National Palace of Sintra: a guide to the must-see fun Palacio Nacional
When visiting Sintra, don't miss Sintra National Palace. Despite being the least-known palace there, I consider this former Royal Palace to be the most remarkable and memorable.
If you only have one day in Sintra, it can be difficult to choose which palace to visit out of the five palaces in Sintra available.
Spoiler alert, the most advertised palace in Sintra is not the one to visit on a one-day itinerary. Instead, National Palace of Sintra is the must-see palace, even if you only have time to visit two palaces in one day.
To understand why it is worth a visit, you can read my post and watch my videos about it.
What is Sintra National Palace?
Highlights of Sintra National Palace
Outstanding 15th century kitchen to envy
Cozy furniture you would love to own
Mesmerizing chandeliers
A short recap of long 1100 years of history
Palaces and rooms
Table of room additions by years built
King John I building campaign of 1415
The Swan Room or Sala Dos Cisnes
Magpie room of sala das Pegases
Building additions of King Afonso V (1432–1481)
Chapel
CAMPAIGN BY KING MANUEL I (1497 - 1530)
Coats-of-Arms Room (Sala dos Brasões)
Sintra Palace in 17th and 18th century
Modern times in Sintra Palace history
Related questions
Is Pena and Sintra the same palace?
Sintra National Palace vs Pena Palace?
When to visit Sintra National Palace
What is Sintra National Palace?
Sintra National Palace or the Palacio Nacional de Sintra, also called Palácio la Vila (The Town Palace), is an incredible and exotic museum located in the town of Sintra, Portugal.
The best-preserved medieval Royal residence in Portugal, it was inhabited continuously by the Portuguese monarchy and its court from the15th century to the late 19th century.
It was recognized as the UNESCO world heritage site It became a popular museum since then.
What you will see
You can see a large complex of separate palaces, built during different centuries, some rooms are from the middle ages, some are more modern.
Each room of Sintra National Palace exquisitely decorated in an architectural style of the time it was built. They are all connected by the halls, courtyards, and stairs. So, basically, this museum is a few palaces together.
And yet the modern National Place of Sintra is an organic mixture of these separate palaces, integrated well, and enhancing one another, creating an exciting experience for anyone who likes architecture.
But what will impress you the most, and what makes this palace to stand out—is how fun this beautiful museum feels! I will give you short highlights of the Palacio Nacional in the next section so you can see what I mean!
UNESCO thought the same, and the palace was declared the UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995. Today, it is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Portugal and attracts visitors from all over the world.
Highlights of National Palace of Sintra
Fun colorful ceramic glazed tiles
Cute tiled patios with fountains
Outstanding 15th century kitchen with chimneys to envy
Incredible carved ceilings
Indoor Arabic fountain
Cozy furniture you would love to own
Mesmerizing chandeliers
Below is the highlight of Nationl Palace of Sintra and its best features.
Look at these cheerful ceramic tiles! Aren’t they fun!? :)
Fun ceramic tiles
Have you seen anything like this patio with the old Moorish tiles and a fountain? I knew I hadn't, and I’ve been to many places!
Cute patios with fountains
Now, this is the kitchen many of us would love to have! Can you imagine it was built in the 15th century? The 33 feet tall chimneys were unmatched in middle ages (or ever!) and the kitchen had room for 30 cooks at the time to do their job of feeding vast group of people daily.
Now these two tall cone-shaped white chimneys are icons of the National Sintra Palace. Here is just a highlight of these kitchens. Go here to read more about the advanced kitchens of the National palace in Sintra.
Outstanding 15th century kitchen with chimneys to envy
Sintra National Palace has a few outstanding carved ceilings, and the Heraldic Hall with the dome ceiling is the most breathtaking sight of them all.
Incredible carved ceilings
It also has an Arab Room with indoor Moorish style fountain. How special!
Indoor Arabic fountain
The museum features some wonderful furniture from the Royal Palace. Leak, ebony, rosewood, ivory, brass and copper was used creating these and many other fine example of CRAFTSMANSHIP in the museum
Cozy furniture you would love to own
The origins of Sintra National Palace go back to the 8th century, when a Moorish fortress was built on the site.
The Moors were Muslim inhabitants of North Africa and Iberia who settled in Portugal in 711 AD.
The castle that eventually became the Sintra National Palace was originally the residence of the Islamic Moorish Taifa of Lisbon rulers.
Kind Alfonso Henriques, the fist King Of Portugal, ordered the reconstruction of the palace's walls.
