpoint, Sintra	An evening in the old village after the monuments close	2 hours	Guide on foot	No entry needed	Free cancellation 24 h	Book this

Private cars cannot drive up to Pena or the Moorish Castle: bus 434 runs a one-way loop from Sintra station past both. Pena's palace interior is entered only at the time printed on your ticket.

Which castle?

The castle everyone photographs is a palace.

Search for Sintra castle and you get the Pena Palace: red and yellow towers on the second highest peak of the hills. It was built as a summer palace for King Ferdinand II, who bought a ruined monastery there in 1838, and the main works ran from 1842 to 1854. Battlements, a drawbridge, watchtowers: all of it romantic stage design.

The real castle is the one on the next ridge. The Moorish Castle was founded during Moorish rule, surrendered to Christian forces in 1147 after Afonso Henriques took Lisbon, and fell into ruin until Ferdinand restored it from 1840. Down in town, the National Palace with its two white chimneys is the medieval royal palace. Book Pena for the rooms and terraces, the castle for the walls and the view, and the National Palace if you want history without a bus ride.

1147

The year the Moorish Castle surrendered to the first king of Portugal, almost seven centuries before work began on Pena.

Moorish CastlePena PalaceNational PalaceQuinta da RegaleiraMonserrateCountess of Edla ChaletSerra de Sintra

The walls of the Moorish Castle run along the ridge facing Pena.

01

Pena Palace

A 19th-century royal palace and a park of more than 200 hectares. Palace entry is timed; the park takes as long as you let it.

02

Moorish Castle

The medieval fortress: walls, towers and a cistern on a ridge of boulders. No interiors, many steps, the best panorama.

03

National Palace

In the village square. Parques de Sintra calls it the oldest palace in Portugal; look up for the swans and magpies on the ceilings.

04

Quinta da Regaleira

Not a castle and not run by Parques de Sintra: a millionaire's estate of 1904 to 1910, owned by the town, famous for its well.

The visit

Up the hill in four steps

Most visitors come by train from Lisbon and see Pena and the castle in one morning. This is how the climb usually goes.

01

Train to Sintra

The CP Sintra line runs from Rossio, Oriente or Entrecampos in Lisbon to Sintra station, a ride of roughly 35 to 45 minutes.

No car needed

02

Bus 434 or the trail

Bus 434 loops one way from the station through the village to the Moorish Castle and Pena. Walkers take the Santa Maria trail, about an hour uphill.

Cars not allowed at the top

03

The castle walls

Start with the Moorish Castle when it opens at 09:30. The walls are steep and exposed, so morning light and fewer people make a real difference.

Shoes with grip

04

Pena at your slot

Walk across to Pena. From the park gate to the palace route is about 30 minutes uphill, so leave a margin before the time on your ticket.

Timed palace entry

A red and yellow crenellated terrace looking across forested hills to grey castle walls on the next ridge

From Pena to the castle

A steep stone stairway along medieval granite battlements above a forested valley

On the walls

An ornate carved stone arch with a mythical triton emerging from a shell beneath a tiled window

The triton arch

A granite lookout over green forested hills with a colourful palace on a distant peak and the ocean beyond

Hills to the Atlantic

A rough stone grotto tunnel opening onto a small lake with stepping stones and a waterfall

Grottoes and tunnels

Pastel houses with iron balconies below a white palace with two tall conical chimneys

Sintra village

A romantic park lake with a tiny castle-shaped house, tree ferns and red camellias

Romantic gardens

An ochre alpine-style chalet with green and white trim in a lush garden

The chalet in the park

Sugar-dusted puff pastries and small golden tarts with an espresso on a marble cafe table

Pastries in town

Plan your day

Plan your Sintra day

Tickets, opening hours, getting around and what to bring.

