How to See Pena Palace Without Crowds: Sintra Early Access Tours

Sintra is one of those places that feels straight out of a fairy tale, with its many palaces and castles to visit. But as anyone who’s ever visited knows, it can get very crowded—especially at its iconic palaces. We love the area around Sintra and neighboring Cascais, but don’t enjoy crowded sites. We’ve searched extensively to find Lisbon and Sintra’s best hidden gems. So when we heard about the early access small-group tours from Lisbon by Walks Tours, we jumped at the chance! Spoiler: it was the best decision we made for our most recent trip! Here is our review based on our personal experience taking a Walks Tours Sintra Exclusive Early Access Tour to Pena Palace.

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Early Access VIP SintraTour on Walks Tours
VIP Sintra Tour from Lisbon with Private Access to Pena Palace

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A Bit of Background

I’d visited Pena Palace before on a quiet winter weekend. While it was more crowded than I liked, I was able to walk up, get tickets with no line, and wander around the palace. Given the crowds inside the palace though, I spent most of my time exploring the beautiful gardens. Have I mentioned I don’t like crowds?

Fast forward a few years (post-Covid), when my husband, one of our sons, and I were vacationing in Cascais. We decided to visit the palace mid-week during Easter week. Big mistake! After walking up from town as I like to do, we explored the Moorish Castle. We saw the massive lines out of Pena Palace, and turned right around. We ended up have a wonderful day exploring Sintra’s beaches, Cabo da Roca, and hiking to Praia da Ursa, one of our favorite hikes and beaches in the area.

Walks Tours: Sintra Day Tours with Exclusive Early Access to Pena Palace

The Early Start: Lisbon Pickup

Our morning started bright and early in Lisbon in the Praça dos Restauradores, where our wonderful guide Alicia and our driver Nuno met our small group (7 of us in the shuttle) at 7:15 AM. Was it an early start? Yes, but we all felt it was worthwhile. 

Pro tip: You can also take an after-hours tour, though the time in the palace is a bit more constrained. The views at sunset would be beautiful though.

The ride to Sintra took about 35-40 minutes and was air conditioned and comfortable. Our guide used the time to provide us with the history of Sintra, the Portuguese monarchy, and the palace itself. By the time we wound our way up into the Sintra’s hills, we were ready to go! Nuno dropped us off right at the palace gates: no walking up the long hill for these VIP’s.

First Tour Stop: Pena Palace Sintra

A Bit About Pena Palace

Driving towards Sintra, you see Pena Palace’s bright red and yellow buildings perched high on the forested hilltop, unless it’s obscured by clouds or mist. Its history dates back to the Middle Ages, when a chapel dedicated to Our Lady of Pena stood here.

In the 19th century, King Ferdinand II transformed the ruins of a former monastery into this dazzling palace. His vision is reflected in the architecture, which is an eclectic mix of Romantic, Moorish, and Gothic styles. It was finished in 1854, when it became a summer residence for the Portuguese royal family. Pena Palace, together with the rest of the Cultural Landscape of Sintra, form a UNESCO World Heritage site. The palace is one of Portugal’s most iconic and visited landmarks.

Pena Palace Tours Before the Crowds

Here’s the real magic: we arrived at Pena Palace before opening hours and were the very first people allowed inside (other than the employees). For a whole hour, we had the romantic, brightly-colored palace to ourselves. Since we had heard the history, this left us with time to peacefully explore with Alicia leading the way. There were no jostling with crowds, no long lines—just time to soak in those whimsical turrets, the beautiful chapel, artwork, tiles, and sweeping views over the Atlantic. 

Courtyards and Terraces of Pena Palace

At the start of the tour, the clouds and mist hung low over the palace, making it hard to see the nearby ocean. Taking Alicia’s advice, we spent quite a bit of time capturing photos of the outdoor areas before heading inside to tour the royal apartments.

Pro tip: Be sure to stop byTriton’s Terrace for photos before heading in. After you tour the apartments, this area will be filled with people.

We then passed through to the Courtyard of Arches. We spent extensive time here taking in the views and capturing endless photos.

Chapel Pena Palace

Next we headed in to the palace’s chapel, which was one of the highlights of the day. This charming chapel is beautifully preserved and is a strong reminder of the site’s religious roots. This was the site of a monastery dedicated to Our Lady of Pena, dating from the 16th century. After surviving the 1755 Lisbon earthquake, the chapel was carefully incorporated into the palace’s new Romantic design.

Stepping inside feels like entering a pocket of history. Highlights are the delicate stained-glass windows, the incredibly intricate altarpiece, and the soaring ceiling. It’s a quiet space that is a striking contrast to the busy, colorful exterior.

Pena Palace Tours: Royal Apartments

After spending quite a bit of time capturing photos of the outdoor areas, including the unique doors and portals, we wandered through the royal apartments at our own pace. Alicia was available to answer our questions and provide some more background.

Walking through the royal apartments of Pena Palace gives you insight into the life of Portuguese royalty during the 19th century. The rooms are filled with authentic furnishings and personal touches that bring history to life.