It then became a royal residence during the reign of King Dinis I (1279-1325).
In 1502, King Manuel I ordered the construction of a new palace, which was completed in 1519. The palace was occupied continually since then until the 19th century and undergone many renovations and additions to the Palace.
A short recap of the long 1100 years of history
Related
Palaces and rooms
I organized the rooms built in the palace into a table for a clearer view
Table of room additions by years built
The beginning of National Place of Sintra
The first structures at the 8th century Sintra National Palace were likely built during the Moorish rule. None of the buildings have survived. Sintra.
The earliest surviving part of the palace is the Royal Chapel, which is believed to have been built during the reign of King Dinis I in the early 14th century and remodeled later at different times.
KING JOHN I MAJOR BUILDING CAMPAIGN OF 1415
King John I of Portugal, or King João I, was a visionary who undertook a massive building campaign of Palacio Nacional in 1415. His vision was to construct numerous impressive structures across the kingdom, ranging from lavish palaces and churches to grand fortresses and castles. This project was among the largest construction efforts in Portuguese history, as it involved significant investments of time and resources.
The most notable example of King John's royal campaign was the immense Sintra National Palace.
Ala Joanina
The majority of buildings around the central courtyard - called the Ala Joanina (or John's Wing) – were built during that time. The campaign also included many other new structures, such as the Swan Room, Magpie Room and Patios, as well as the Manueline-style Ala Joanina.
Remodeling of the kitchens
Back in the day, kings considered sharing meals with their subjects to be a crucial duty, right up there with dispensing justice and ensuring safety.
When palaces were located far from cities, hunting was the primary source of food, making it crucial to have larger and more efficient kitchens.
The kitchens in Sintra were game-changing in the 1300s, featuring two enormous conical chimneys that funneled smoke away from the palace, making it more habitable for the royal family.
King John I upgraded the kitchens to accommodate the hundreds of people that made up the court, as well as the game prepared for banquets.
Rows of ovens, cooking stoves, and copper pots and pans lined the walls.
The current kitchens, as we see them today, are from the reign of the last queen to occupy the Palace, Maria Pia. The coat of arms and white tiles on the walls date back to her renovation in the late 19th century.
Now these two tall cone-shaped white chimneys are icons of the National Sintra Palace.
The view from the inside of the conical CHIMNEY in Sintra National Palace kitchen that became an icon of Sintra National Palace
The Swan Room (or Sala dos Cisnes) of Sintra Palace
The swan room of Sintra Palace, with the swans painted on the ceiling is, the largest room of the Palace, where the most important events, like celebrations and receptions, took place, was also built in 1415.
The room is decorated in a regal style, featuring intricate stucco work and gilded wood carved into swan motifs.
Even today official banquets for special occasion of visits by foreign heads of state are held here.
MAGPIE ROOM ( OR SALA DAS PEGAS).
The Magpie Room was first built during the 15th century as part of the palace's original design. The walls are decorated with azulejos (glazed tiles) and painted in a variety of colors. The most striking features of the room are the two large magpie birds that adorn the ceiling, which were added during the 19th century renovation.
This room was used to received the notables of the kingdom and foreign ambassadors. The tile decoration and the composition of the ceiling are quite remarkable. The south-facing window opens over the Sierra with a view of the Moorish Castle.
The Magpie Room is still used as an occasional formal reception area, but is open to visitors year-round.
Magpie room is decorated in the most gorgeous tiles in the Palacio. They were added in the 16th century.
The marble fireplace was also added later. It was a gift to King Manuel I by Pope Leo X. The floor is covered by a Persian rug from the 15th century.
The Golden Chamber
This is the third room in the palace of King João I. This is the room where the king could sleep and work, and also could receive noble people.
The room was later decorated with very special Spanish tiles.
Tiles with Armillary Sphere
These tiles are exclusive of the National Palace of Sintra and can only be found in the Golden Chamber and Grotesque & Lion Patios. They look like cute decorative tiles, but they actually carry the emblem of King Manuel I - the armillary sphere. They were added to the chamber later and were ordered from ceramic specialists from Seville.
Architecture
The architecture of Sintra National Palace is an exciting mix of different architectural styles: Gothic, Manueline, Moorish, and Mudéjar, working together organically.
The reason there are so many architectural styles in Sintra Palace is because many rooms were added during a stretch of a few centuries under different rulers, while the old parts of the Sintra Palace were kept intact.