One ticket per monument: Pena, the Moorish Castle, the National Palace and Monserrate each have their own ticket from Parques de Sintra. Regaleira is sold separately by its own operator.
Pena is timed: palace tickets are only for a specific date and time, and you enter the palace at that slot.
Skip the line: on these tickets it means skipping the ticket office, not the queue at the palace door.
Refunds: the official Parques tickets on GetYourGuide are non-refundable; Regaleira and the guided tours here allow free cancellation up to 24 hours before.

Pena Park: 09:00 to 19:00, last admission 18:00. Pena Palace: 09:30 to 18:30, last admission 18:00.
Moorish Castle: 09:30 to 18:00, last ticket and admission 17:30.
National Palace: 09:30 to 18:30, last admission 17:30. The ticket offices close from 12:00 to 13:00; machines stay open.
Regaleira: 09:00 to 18:30 from October to March and to 19:30 from April to September, last admission 17:30.

Train: CP Sintra line from Lisbon Rossio, Oriente or Entrecampos to Sintra station.
Bus 434: a circular route from the station via the village to the Moorish Castle and Pena.
Bus 435: from the station via the village to Regaleira, Seteais and Monserrate.
Car: residents only in the historic centre and no private cars up to Pena; use the outer car parks.

Shoes with grip: the castle walls and park paths are steep and can be wet.
A layer: the hills are more humid and often foggier than Lisbon, even in summer.
A charged phone and headphones for the audio guide apps.
Cash if you book a guided half-day tour: the entrance tickets are repaid to the guide on the day.

09:30Castle opensThe Moorish Castle and the Pena Palace open at 09:30.

30 minGate to palaceThe walk from the Pena park entrance to the palace route.

434The busStation, village, Moorish Castle, Pena, in one direction.

27 mThe wellDepth of the Initiation Well at Regaleira, with nine landings.

1995UNESCOThe Cultural Landscape of Sintra joined the World Heritage list.

1862PiriquitaThe bakery that made the travesseiro famous opened in this year.

On the ground

Where to start

Sintra station and the hill

Sintra, 2710 Portugal

With a ticket you start at Sintra station: bus 434 runs up through the village to the Moorish Castle and Pena, and the Santa Maria trail leaves from São Pedro de Sintra if you would rather walk. The two monuments sit close together, so most people do them back to back. The guided tours each have their own meeting point.

Half-day tour from Lisbon: the Chaumet shop next to the Hard Rock Cafe, Avenida da Liberdade, Lisbon
Small-group half day: Café Pérola da Portela, south exit of Portela de Sintra train station
Full day with the coast: the north fountain of Rossio Square, Lisbon
Ghost stories walk: the Correnteza viewpoint in front of the library near Sintra station

See tickets

Around the visit

Good to know

The best time to go, small tricks, what is nearby and the fine print.

Early: be at the castle gate for 09:30 and take a morning palace slot at Pena; the day-trip coaches arrive later.
Late: the park stays open after the palace route, with the last admission at 18:00.
Season: spring and autumn are milder for the steps; summer days can be hot on the walls.
Closed days: Parques de Sintra monuments close on 24 and 25 December and 1 January.

Book the Pena palace slot first, then plan the castle and lunch around it.
Bus 434 runs one way: if it is full on the way down, be ready to walk back to the village on the trail.
Download the audio app before you go; mobile signal in the forest can be weak.
Leave Regaleira for the afternoon: it is in the lower town, a flat walk from the National Palace.
Buy travesseiros and queijadas at Piriquita on Rua das Padarias, open since 1862.

Chalet of the Countess of Edla: inside the Park of Pena and included in the Pena ticket.
Quinta da Regaleira: a short walk from the village centre along the Seteais road.
Monserrate: about 4 km west, on the 435 bus.
Cabo da Roca: the westernmost point of mainland Europe, on the full-day coast tour.

The hills are humid and fog is common: a 9th-century geographer already described the town as wrapped in fog.
Walls and paths get slippery when wet; the castle is not a good idea in strong wind.
The official tickets are non-refundable, so check the forecast before you book a fixed day.
Both half-day tours list themselves as unsuitable for wheelchair users.