When I visited years ago, it was hard to appreciate the details with so many people milling around. This early access tour was such a nice change of pace and so much more relaxed.

Peak out the windows from the rooms as you walk by and enjoy the breathtaking panoramic views all the way to the Atlantic Ocean on a clear day.

Pena Palace with the Crowds (After Opening)

Enjoying these incredible palace grounds without the crowds was truly a game changer. By the time the first people started trickling in, we’d already explored the highlights and felt like VIPs. We still had about 30-45 minutes to explore the palace and grounds after it opened to the public. Some of our group sat and enjoyed the cafeteria terrace, while others re-explored the apartments, or walked part of the grounds. We would have liked to have time to walk around the lakes and gardens, but this could easily take a half-day by itself. 

After wrapping up our time at the palace, we walked down to the main exit gates to meet our shuttle. Nuno was waiting with plenty of water on hand, for the quick drive back into Sintra.

Next Tour Stop: Quinta da Regaleira

A Bit of History: Quinta da Regaleira

Quinta da Regaleira was designed at the turn of the 20th century by the wealthy Brazilian-Portuguese businessman António Augusto Carvalho Monteiro. Collaborating with Italian architect Luigi Manini, Monteiro filled the estate with symbolism from the Knights Templar, Freemasonry, and Portuguese myth. It is unclear whether Monteiro was a Free Mason, though there is certainly a lot symbolism pointing in that direction around the estate.

The palace itself is a masterpiece of eccentricity, blending Gothic, Renaissance, and Manueline styles. The gardens are a labyrinth of hidden tunnels, secret grottoes, and the famous Initiation Well. This subterranean tower is thought to have been used for ceremonial rites. Opened to the public in the late 20th century, Quinta da Regaleira is now part of Sintra’s UNESCO World Heritage site.

Exploring Quinta da Regaleira: Mystical Gardens & The Initiation Well

Next up was Quinta da Regaleira, which was already open to the public by the time we arrived. I would have previously classified this as a hidden gem—unfortunately, it’s been discovered and was relatively crowded. 

Our guide gave us an engaging introduction to the estate’s history, and then we headed to the Initiation Well. This has a spiral staircase plunging deep underground, surrounded by mossy stone and dappled sunlight. While we had to wait 15 minutes to get in, it was still a unique and almost otherworldly experience. I don’t recall this from previous visits, but there was quite a bit of dripping water on the stairs and especially the bottom landing. It didn’t detract from the experience, but I would suggest exploring the well in shoes that you don’t mind getting wet.

We then had about 15 minutes to wander around the palace, visit the chapel, or get a coffee. We used the time to wander through the gardens, peeked into grottos, and admired the ornate palace façade before regrouping. Despite the crowds, we felt that Quinta da Regaleira was still definitely worth a visit.

Pro tip: If you’d like to visit Quinta da Regaleira with fewer crowds, try visiting mid-week about an hour before closing.

Pro tip: If you prefer to only take the early access part of the tour (not visiting Quinta da Regaleira), this is an option. The shuttle can drop you in town after Pena Palace, leaving you to explore on your own. You’re given train tickets back into Lisbon, making for an easy trip back. 

Final Stop: Sweet Finish in Sintra Town

Our final stop was the heart of Sintra’s old town. We wandered down as a group from Quinta da Regaleira, then had free time to stroll the cobbled streets, shop for souvenirs, or just relax in the charming square. The absolute must-do is sampling travesseiro pastries from Piriquita. These flaky, almond-filled pillows are the Sintra’s renowned treat. They also offer varieties with Nutella, and apples, as well as Pasteis del Nata. We took ours to the square across the street in front of the National Palace and enjoyed these with a cup of coffee in the sun, giving us a chance to reflect on the morning’s adventures.

Pro tip: If Piriquita 1 is crowded, there is another location Piriquita 2 further up the road.

All too soon, it was time to head back. By 2, we were back in Lisbon, having packed more magic into a half-day than I thought possible.

Final Thoughts: Are the Early Access Pena Palace Tours Worth It?

Absolutely. If you want to experience Pena Palace in peace and get more out of your visit to Sintra without the crowds, this tour is the way to go. Prices for the early access Pena Palace tours start at €169 per person, which is certainly more than the cost of a general entry ticket (€20 for adults) + round trip train costs from Lisbon. The convenience of Lisbon pickup, the history and insights from a friendly and knowledgeable guide, and the early entry to one of Portugal’s most famous landmarks made this day truly special. We can’t recommend the Early Access to Pena Palace Tours enough!

NOTE: This review was a sponsored partnership with Walks Tours. All opinions are my own.

Early Access Pena Palace Tour Options

Walks Tours hosts these wonderful early access Pena Palace tours. They offer a number of options, with prices starting at €169 per person:

• VIP Sintra Tour from Lisbon with Private Access to Pena Palace: with Quinta da Regaleira, 6.5 hours
• Private Access Pena Palace & Express Sintra Tour from Lisbon: tour Pena Palace, then explore town on own with a train back to town, 4 hours
• Sintra & Cascais Day Trip with Private Early Access Pena Palace: tour Pena Palace, Cabo da Roca, Cascais
  8 hours

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