Sintra National Palace and its chimneys

What it is and why it matters

Sintra National Palace is the palace of the two white conical chimneys that dominate the village square. Parques de Sintra presents it as the oldest palace in Portugal and the only one that spans the whole history of the country: it grew out of several royal residences built over the centuries, and its first building probably dates from the 10th or 11th century, when Sintra was under Muslim rule.

The kings used it for centuries to hunt, to spend the summer in the cool of the mountains and to take refuge from the plague in Lisbon. That is why Gothic, Mudéjar, Manueline and Renaissance live side by side inside, without a single plan. The two chimneys, its best-known silhouette, crown the royal kitchen.

What you see

The visit follows the main rooms:

• The Swan Room, with a ceiling painted with swans in different poses.
• The Magpie Room, with the ceiling covered in magpies carrying a rose and a ribbon in their beaks.
• The Coats of Arms Room, with the gilded wooden dome and the shields of Portugal's noble families, and walls of blue and white tiles.
• The Manueline room, the golden chamber, the chapel and the Council room.
• The kitchen, beneath the chimneys: looking up you understand their size.
• The gardens, free to enter.

The Mudéjar-style tiles in several rooms are among the oldest sets of this type in Portugal.

Opening hours

The palace and gardens are open from 9:30 to 18:30. Last entry to the palace is at 17:30 and last entry to the gardens at 18:00. The ticket office closes from 12:00 to 13:00, although the automatic machines keep working. Parques de Sintra publishes occasional closures on its website: on 11 November 2026 all its monuments were closed.

Tickets and prices

• Essential visit: €13 adults, €10 young people aged 6 to 17 and over-65s, €35 for the family ticket of two adults and two young people.
• Complete visit: €35 adults, €20 young people, €25 over-65s, €95 family.
• Dramatised visit: €65 adults, €20 young people, €50 over-65s, €130 family.
• Children under 6 do not pay. The gardens are free.

Bought on the Parques de Sintra website or at the ticket office.

How long

An hour and a half for the essential visit without hurrying. It is the easiest visit in Sintra: it is in the centre and without slopes.

How to get there

The palace is in Largo Rainha D. Amélia, in the historic centre. From Lisbon, the Sintra line train (Rossio, Oriente or Entrecampos) drops you at Sintra station, and from there Parques de Sintra estimates 10 to 15 minutes to the palace; Scotturb buses 434 and 435 also stop nearby.

Traffic in the historic centre is restricted to residents. If you go by car, leave it in the car parks on the outskirts and continue on foot or by bus.

With children

The swan and magpie ceilings, and the kitchen with its chimneys, work well with children: give them a mission, such as counting swans. Children under 6 do not pay. The dramatised visit is a good option for families with older children if it fits your date.

Combine it

It is the visit for arrival or for the last part of the day, because it is within walking distance of everything. From the square the Vila Sassetti trail leaves towards the Moorish Castle, and a few minutes' walk away you have Quinta da Regaleira.