So, there are 11 centuries of fresh additions, wings and accents in Sintra Palace! This is very unsualy, as the normal practice is to build something on top of the old place, usually already partially destroyed.
While often such a mix of additions to a structure during different times can create a chaotic and overcrowded style, the present National Palace of Sintra is a rare example of an organic architectural style.
Let's see the main characteristics of the listed above styles to understand their influence in Sintra Palace better.
Biforas - lavish decorations of windows and arches in Sintra National Palace
architectural styles of National Sintra Palace.
Decades of renovation brought these individual architectural styles to Sintra National Palace.
Gothic style
The entrance gate of Sintra Palace and the King's Hall are built in Gothic style. This type of architecture was popular in Iberia from the 12th to 15th centuries. It includes pointed arches, ribbed vaults, and flying buttresses.
Manueline style
Manueline is a Portuguese variation of late Gothic, which includes maritime motifs like ropes, anchors and armillary spheres (astrolabes). Many Manueline elements can be seen in Sintra National Palace's façade, such as the windows decorated with armillary spheres or the relief sculptures on the main gate.
Moorish style
Much of what remains today of Sintra Palace was built during Moorish occupation between 1147-1493AD. Examples include some rooms decorated with azulejos (glazed tiles) and horseshoe arches typical of Islamic architecture.
Mudéjar style
This refers to a type of architecture that developed in Iberia during the 12th to 17th centuries, which combines elements of Christian and Islamic styles.
To learn more about alluring Mudejar architecture read my other post.
Building additions of King Afonso V (1432–1481)
The chapel
The earliest surviving part of the palace is the Royal Chapel got many additions made by John I of Aviz, and it was remodeled by King Afonso V.
The chapel has a tiled floor with tiles in the apse laid to resemble a carpet, painted walls, and a wooden ceiling decorated in geometrically patterned Mudejar latticework.
King Afonso V added the chapel’s golden altarpiece and sepulchre, which are richly decorated in Manueline style. Both the altarpiece and sepulcher are very different in style from the Mudejar carpentry of the chapel’s ceiling, which features geometric patterns that resemble a starry sky.
The Chapel saw more of significant changes during the 16th century under the rule of Manuel I. Raul Lino worked on restoring the palace in the 20th century.
Additions campaign by King Manuel I (1497 - 1530)
Remodeling in Manueline style
Manueline stile, characterized by its intricate designs and decorations, and it features rope-like elements, was named after King Manuel I, who commissioned the construction of the Ala Manuelina (Manuel's Wing) and the Sala dos Brasões (Coats-of-Arms Room) during his reign.
The Ala Manuelina featured typical Manueline windows, and polychromed tiles in a Mudéjar style, which were made specially in Seville.
AZULEJOS IN Coats-of-Arms Room Sala dos Brasões Sintra Palace
Coats-of-Arms Room (Sala dos Brasões)
The Coats-of-Arms Room (Sala dos Brasões) in Manueline style was the most magnificently decorated room in the palace during the time of King Manuel I. It featured the heraldic symbols of the Portuguese noble families, and was one of the most significant heraldic rooms in Europe.
The dome shaped ceiling of the room displays the King Manuel I's coat of arms, surrounded by 72 coats-of-arms of the King and the main Portuguese noble families.
In the center of the room, there is a stunning eight-pointed star that features a beautiful medallion, which glows with yellow and black colors. This beautiful medallion is surrounded by several smaller stars that represent the early Portuguese conquistadors.
The room was decorated with typical Manueline windows, and featured polychromed tiles made specially for the King in Seville, with Mudéjar motifs.
The blue tiles with different hunting scenes are very impressive as well. The pictures don’t do the room enough justice, it’s the most impressive room!
Arab Room (Sala dos Árabes)
Another outstanding room built in the 15th century in Sintra Palace was the Arab Room (Sala dos Árabes).
The room features a low ceiling with intricate Moorish designs on its walls, decorated with colorful tiles. The star of the show is the ornate fountain in the center of the room, which features detailed geometric patterns and Arabic inscriptions.
The room was constructed when King Manuel I of Portugal ordered the redecoration of the palace.
Grotto of the Baths in Sintra Palace
The Grotto of the Baths is one of the most intriguing attractions located inside the Sintra National Palace in Portugal. This unique underground cave is known for its intricate tile work, and stucco decoration from the 18th century. It is believed to have been used as a royal bathhouse by the Portuguese monarchy.
