Hi,

I will be travelling to Portugal visiting Porto, Duoro Valley, Lisbon and having a daytrip to Sintra in May next year.

I am currently looking at tours and have found a few which state that they don't go to Pena Palace but that there a photo opportunities still, but from afar. (These tours focus on visiting a range of other places in Sintra.)

So my question is whether Pena Palace just as amazing when admired from afar or does one need to be up close to really appreciate it's beauty.

I do prefer less crowded destinations but when I saw a photo of Pena Palace my first thought was that this is a place i would like to see.

Trust your instincts - a drive by photo op is nowhere near adequate. It does require a bit of walking but, IMO, is worth it.

Our most memorable visit was to Quinta da Regaleira. It is an interesting residence or small palace with quirky grounds that are a lot of fun. Tunnels, wells, fountains and more in the most unique park you will ever see.

Up close is so much better. You need to be up-close to appreciate its beauty and uniqueness. The exterior is amazing, and you will want some close-up photos. I enjoy the full experience of a place, so I am happy we saw the inside as well.

whitehall Yes this is a place that i definitely want to visit as well!

@seamus I thought this might be the case. It makes me think of the time when I saw the Sakura blossoms in Tokyo and the Eiffel Tower in Paris. Experiences that take your breath away even when surrounded by crowds. (That said we decided not to go up the Eiffel as we didn't want to spend half a day waiting in line.)

@karenwoo thanks for your advice! I'm not sure at this stage if we will go to the interior (depends on how busy it will be when we are there in May) since we want more time to see other places in Sintra too. I understand the feeling of wanting to not miss out on anything and wanting to experience places fully though. If we had 2 days in Sintra I would dedicate more time at Pena.

HappyTrvlr I love taking in a good view. Hopefully weather will be okay in May but that we can't control! I'll keep the National Palace in mind, thanks for your advice!