Free entry for young people to Sintra monuments on International Youth Day

International Youth Day is coming up on 12 August and, as usual, Parques de Sintra is joining in the celebrations by granting free entry to young people, up to and including the age of 25, to all the parks and monuments under its management, with the exception of the National Palace of Pena. Young people wishing to take advantage of free admission – which covers the National Palaces of Sintra and Queluz; the Park of Pena; the Chalet of the Countess of Edla; the Park and Palace of Monserrate; the Moorish Castle and the Convent of the Capuchos – should go to the ticket offices of the places to be visited and show their Citizen Card.

The theme chosen by the United Nations (UN) for International Youth Day this year is "From Clicks to Progress: Youth Digital Pathways for Sustainable Development". The aim is to highlight the central role of young people (‘digital natives’) as enablers of digital transformation and its profound economic, social and environmental impact around the globe. Technologies such as mobile devices, digital platforms and services, and emerging innovations such as artificial intelligence are key to advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and their global targets set by the UN for 2030.

Aware of the strategic importance of digitalisation, Parques de Sintra has invested in digital and innovative solutions to improve the visitor experience and reach new audiences, making the heritage it manages more accessible and inclusive. Examples of this are the 360º visits available to the National Palaces of Pena and Sintra and to the Convent of the Capuchos; the Queluz Maps, Pena Maps and Monserrate Maps apps; and the Pena Quest and Sintra Palace Treasure Hunt gaming experiences.

Commemorated since 1999, International Youth Day celebrates the transformative potential of young people in society and in the pursuit of social, economic and environmental sustainability. In Portugal, the Portuguese Youth Institute (IPDJ) organises initiatives to honour the date.