The walls and floor of the cave are covered in some magnificent tile panels there and stucco ornamentation representing the Creation of the World.
The blue and white tiled wall panels represent fountains and gardens.
And it looks very pretty!:)
16th century King John III building campaign of Sintra National Palace
King John III had an Italianate loggia added in 1543 and a two-story octagonal tower built for him by Flemish architect Jan van Oosten between 1571 and 1575.
King Sebastian later added Mannerist elements to the palace, such as arcades with pilasters and curved shapes framing windows and doors.
The last major change to Sintra National Palace occurred under Queen Maria II (1834-1853), who ordered new ceilings made from wood painted with gold.
Sintra Palace in 17th and 18th century
In the following centuries Kings continued to inhabit Sintra Palace from time to time, also ordering some new decorations, some paintings or furniture for the Palace, but nothing major.
The was one dark mark in the history of Sintra palace happened when the mentally unstable King Afonso VI, was forced to live in his bedroom in the medieval section of the Palace, without leaving the residence from 1676 until his death in 1683.
Sintra Palace suffered damage after the 1755 Lisbon earthquake, but was restored in the original manner. The biggest loss to the great earthquake was the tower over the Arab Room, which collapsed.
At the end of the 18th century, Queen Maria I redecorated and redivided the rooms of the Ala Manuelina.
Modern times in Sintra Palace history
During the 19th century, Sintra became again a favorite spot for the Kings and was used frequently. With the foundation of the Republic, it became a national monument tin 1910. In the 1940s, it was restored and old furniture from other palaces was added. The magnificent tile panels were restored as well during that time. It has been an important historical tourist attraction ever since.
And it’s waiting for YOUR visit!:)
Practical Information
Where In Portugal Is Sintra?
Sintra, Portugal, the Lisbon District of Portugal, is located 30 km North West from Lisbon, or 1 hour train ride.
While it is located only 14 km from the Atlantic ocean, it takes 90 minutes by public transportation. It only takes 20 minutes to ride by car, but do not come on a car because of parking problems!
Alternatively, you can arrive from Cascais on a bus. Read my other post on how to use buses in Portugal.
Where Is Sintra National Palace Located?
Sintra Palace is located right in the town center, a short 10 minutes walk from Sintra train station.
Should I drive to Sintra or take a train?
Insider's tip. Arriving on a train or bus is by far your best bet as finding parking anywhere in Sintra is impossible. It will create you unnecessary stress and it will take away from your enjoyment for sure!
Buy an unlimited Lisbon public transport 24 hours pass to get a free train or bus ticket.
Read about the best ways of getting around Portugal in my other post.
Renting a car is especially not wise if you're traveling solo. Read more on why choose public transport over renting a car here.
You don't need a car in Sintra and it won't be too difficult to get around Sintra. Read my other post about how to do that.
But the best way is just to walk everywhere. It will take you 1 hour to get to castle of Moors from the center, and then it takes 20 minutes to walk from there to Pena Palace. Quinta da Regaleira is withing 15 minutes walk from the center. But you need to take a bus to go to Monserrate Park and Palace.
Visiting the Sintra National Palace: Hours, Address
Hours: Open every day
9:30AM–6PM
Largo Rainha Dona Amélia, 2710-616 Sintra, Portugal
+351219237300
How much does it cost to visit Sintra national palace (palácio nacional de sintra) 2021?
Admition price to Sintra National Palace:
Adult (18-64 years old) - 10 euros
Youth (6-17 years old) - 8.50 euros
Senior (65 years old and above) - 8.50 euros
Child (below 6 years old) - Free of charge
Family (2 Adults aged 18-64 + 2 Youths aged 6-17) - 31.35 euros
How long to spend in the Palacio de Sintra?
Expect to spend around one hour, minimum. I spent at least 1.5 hours there. It’s much less crowded than Pena, so you don’t have to rush. You can make it your last stop in town, before heading back to the train station if you’re visiting Sintra on a day trip.
When to visit Sintra National Palace
When planning your trip to the Sintra National Palace, it is best to visit in the months of April-October. During this period, temperatures are pleasant and the palace's surrounding gardens are in full bloom.
It is also worth noting that the palace is open every day from 9:30 am-6:00 pm, with extended hours during peak tourist season.
Sintra National Palace vs Pena Palace
How does Sintra National Palace compare to Pena Palace, and which one should you choose?
In short: Pena Palace is more famous, but Sintra National Palace is more impressive inside. You still need to check out Pena Palace from the outside.
