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Where do I need advance tickets in Portugal, and is Queluz National Palace worth a stop

Posted by (Twin Cities of MN) on

In April/May we will be in Portugal for a little over 3.5 weeks. We are spending our time in the Lisbon and Porto areas and cities in between. I'm planning on obtaining tickets in advance for Pena and Regaleria in Sintra, the library at the university in Coimbra, the Belem tower and monastery in Belem/Lisbon. I also have plans made for the Duoro River wine area. Are there other places I should reserve in advance?

I have four full days in Lisbon. We plan to go to Cascais for one or part of a day. We will have already spent two days in Pena. I'm looking for opinions on spending time to go to the Queluz National Palace. Looks like it would take about 40 minutes and involves a train to a bus from lisbon.

Lastly, I've priced out the Lisboa card. It seems like we might break even if we buy a one day pass for the day we go to Belem. Otherwise it seems like a Viva Viagem card may be the way to go. I don't really have a sense of how much we would use the local transportation--trolleys and metros. I'm curious if this has been the reaction of others.

Posted by
1675 posts

For only four days in the Lisbon area, use the Via Viagem card. Simple to buy at any manned train or metro station. Load €20 euros on it then check periodically at the machines to see how much money is left on the card. It will likely be enough for your stay.
While I like Queluz palace, I’m not certain you will have time to see it in addition to the other things you listed. I would encourage you to spend that time on a miradouro in Lisbon or with a sea view in Cascais, having a long lunch with wine and enjoying slowing down a bit. The slow pace of life is quintessential Portugal.

Posted by
1605 posts

I would purchase advance tickets for the Jeronimos Monastery in Belem. When we were there in April 2018, the line was short so I was optimistic we wouldn't have a long wait. But I was wrong because they let in the tour groups first even if they arrive after you. We waited in line for an hour.

Posted by
17 posts

Hello,

Regarding Portugal, the only place i would advice you to buy Tickets in advance and with an entry hour, and careful regarding the time to get there, is the Sintra Pena Palace, sometimes people get there and need to wait several hours to get in.

Besides it if you can buy earlier its allways a good choice, depending on the time of the year your heading to.

Happy to help on any Portuguese topic :)

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