Palácio da Pena was built in 1839 by order of the D. Fernando II, but the original building existing there dates from 1503. The old main facade of the convent, the church and the cloister were kept as they were. The palace is inspired by Bavaria’s architecture and brings together Moorish, Gothic and Manueline influences.
Get together a group of 4 or 5 friends and it's definitively worth renting a car for the day! Unless, of course, if you can persuade your portuguese friends to take you there ;) In any case there are a lot of daily tours and trains to Sintra departing from Lisbon.
Palácio da Pena is at the moment the fourth most visited monument in Portugal.
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