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Refund policy

Last updated: 2026-04-19

The short version

As a rule, all sales are final. Timed-entry tickets at Pena Palace are non-transferable and Parques de Sintra – Monte da Lua S.A. does not issue refunds once we've purchased the ticket on your behalf. We refund in full in the specific situations below, and nowhere else — not because we're being difficult, but because we literally cannot get our money back from the operator once the ticket is issued.

When we refund in full

We cannot secure your requested slot
If you book a date/time that turns out to be sold out or unavailable, we refund you in full, usually within 48 hours, to your original payment method. We will attempt to contact you first to offer a nearby alternative; the refund is automatic if you prefer.
The operator cancels or closes the attraction
If Parques de Sintra – Monte da Lua S.A. cancels operations on your booked day (strike, emergency closure, weather closure declared by the operator, security event) and cannot offer a same-week alternative you can use, we refund in full.
The operator materially changes your booking
If the operator reschedules your slot to a time you cannot accommodate, or materially changes the product (e.g. palace interior closed for restoration but still selling "Palace" tickets), we refund in full.
We made a mistake
If we booked the wrong date, wrong ticket type, or wrong number of people because of an error on our side, we refund and re-book at no extra cost.

When we cannot refund

In line with industry practice for timed-entry attraction tickets (and as clarified in EU Directive 2011/83/EU Article 16(l), which exempts date-specific leisure services from the 14-day right of withdrawal), we cannot refund in the following cases:

  • You did not show up at your booked slot.
  • You arrived late and missed your entry window.
  • Your travel plans changed.
  • The weather on the day wasn't what you hoped for. Pena Palace is open in most weather conditions; we won't refund for atmospheric conditions.
  • Your flight, train, or ground transport was delayed or cancelled (we recommend travel insurance for this — it is the right tool, and we cannot duplicate its function).
  • You were denied entry for not meeting the operator's requirements (ID, dress code, bag size, etc.) that were communicated in your confirmation email.
  • You decided after booking that you no longer wanted to go ("buyer's remorse").
  • A travelling companion's circumstances changed — the booking covers a named head count and cannot be partially refunded.

How to request a refund

  1. Email [email protected] with your booking reference (begins with PPC-, BTC-, or similar) and a brief description of the situation.
  2. We respond within two business hours during European business hours; within 12 hours otherwise.
  3. If your situation matches one of the "When we refund" cases above, we issue the refund to your original payment method immediately. Stripe typically returns funds to your bank in 5–10 business days.
  4. If it doesn't match, we'll tell you honestly why, and what your alternative options are (rebook, travel-insurance claim, contact the operator directly).

Currency and amount

Refunds are always issued in the same currency and for the same amount that was charged to your card. We do not round down, skim FX, or withhold processing fees. A full refund means the exact number that appeared on your original statement.

Travel insurance recommendation

For anything outside our refund policy (flight delays, illness, travel-plan changes), travel insurance is the right tool. Most comprehensive policies — including Allianz, World Nomads, and IMG — cover missed attraction-ticket costs due to covered events. We are not insurers and cannot replicate this coverage.

Chargebacks and disputes

If you have an issue with a booking, please email us first. Most disputes resolve in the customer's favour within one reply. If you file a chargeback through your bank without contacting us first, Stripe's dispute-resolution process still applies and we will provide them with the booking record, the ticket issued, and this refund policy; the outcome is decided by Stripe and your card issuer, not by us. Contacting us first is faster for you and usually produces a better outcome.