The monuments of Sintra launch daily guided tours
18 Mar 2024
With those in mind who want to get to know the parks and monuments it manages in depth, such as the National Palaces of Pena, Queluz and Sintra, Parques de Sintra launched a new offer of daily guided tours, at fixed times. Visitors will therefore be able to opt for a more complete visiting experience, which includes the expert support of a guide prepared to reveal all the details about the history, architecture, collections and experiences of the spaces.
Tickets for the pre-defined times at each monument are already on sale on the Parques de Sintra website, which is also a novelty. Guided tours of the heritage managed by the company did not have fixed times and were only available by appointment via email or telephone. Now, not only do they have daily timetables, they can also be purchased in advance online, which speeds up the entire planning process for visitors.
In addition to the Palaces already mentioned, it is possible to purchase guided tours, in Portuguese and English, to the Park and Palace of Monserrate, the Chalet of the Countess of Edla, the Moorish Castle, the Queen Maria I Pavilion (wing of the Queluz National Palace, which was the residence of the Heads of State visiting Portugal) and the Convent of the Capuchos, where the tour is only available on Saturdays.
The prices shown include entry to the monuments and, as a general rule, represent an increase of €5 when compared to the price of a visit without a guide. The only exception is the National Palace of Pena, the amount of which reflects the inclusion of special services, such as guide support from the main gate of Park of Pena and fast track access to the Palace, an exclusive, skip-the-queue entry.
In a journey through time that extends from medieval times to the beginning of the 20th century, this visit explores the various nooks and crannies of the National Palace of Pena, a 19th century royal residence built by King Ferdinand II on the ruins of a 16th century monastery and an essential landmark of Romanticism in Portugal.
For this guided tour, participants are welcomed at the Park of Pena's main gate and invited for a walk up to the Palace, where they will discover this building's surprising decorative elements, explore the interior spaces and learn about the daily lives and the eclectic collections of the latest generations of the Portuguese royal family.
Located in the historic center of the village of Sintra, which has a landscape strongly marked by the unmistakable silhouette of the monumental chimneys, the National Palace of Sintra has been inhabited for almost eight centuries by Portuguese monarchs and the court. It was constituted by several different palaces, which have progressively replaced the previous building, possibly dating back to the 9th or 10th centuries.
The guided visit thus invites participants to take a journey that spans a thousand years of history, to get to know the different eras, experiences and phases of construction. The Palace also has the largest European collection of Spanish-Moorish tiles in situ.
Built in the 18th century, in different phases, by order of King Pedro III, husband of Queen Maria I, the National Palace of Queluz witnessed several important events in the eighteenth and nineteenth-century in Portugal, such as the French invasions and the civil war . The architecture and decorative details reflect an artistic taste in which the Rococo, Baroque and Neoclassical styles stand out, which extend to the gardens.
The guided visit thus introduces participants to the atmosphere of parties and celebrations, as well as the daily life of three generations of the Royal Family.
The tour of the Queen Maria I Pavilion reveals a 60-year history, told in one of the stages of Portuguese national diplomacy and foreign policy, that has witnessed remarkable episodes of the history of Portugal, Europe and the World.
In the private spaces where distinguished guests of the Portuguese Republic stayed between 1940 and 2004, the D. Maria I Pavilion evokes personalities such as Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom; the Generalissimo Franco of Spain; US General Eisenhower; Sukarno from Indonesia; José Sarney from Brazil; Nicolae Ceausescu from Romania; King Juan Carlos of Spain; Samora Machel from Mozambique, François Mitterrand from France; the Emperors of Japan, among many others, who marked the history of the 20th century.
Conceived in the 19th century by the English millionaire and collector Francis Cook, the Park and Palace of Monserrate display many different influences, ranging from the exotic and romantic scenery of the Park, to the revivals of Gothic, Indian and Moorish architecture.
In the guided visit to the Park and Palace, participants will be invited to explore the historical, artistic and natural richness of Monserrate, as well as the experiences of its inhabitants.
The guided visit to the Convent of the Capuchos presents the life of this religious house and the relationship between the friars and nature. The Convent of Santa Cruz da Serra de Sintra, which became known for the extreme poverty of its construction, materializes the ideal of fraternity and universal brotherhood of the Franciscan friars who inhabited it, from the 16th century until the end of the 18th century, when it was abandoned due to the extinction of religious orders, determined by the liberal regime.
Located in a place that was occupied during the Prehistorical period, the Moorish Castle was founded in the 10th century. Over time, ir has been the object of several alterations, that resulted in the fortification that is found there today
In the guided visit, the participants are guided through a historical and archaeological journey through time, where the most striking periods of the monument are addressed, such as the medieval period and the romantic reconstruction promoted by King Ferdinand II, in the 19th century. Overlooking the town of Sintra, the view of the Moorish Castle also allows the exploration of various elements of the surrounding landscape.
This guided tour explores the history of Chalet of the Countess of Edla, a corner of the Park of Pena which was designed by King Ferdinand II and his second wife, Elise Hensler, the Countess of Edla. From room to room, taking in the building’s architecture and the collections on display, visitors will find out all about the history of the alpine-style chalet’s construction and reconstruction, as well as the everyday lives of its creators.
The surrounding garden is one of the most interesting parts of the chalet, whose history and landscaping make it an immensely valuable heritage site. With its fascinating nooks, crannies and viewpoints, it casts light on topics such as the geology of the Sintra Hills, botany and the garden rehabilitation process.