What visitors say

Words from the hill

★★★★★
I personally thought the views from the top of the Moorish Castle were better than the ones from the Pena Palace, and a lot less busy. It's a lot of steps, but worth it!
Poppy · Castle of the Moors ticket

★★★★★
It gets very busy up by the palace itself but the gardens surrounding it were tranquil and beautiful.
Hannah · Pena Palace and Park ticket

★★★★★
Was like an adventure park for adults, absolutely beautiful!
Jasmin · Quinta da Regaleira ticket

★★★★★
Well-paced, our guide was friendly and extremely knowledgeable.
Anita · Half-day Sintra tour from Lisbon

★★★★★
Beautiful, well-preserved interior. The ceilings alone are worth seeing.
Dominique · National Palace of Sintra ticket

★★★★★
Pick up in Sintra with a van was on time and smooth. [...] Lots of walking, so carry light and wear good walking shoes!
Dorit · Small-group half day from Sintra

★★★★★
Acres of peaceful gardens to either sit & enjoy or have a long stroll.
David · Monserrate Palace and Park ticket

★★★★★
The tour was definitely worth it! It would have been very difficult to do on our own.
Analia · Sintra, Pena, Regaleira and Cascais day

★★★★★
We walked winding, dark roads and heard tales that gave me goosebumps!
Trinette · Sintra Village Ghost Stories

After dark

Sintra at night

The monuments close in the early evening. The village does not: an evening walk puts the old streets, the palace square and the gates of Regaleira together with the stories Sintra has told about them for centuries.

Sintra Village Ghost Stories Walk

Correnteza viewpoint, Sintra · 2 hours

After the monuments close, a local guide walks a group of up to eight through the old village at night, past the National Palace and the gates of Regaleira, with the legends Sintra has collected over the centuries. Not for children under 12.

Small groupLegendsFree cancellation 24 h

Length2 hoursper the listingBook this

The guide

Sintra castle, explained

Sintra sells itself with one picture: a red and yellow palace floating above a green forest. Book a ticket for it and you will find out, somewhere on the bus up, that there is a second hilltop with a much older castle on it, a third palace back in the village and a millionaire's garden of wells and tunnels. Here is how to read the options.

A town that kings chose for the summer

Sintra's hills catch the Atlantic damp. That made them green, cool and foggy, and from the Middle Ages the Portuguese court came here to escape the heat and the plague of Lisbon. The National Palace in the village square was in use by the royal family for centuries; Parques de Sintra calls it the oldest palace in Portugal. Above it, on the ridge, the Moors had built a fortress that surrendered in 1147, the year Afonso Henriques took Lisbon. By the 19th century it was a ruin, and so was the old monastery on the neighbouring peak.

Ferdinand's hill

In 1838 King Ferdinand II, the German-born consort of Queen Maria II, bought the ruined monastery of Our Lady of Pena and the lands around it, including the Moorish Castle. He turned the monastery into a palace with the help of Baron von Eschwege, planted a park with more than five hundred species of trees and started restoring the castle walls in 1840. The result is the skyline people now call Sintra castle. In 1995 UNESCO listed the whole Cultural Landscape of Sintra as World Heritage.

The honest fine print: the official Parques de Sintra tickets resold on GetYourGuide are non-refundable, and "skip the line" means skipping the ticket office, not the palace door. Pena's palace is entered only at your timed slot. If you are not sure about the day, book something you can cancel.

Ticket or tour

If you are happy to take the train and the bus, tickets are all you need: buy Pena first for a morning slot, then the Moorish Castle, and keep the afternoon for the village or Regaleira. Book a tour if you would rather not handle transport. The half-day tour from Lisbon visits Pena's terraces and Regaleira with a guide in a group of up to eight. Read the small print on both half-day tours: entrance tickets are not included and are repaid in cash to the guide.

