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Palácio Nacional de Sintra

Sintra
An aerial view of the Palácio Nacional de Sintra showing its white walls and the two distinctive white conical chimneys.
Photo: Diego Delso / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

A former royal residence, recognisable by its two enormous conical chimneys of around 33 metres that rise above the medieval kitchens.

From Moorish alcázar to royal residence

The building we see today grew from the Christian reconquest of 1147 on the site of an old Moorish alcázar, but its heart was built by Juan I between 1415 and 1430: the main façade, the central courtyard, the kitchens and the Sala dos Cisnes. Manuel I added the Manueline Wing and the spectacular Sala dos Brasões between 1497 and 1530, with the hall decorated around 1515–1518. The complex was declared a National Monument in 1910 and forms part of the Cultural Landscape of Sintra, inscribed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site since 1995. It is the only medieval palace in Portugal to have survived virtually intact from the Middle Ages.

The Sala dos Cisnes, Sala das Pegas and Sala dos Brasões

Three rooms stand out inside. The ceiling of the Sala dos Cisnes features 27 swans painted with golden crowns. The Sala das Pegas (magpies) displays 136 of these birds, each carrying a rose and the motto por bem; legend has it that Juan I commissioned it to silence court gossip after he was seen kissing a lady-in-waiting. The jewel of the palace is the Sala dos Brasões, with the coats of arms of 72 noble families beneath an octagonal dome and sixteenth-century tiles depicting hunting scenes. Below, the kitchens preserve the tin-lined copper ranges that fed the two conical chimneys.

Tickets, opening times and bus 434

The standard adult ticket costs 13 euros and the concessionary rate (young people aged 6 to 17 and those over 65) is 10 euros; children under six enter free. The monument is managed by Parques de Sintra. Open 9:30–19:00 from March to October and until 18:00 in winter, with last admission one hour before closing. Allow between one hour and one hour and a half to go round at a comfortable pace. As it stands in the historic centre on the Largo Rainha D. Amélia, you can walk from the station; the nearest stop for tourist bus 434 is Largo Ferreira Castro. Book a timed ticket to skip queues during high season and go first thing if you want the rooms almost to yourself.

Frequently asked questions

Do you need to book tickets in advance?
It is not compulsory, but during high season it is worth buying a timed-entry ticket to avoid the queues. Managed by Parques de Sintra: 13 euros for the standard adult ticket and 10 euros for the concessionary rate for young people aged 6 to 17 and those over 65; children under six enter free.
How long does it take to see it, and is it worth it compared with Pena?
An hour to an hour and a half will take you all the way round. It is smaller and more intimate than the Palácio da Pena, but its medieval interior and tiles are unrivalled; many visitors combine both palaces in a single day.
How do I get there, and is it very uphill?
It is in the historic centre, a flat walk from Sintra railway station, so there are no steep climbs as there are at Pena. The tourist bus 434 stop (Largo Ferreira Castro) is just a few metres away.

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