The park at Monserrate, point by point
The thirteen points
In the order the operator lists them, with the two measurements it publishes.
| Point of interest | What is published about it |
|---|---|
| Mexican Garden | about 5,000 m² |
| Rose Garden | — |
| Lawn | — |
| Staircase on the Scented Path | — |
| Indian Arch | — |
| Nature Interpretation Centre | — |
| Farmyard of Monserrate | 850 metres east of the main entrance |
| Garden Entrance | — |
| Vathek’s Arch | — |
| Beckford’s Waterfall | — |
| Fern Valley | — |
| Japanese Garden | — |
| Chapel | — |
The names that come out of the history
Two of the thirteen carry names you will meet again on the history page. Beckford’s Waterfall takes its name from William Beckford, who subleased the estate in 1793–94 and began the landscaped gardens. The Chapel is the thread back to the oldest thing on the site: a chapel to Our Lady of Monserrate stood on the hilltop from 1540, and a chapel to the Virgin Mary before it from about 1093. Vathek’s Arch and the Indian Arch are on the list under those names, and the free app audio guide in the ticket tells their stories on the spot.
The gardens, and why they are the visit
Monserrate’s park is planted rather than mown: a Mexican Garden, a Japanese Garden, a Rose Garden and a Fern Valley on the same hillside, with a waterfall and a scented staircase between them. The Mexican Garden alone is given as about 5,000 square metres, and the Farmyard is 850 metres east of the main entrance, which tells you the park is not a lawn in front of a house. Reviewers this summer describe the gardens as beautiful and well maintained and the site as clean and uncrowded — this is the Sintra monument where you can hear the water.
Getting round it
The palace sits uphill from the main entrance, and the park’s hop-on hop-off electric transport is temporarily unavailable; a paid transfer between the entrance and the palace is offered on the operator’s ticket page for anyone who would rather ride. The park runs 9:00–19:00, half an hour ahead of the palace at the start and an hour past it at the end, so give the garden the longer half and see the rooms first if you arrive after lunch. The hours in full, and how long to leave.
What the ticket costs
One ticket covers the park and the palace together; there is no park-only rate here. Booked ahead on the platform it is the operator’s own ticket at the gate price, with fast-track entry and a free app audio guide in Portuguese, English, Spanish and French. The full tariff.
Palace and park, fast-trackSintra: Monserrate Palace & Park Ticket
Entry included, with the hour setFrom Lisbon: Sintra, Regaleira, Monserrate and Pena Palace
Private, entry includedPrivate from Lisbon: Sintra, Quinta Regaleira, Monserrate +
Read next
- Inside the palace — the ten rooms, named.
- The history — de Visme, Beckford, Cook.
- Hours, the restoration and the hill.
- When to come.
Frequently asked questions
What is there to see in the park at Monserrate?
The operator lists thirteen points of interest: the Mexican Garden, Rose Garden, Lawn, Staircase on the Scented Path, Indian Arch, Nature Interpretation Centre, Farmyard of Monserrate, Garden Entrance, Vathek’s Arch, Beckford’s Waterfall, Fern Valley, Japanese Garden and Chapel. One ticket covers all of them together with the palace, and the free app audio guide covers the park as well as the house.
How big is the park at Monserrate?
The operator publishes two measurements: the Mexican Garden at about 5,000 m² and the Farmyard of Monserrate at 850 metres east of the main entrance. Plan for a garden you walk through for a morning rather than a lawn in front of a house.
Is the park included in the palace ticket?
Yes. Every ticket at Monserrate covers the park and the palace together, at every age band. There is no park-only option.
Is there a Japanese garden at Monserrate?
Yes — the Japanese Garden is one of the thirteen points of interest on the operator’s own list, along with the Mexican Garden, the Rose Garden and the Fern Valley.