The Solo Scale:

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In recent years post-pandemic, Portugal has become a go-to locale for tourists. That could be a result of affordable flights, the fantastic culture, or it simply being the zeitgeist. Either way, there’s been an uptick in people heading to Lisbon. With that, day trips out to Sintra have also increased. In Sintra, the most recently famous (or simply the most Instagrammable) is the National Palace of Pena, which has had a storied history. It’s been a monastery, a summer palace for monarchs, and currently a national monument. Every year, it draws millions of people (over 2M these days).

There’s a limit on how many people they let into the palace. If this is a must-do, purchase your tickets in advance to avoid disappointment. There are multiple tour companies that go to Pena. If you want to go with someone else so they can do the driving for you, there’s plenty of options. Do a search online for a reputable company and make sure to check the reviews before you book. The last thing you want is to book with a sub-par company.

If you go with a group and it’s included, they will buy the tickets for you. Check the fine print to make sure they will. Otherwise, you’ll go to the ticket office and grab them for yourself. After you purchase your tickets, there’s a bit of an uphill climb (about 500m). There’s no avoiding it, so take your time as you hike up towards the palace. You’ll wind your way through the palace, getting the iconic photos that everyone has of the colourful palace. Then, you can begin to explore the architecture and the lesser-seen areas.

Once you get to the opposite side of the palace, you might be surprised by the sudden whipping winds. The ocean isn’t that far away and you’re definitely going to experience some of that northwesterly wind coming in to assault you. There’s a little less to see on this side/ However, there are a few narrow walks where you may have to shuffle around other tourists. On the whole, it’s not so crowded that you might feel claustrophobic (helped by the open-air element).

On the way out, there’s a small gift shop that you can peruse before heading back to your vehicle to explore more of Sintra, or continue on with your Portugal visit. For more information, to buy tickets, and to prepare for your visit to the Palace, check out the official website here.

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