Which entrance should you use at Pena Palace?

Pena Palace has two park gates and one palace entry point. Here's the quick version:

• Standard park + palace tickets: Main park entrance (Estrada da Pena)
  
• Skip-the-line/fast-track tickets: Main park entrance → Meeting Point near the Palace Store
  
• Guided tours: Meet at the main park entrance; your guide takes it from there
  
• Hikers/arriving from Moorish Castle: Lakes Entrance (Lagoa do Cisne); scenic but uphill walk to the palace
  
• Wheelchair users: Main park entrance → accessible shuttle bus runs up to the palace every 15 minutes
  
• Palace interior access (all visitors): Monumental Gate

​→ Choose the best entrance

How many entrances are there at Pena Palace?

There are three access points in total at Pena Palace. Two gates into the Park of Pena, and one into the palace itself.

The main park entrance (Estrada da Pena) is where the vast majority of visitors, whether on timed tickets, fast-track passes, or guided tours begin their visit. The shuttle bus also runs from here up to the palace.

The lakes entrance (Lagoa do Cisne) is a secondary park gate on the western side, best suited for visitors hiking up from Sintra town or arriving from the Moorish Castle. It drops you into the park's scenic trail network, and from here it's roughly a 15-minute walk uphill to the palace.

Once inside the park and at the palace, the Monumental Gate is where your timed-entry slot gets you into the palace's interior visit circuit. The dramatic triumphal arch adorned with serpents and diamond-shaped reliefs, leading through a drawbridge tunnel to the upper patios.

We'll walk you through which entrance works best for your ticket type—read on.

Accessible entrances at Pena Palace

The main park entrance on Estrada da Pena is the only fully accessible entry point into the park and it's where your journey should begin. The entrance barrier is step-free, and from here, the Pena Palace shuttle bus runs up to the palace every 15 minutes, saving wheelchair users and visitors with limited mobility the steep 30-minute uphill walk through the park.

At the palace level, the Monumental Gate has a stepped tunnel as its primary passage, not suitable for wheelchairs. However, an alternative accessible route is clearly signposted from the shuttle drop-off point, bypassing the tunnel and leading directly into the palace visit circuit.

Inside the palace, some areas have uneven historic flooring and stairs that are part of the original structure—full wheelchair access to every room isn't guaranteed, but the main visit circuit is largely navigable. Tactile paving and accessible signage are available at key points throughout.

A few things to note:

• The Lakes entrance is not accessible, the trail approach is unpaved and uneven
  
• Wheelchairs are available on-site (subject to availability)
  
• Visitors with a disability certificate may be entitled to a reduced Pena Palace entrance fee. Check the official website for eligibility
  
• One accompanying companion may also qualify for a discounted or free ticket depending on the disability classification