Adult
Ages 18–64
€22
- Full palace entry (all 14 rooms + kitchens)
- Skip-the-line priority queue
- Timed 30-minute entry slot
Step inside Portugal's oldest royal palace, in the heart of Sintra
Sintra National Palace skip-the-line — twin conical chimneys, 500 years of Portuguese kings, Mudéjar and Manueline tilework you'll find nowhere else. In Sintra's old town, not on the hilltop.
See ticket options- 12th c. Continuously used royal palace — oldest in Portugal
- 33 m Height of the twin conical kitchen chimneys
- UNESCO Sintra cultural landscape, 1995
- 700 K / yr visitors to the palace
Choose your ticket
Youth (6–17)
Ages 6–17
€18
- Full palace entry
- Skip-the-line priority queue
- Free under age 6 at the gate
Family
2 adults + up to 3 youths
€72 €62 Save €10
- Palace entry for the whole family
- Under-6s free at the gate — we handle the paperwork
- Skip-the-line for all
Combo with Pena Palace
Both Sintra royal palaces, same day
€52
- Sintra National Palace + Pena Palace
- Both timed entry slots secured
- The classic royal-Sintra same-day pairing
- Save €10 vs buying separately
Rotterdam, Netherlands
“Easy mistake to make — we booked the wrong palace first time. This is the one in the town, not on top of the hill. Both are worth it; if you only do one, do both. The kitchens with the 33m chimneys are nuts.”
Cork, Ireland
“The Hall of Swans has 27 of them painted on a gold ceiling, one for each of João I's daughter's years. Stood in that room longer than I've stood in anything in three decades of travel. Worth the skip-the-line on its own.”
Utrecht, Netherlands
“Did the combo with Pena. Morning here (cooler, quieter), lunch in Sintra old town, afternoon up to Pena. The combo ticket saved us €10 and one queue. Easily the best day of a 10-day Portugal trip.”
- Refund if we can't deliver Full money back if your slot can't be secured
- Real humans, not bots English-speaking concierge, not AI
- Pay in your local currency Same price at checkout · no FX surprise
- No hidden fees Total shown upfront · what you see is what you pay
About Palácio Nacional de Sintra
The Palácio Nacional de Sintra sits in the old town of Sintra, at the foot of the Sintra mountains — not to be confused with the yellow-and-red Pena Palace that tops the hill above it. This was the royal summer residence continuously from the 12th century until 1910, which makes it the longest-used royal palace in Portugal. Every king of Portugal stayed here; Catherine of Braganza was born here.
Architecturally it's a layered thing — Moorish bones from before the Christian conquest, a core built by João I in the 14th century, major expansion by Manuel I in the early 16th. The result is an astonishing blend: Mudéjar azulejos that predate anything Spain kept, Gothic vaults, Manueline windows, and the only surviving major painted ceilings of the medieval Portuguese court (the Hall of Swans with 27 gold-crowned swans, the Hall of Magpies with 136 birds on the ceiling).
The twin conical chimneys are a 14th-century industrial-kitchen solution to feeding the court — they vent a pair of three-storey kitchens big enough to roast whole oxen. They've become Sintra's silhouette: you can see them from the train window on the approach from Lisbon.
Practical information
- Opening hours
- Daily 09:30 – 18:30 (last entry 18:00). Closed 25 December and 1 January.
- Address
- Largo Rainha Dona Amélia, 2710-616 Sintra, Portugal
- Getting there from Lisbon
- Train from Rossio station to Sintra (40 min, every 20 min). From Sintra station, the palace is a 15-min walk (mostly downhill into the old town) or bus 434/435 in 5 min.
- Where it is
- In the historic centre of Sintra, at the base of the hill. Pena Palace is on top of the hill (different palace, same operator). You can see both from town — make sure you're going to the right one.
- Time needed
- Allow 1.5–2 hours for the full palace circuit. The audio guide loop is 90 minutes at a steady pace. If you're doing Pena the same day, arrive early here first.
- Accessibility
- The palace has multiple levels and staircases; there is no lift. Ground-floor rooms are accessible. Contact us before booking if mobility is a concern.
- Photography
- Permitted without flash or tripod. The Hall of Swans ceiling and the Hall of Magpies are the most-photographed; morning light is best for both.
- Nearby
- A 10-minute walk from Quinta da Regaleira (same UNESCO listing, same ticket operator). A 20-minute shuttle-bus ride up the hill to Pena Palace. Half the joy of Sintra is doing 2–3 palaces in one day.
About our service
Sintra National Palace Tickets acts as a facilitator to assist international visitors in purchasing skip-the-line tickets directly from Parques de Sintra – Monte da Lua S.A., the official operator (the same operator that runs Pena Palace, the Moorish Castle, and the Monserrate estate). We do not resell tickets — we provide a personalised booking and English-language support service. Our concierge service fee is included in the displayed price. For those who prefer to purchase directly, the official ticket site is parquesdesintra.pt.
Frequently asked
Is this the palace with the yellow and red towers on the hill?
No — that's Pena Palace, on top of the Sintra mountain. This is the Palácio Nacional de Sintra, in the old town at the foot of the hill, with the twin white conical chimneys. Different palace, same official operator. Both are UNESCO-listed. If you're only doing one, most visitors pick Pena for the views and this one for the interiors.
What's included in the skip-the-line ticket?
Priority entry to the palace bypassing the ticket-office queue, plus the full 14-room circuit: Hall of Swans, Hall of Magpies, Blazons Room (with family crests of Portugal's nobility), the chapel, the royal apartments, and the medieval kitchens under the twin chimneys.
How long does a visit take?
1.5–2 hours for the full palace at a steady pace. An audio guide is available at the entrance (self-paced, 90 minutes, 8 languages). If you're combining with Pena Palace, start here in the morning.
Should I combine with Pena Palace?
Yes — it's the classic royal-Sintra same-day pairing. Our combo ticket covers both with secured timed slots at each, saving €10 over buying separately. Morning here (cooler in town), lunch in Sintra old town, afternoon shuttle to Pena.
How bad are the queues?
Peak-season weekends (May–Sep) queue 30–45 min at the main entrance in the square. Mornings (09:30–10:30) and late afternoons (after 16:30) are quietest. Skip-the-line cuts any queue to under 5 minutes.
Can we change the date?
Two situations trigger a full refund: (a) we cannot secure your chosen slot, or (b) the palace closes (rare — mostly 25 Dec / 1 Jan). Outside those, tickets are non-transferable once issued. Reply to your confirmation email 48h+ ahead and we'll try.
Is it suitable for children?
Yes — kids enjoy the painted ceilings (magpies, swans, deer), the medieval kitchens, and the chapel. Under-6s are free at the gate; the family tier bundles the paperwork. Strollers struggle on cobbled stairs — a carrier is easier.
Is photography allowed?
Yes, without flash or tripod. The Hall of Swans ceiling is the most-photographed; best light is between 10:00 and 11:30. Drones prohibited.