Palacio Condessa de Edla

A romantic hideaway fit for a King and his Swiss bride

Palacio Condessa de Edla was built to replicate an alpine chalet and this romantic royal hideaway was used by King Fernando II to court Elise Hensler, a Swiss born actor and a classical singer who he fell in love with. The King married Elise who then took on the title the Countess of Edla. However the Kings marriage to an artist, both on the part of the nobility and the press, were quite divided, and it was never really accepted by the public.

Designed by the Countess herself, the building is strategically located to the west of the Pena Palace, the building is inspired by alpine chalets, in a style that was then very popular in Europe and is set in a stunning garden. Upon the death of King Fernando, in 1885, the king bequeathed all his assets, including the Moorish Castle and Pena Palace, to the Countess of Edla.

After a court case – which had the objective of transferring this heritage to the Portuguese Crown –, Elise ended up selling the Park and Palace of Pena and the Moorish Castle to the State, keeping the use of the chalet and the respective garden until 1904.

Sintra can get very busy with tourists and for good reason, it truly is a world class destination. But to save a lot of time you need to book your tickets before you get there and avoid unnecessary queuing.

45 minutes from Lisbon by train

Palacio Condessa de Edla is located Here