Which option, for whom

First time and fit: the Moorish Castle at opening, Pena at a late-morning slot. Short on time or travelling with people who dislike planning: a tour. Allergic to crowds: the National Palace and Monserrate, both quieter. Interested in symbols and secret passages: Regaleira, which has its own timed tickets and is not part of the Parques system. How the tickets work in detail is in our Sintra tickets guide.

See tickets

FAQ

Questions before the visit

Clear answers to what people ask most about Sintra's castle and palaces.

What is the main castle in Sintra?

Most people mean the Pena Palace, the red and yellow palace on the hilltop. It looks like a castle but was built as a royal residence for Ferdinand II in the 19th century. The only real castle is the Moorish Castle on the next ridge. Which Sintra castle to choose.

What are the two castles in Sintra?

The Moorish Castle (Castelo dos Mouros), a medieval fortress from the time of Moorish rule, and the Pena Palace, a romantic palace finished in the mid-19th century. They stand on neighbouring hills, a short walk apart, and both are run by Parques de Sintra.

Do you need to book Pena Palace in advance?

For the palace interior, yes in practice: Parques de Sintra sells palace tickets only for a specific date and time, and you enter the palace at that slot. Park-only tickets are more flexible. How the Sintra tickets work.

Can you drive to Pena Palace?

No. Private cars are not allowed up to Pena or the Moorish Castle. Park in the historic centre or the outer car parks, then take bus 434 from Sintra station or walk one of the marked trails. Getting to Sintra and up the hill.

How many hours is enough in Sintra?

Plan a full day if you want two monuments plus the village, and start early. Half a day covers one palace and a walk through the centre, which is what the half-day tours do. A one-day plan.

Is the Moorish Castle worth visiting?

Yes, if you like views and can manage steps. The walls run along the ridge between granite boulders, with Pena on one side and the town and the Atlantic on the other, and it is usually calmer than the palace.

Which castle is best to visit in Sintra?

For a first visit, Pena for the palace rooms and terraces, and the Moorish Castle for the walls and the panorama. If you have time for only one and dislike crowds, choose the Moorish Castle. If you want the famous postcard, choose Pena.

Are Sintra tickets refundable?

The official Parques de Sintra tickets sold on GetYourGuide (Pena, Moorish Castle, National Palace, Monserrate) are non-refundable. The Quinta da Regaleira ticket and the guided tours on this page can be cancelled for free up to 24 hours before.

What is Quinta da Regaleira famous for?

Its Initiation Well: a 27-metre spiral staircase with nine landings that leads into tunnels and grottoes. The mansion was built from 1904 for the millionaire Carvalho Monteiro and is run by the town, not by Parques de Sintra. The Regaleira guide.

Why does Sintra have so many castles and palaces?

Cool summers, forests and the court. Kings used the National Palace for centuries, Ferdinand II built Pena and restored the Moorish Castle in the 1800s, and rich families followed with estates like Monserrate and Regaleira. The story behind Sintra.

Sintra Castle, Tickets & Tours

Choose your Sintra castle ticket

Castle of the Moors Ticket

Pena Palace & Park Entrance Ticket

Half-Day Sintra Tour: Pena & Regaleira

Five more ways to see Sintra

Quinta da Regaleira Ticket & Audio Guide

National Palace of Sintra Ticket

Monserrate Palace & Park Ticket

Small-Group Half Day: Pena & Regaleira

Sintra, Pena, Regaleira, Cabo da Roca & Cascais

What each option really covers

The castle everyone photographs is a palace.

Pena Palace

Moorish Castle

National Palace

Quinta da Regaleira

Up the hill in four steps

Train to Sintra

Bus 434 or the trail

The castle walls

Pena at your slot

Plan your Sintra day

Where to start

Sintra station and the hill

Good to know

First the walls, then the palace.

Words from the hill

Sintra at night

Sintra Village Ghost Stories Walk

Sintra castle, explained

A town that kings chose for the summer

Ferdinand's hill

Ticket or tour

Which option, for whom

Before you go

Questions before the visit

Towers above the forest.