The majority of tourists arrive on a day trip and don't have enough time to visit all the palaces in Sintra. Therefore, they have to choose the best palace.
Sintra National Palace is often compared to the better-known Pena Palace. Many people even think that the Sintra Palace and Pena Palace are the same thing.
Read the post above to find out that Sintra National Palace is better for exploring inside. And you can visit Pena Palace to admire from the outside.
Is Pena and Sintra the same palace?
I often see that people are confused and think that Sintra Palace and Pena Palace are the same palace. I would like to clear up the confusion.
When people think about a palace in Sintra, they usually think about the more famous National Palace of Pena.
You can see pictures of the colorful and exotic yellow and blue buildings of Pena Palace almost everywhere. And yes, the buildings are indeed very beautiful, and you should definitely admire them from the outside!
So, no, National Palace in Sintra and Pena Palace are not the same!
Here is a picture of Pena Palace so that you will understand which is which. Read this post above to learn about Sintra National Palace.
Related questions
Is Pena Palace worth going inside?
No, Pena National Palace is not worth going inside if you only have one day in Sintra (or even 2 days).
If you only have one day in Sintra, save time by NOT going inside it (which is just mediocre compared to other palaces). Instead, use the time saved to visit Sintra Royal Palace!
Picture of Pena National Palace is attached above so that you can understand which palace is which.
My advice about not going inside Pena National Palace might surprise you, as all other websites tell you to visit this museum and go inside it. But that would take an entire day, as the line to see inside the palace is usually huge (yes, even with the skip the line option you have to purchase separately!), and this will take hours of your day. Do this only if you have a few days in Sintra town.
So, instead, go and see exotic and pretty buildings of Pena Palace from the outside and on saved time—visit Sintra National palace!
So, in conclusion of comparison of Sintra National Palace vs Pena Palace. If you only have time to visit one palace in Sintra, visit Sintra National Palace and skip Pena Palace.
Pena Palace is the new Palace, built in the 19th century. It has a Disneylandish feel to it. Sintra Royal Palace was started in the 11th century with major additions from 14th century. It feels as authentic as they come. This is the place Portuguese monarchs have chosen to live in.
However, the best is to visit both palaces and just admire Pena Palace from outside, and visit the interior of Sintra Palace - the unique palace from the middle ages.
If you are still not sure about my advice, read the blog post above to see why you just can't skip going inside Sintra National Palace.
Other Palaces in Sintra worth seeing
There are a few other places in Sintra worth seeing, besides just exploring Sintra town and it's fun old alleys. They're all designated national monuments.
How many palaces are in Sintra?
There are five major palaces in Sintra, Portugal:
Quinta da Regaleira, a manor house surrounded by lush gardens with an unusual spiral staircase. There is also smaller Tivoli Palácio de Seteais next to it.
Pena National Palace or Palácio Nacional da Pena (see above), and Pena park.
Moorish Castle (Castelo dos Mouros), or the Castle of the Moors is a 9th-century ruin (with many intact walls left to walk on!). It is located on the Serra de Sintra hill, overlooking Sintra town. It is the second of the 2 medieval palaces in Sintra. I really recommend visiting, and I advise hiking to it to better explore the forest path, which is also very interesting.
Monserrate Park and Palace (Parque e Palácio de Monserrate), a romantic palace located in a wooded park and surrounded by exotic plants. My friend Steve gives a great account of that place in his guide to Monserrate Palace.
National Palace of Sintra or Palácio Nacional de Sintra (read this post above).
There is also Chalet and Garden of Condessa d'Edla, which is not technically a palace, but is still worth visiting.
And another place is a bit further away from the palaces and is often overlooked is is the Capuchos Convent.
You need 2-3 days in Sintra to explore all these palaces and discover Sintra properly.
One day Sintra itinerary
If you only have one day in Sintra and are determined to see the most, then:
From the Sintra city center, take a bus up the hill to explore Pena Palace from outside only.
Take Uber (or a bus, but prepare to wait for it) down to the center and walk to Quinta da Regaleria (don't stay there more than 1 hour).
Visit the Royal Palace of Sintra inside (read above). It's near the train station. Take the last 18:00 train back to Lisbon.
All of these places are well worth a visit and will make your trip to Sintra an unforgettable experience!
Here are the links to other great European destinations to check out if you would like to visit similar interesting places.
Moorish Castle (Castelo dos Mouros)
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