If you are searching for the best day trip from Lisbon, look no further than Pena Palace in Sintra. This yellow and red palace is one of the most beautiful castles in Europe and one of the most instagrammable destinations in the world!
How to get to Sintra
Getting from Lisbon to Sintra
It takes 37 minutes to get from central Lisbon to Sintra. Trains depart from Lisboa Rossio station. Don’t get confused by the metro station Restauradores which is very close by (like I did!). The station is above ground and right next to Hotel Avenida Palace. You can purchase your ticket at one of the machines inside. Tickets cost €3.50 and you select ‘zone 4’ to get to Sintra.
Getting from Sintra Station to Pena Palace
Once you arrive in Sintra you can catch the 434 bus to the palace that first departs at 9:15 and costs €3.90 per person. I do not recommend doing this. If you want to beat the crowds you should arrive at Sintra early and catch an Uber to Pena Palace. An Uber cost €4 so ended up being cheaper than the bus was when we split it between us!
On the way down from the palace we caught the bus because it had just arrived and there were no lines. Follow this link for bus information.
Buying tickets for Pena Palace, Sintra
Adult tickets to Pena Palace cost €14 and can be bought at the entrance. However, I do not recommend doing this. Ticket booths do not open until 9am in summer at 10am in winter (the same time the gates open). You will end up waiting in line for a ticket, then waiting in line again to enter the gates behind everyone who bought their tickets in advance. If you buy your tickets in advance you not only save money (tickets are €13.20) but you can go straight to the line at the gate. I bought the combined Pena Palace Garden and Interior ticket (you do not need the interior tickets to get any of the shots of the castle included in this article). The interior is stunning however and has some amazing Azulejo tiles to photograph.
How to get the best photos of Pena Palace
To get the best photos of Pena Palace I suggest catching the 7:51am train which will get you to Sintra for 8:35am. The Uber to the palace will then take another 15 minutes (max). While you will have to wait until 10am (in winter) for the gates to open, by 9:30am there were at least 50 people in line. By 10am, over 100. Being first in line meant that when the gates opened, I was able to quickly make it up the hill first. This was about a 10 minute walk. (There is a bus available for those who need it). By doing this I had the castle to myself for 15-20 minutes before the buses and other travelers arrived. When you walk through the gate at the entrance there is a cafe with free maps, a lot of people stop there before heading up. 
After I got the ‘iconic stairwell’ shot in the courtyard I made my way through the rest of the castle and its interior. There was so much detailing and colour to work with, I could have spent hours scouting out interesting angles and shots (but the weather turned for the worse!).
Is a day trip to Pena Palace from Lisbon worth it?
Yes! Pena Palace has become my favourite castle in Europe. From the beautiful views over Sintra to the striking red and yellow towers; the Azulejo tiles to the intricate interior – this has to be one of the most instagrammable places I have ever visited. This castle comes straight out of a fairytale and while I loved my time in Lisbon and my road trip along the Algarve coast; Sintra became my highlight of Portugal.
