Having visited Sintra since 2001 and served as a guide for friends and family, let me show you why the Castelo dos Mouros is more than just a castle.

Snaking across the craggy cliffs high above Sintra is the Castelo dos Mouros. This once-mighty castle, constructed during the Moorish era (8th–12th century), defended Sintra and served as an observation post, with clear views out to the Atlantic Ocean.

When Christian Crusaders captured it in 1147, they had little use for the castle, and it gradually fell into ruin, reclaimed by the dense forests of the Serra de Sintra. For nearly seven centuries, the castle crumbled under Sintra’s strong winds and rains.

It was not until the height of the Romanticism era (1840s) that the ruins were rediscovered by King Ferdinand II, enchanted by the atmosphere of picturesque decay. He embellished the castle ruins and transformed them into a "showpiece" within the grounds of his magnificent Palácio da Pena.

Today the Castelo dos Mouros still retains the peaceful forest setting that inspired King Ferdinand II, and visiting feels like travelling through his Romantic vision. A tree-lined path leads to the castle, passing through narrow stone gateways before climbing to the battlements with their stunning views. The castle is less a historic building than a journey through the ideas of Romanticism, with every restored detail intended to evoke these emotions.

 

The Torre Real (King's Tower) - The highest point of the castle, adored by King Ferdinand II for its stunning views over the Serra de Sintra hills and up to his Palácio da Pena. The 220 steps to the top always tire my legs, but the view makes it worthwhile.

The Alcáçova - The original stronghold of the castle, standing as the last line of defence in battle, or in more peaceful times, where Moorish leaders would have ruled from. Narrow stone steps climb to the battlements, where strong winds whip across them.

Caminho de Santa Maria - The scenic footpath that meanders down the hill from the castle, passing the outer walls and giant boulders strewn across the hillside. I enjoy this walk back down to Sintra instead of taking the crowded 434 bus. (Caminho de Santa Maria guide)).

Views over Sintra - The castle was constructed for its viewpoint, and restored by King Ferdinand for almost the same reason. On a clear day, it is possible to see all the way to Mafra and Ericeira, while far below lies the historic centre of Sintra and the Palácio Nacional de Sintra.

 

 

The Castelo dos Mouros appeals to me as a place to clamber over and explore, with a hint of nature and stunning views. To certain friends it was just a castle, with no standout attractions and endless difficult battlements to walk up and down. I would also never bring my 5-year-old nephew here, it's simply too dangerous, with uneven walls and no guard rails.

This is an attraction for the physically fit, due to the amount of steps required to reach the towers and viewpoints. The castle is surprisingly large, with over 450m of battlements and five towers that can be fully explored. Be aware that there are no handrails on the battlements, so if you suffer from vertigo or a fear of heights, skip the castle.

The setting of the castle is unique as it spans a craggy ridge of massive boulders, while the lower sections are intertwined with the ancient forests. This combines to make the castle popular with outdoor types, who prefer nature over deep history.

The Castelo dos Mouros is often regarded as the lesser sight of Sintra, behind the Palácio da Pena, Quinta da Regaleira, and Palácio de Monserrate. This assessment is fair, as each of the others has a standout feature that visitors want to see and photograph (the terraces at Pena, the Poço Iniciático at Regaleira). A visit to the Castelo dos Mouros is more about the views, ambience, and the journey through Romanticism.

The steep climb up to the Torre Real

The adult admission price for the Castelo dos Mouros is €12. There are reduced tickets for youths (6 to 17) for €10 and seniors (over 65) for €10, while children under 5 are free. Additionally, there is a family ticket for €33, which covers two adults and two children. Tickets can be purchased from GetYourGuide from this link.

Unlike all of the other sights in Sintra, tickets do not need to be purchased beforehand and there are no timed entries. This makes the Castelo dos Mouros an ideal sight to fit before or after the Palácio da Pena, with its possible long delays and strict entry times.

Insight: It is only 200m from the entrance of the Castelo dos Mouros to the ticket office of the Palácio da Pena. Walking is the best option for this short distance; there is no need to catch the crowded 434 bus or take a taxi, Uber, or tuk-tuk.

The castle is open from 9:00 to 18:00, with last admission one hour before closing. A typical visit lasts 60–90 minutes, as it is a surprisingly large complex.

Summer time long queues for the ticket machines

The peak hours are late morning and early afternoon (10:30–12:00 and 13:00–15:00), and during these times the battlements can get very crowded. I dislike visiting during peak times as the narrow battlements force you to squeeze past other visitors, often stepping to the unguarded edge to let people pass. It's a nerve-wracking experience.

I prefer early morning or late afternoon, avoiding the peak crowds and the intense summer sun. There is no shade on the battlements, and climbing to the top of the Torre Real can be extremely draining in summer heat.

The narrow pathways and steps of the battlements

Outside of the hot summer months, the hills of Sintra can be shrouded in fog, which can linger for much of the day. As the views are one of the key aspects of the Castelo dos Mouros, there is little point visiting while there is fog.

Never visit the Castelo dos Mouros on a wet day. I've been caught here during a winter downpour and the battlements were treacherous afterwards.

Onsite is a very basic café, which does not reflect the popularity of the castle. The food options are very limited, and it is much better to bring your own drinks and snacks. When planning your day, I recommend having lunch in Sintra town, where there are many more options than at the top of the hill where the Palácio da Pena and Castelo dos Mouros are located.

There are decent toilets at the castle, with one set near the café and another on the main road opposite the ticket office.

Accessibility: There has been a drive to make the Castelo dos Mouros more accessible with ramps and powered stairs, but due to the landscape and nature of the castle, this will always be one of the least accessible sites in Sintra.

Sintra is one of the few places in Portugal where a guided tour makes real sense. Without one, much of the day can be lost to public transport delays, ticket queues, and figuring out where to go next. We have worked with GetYourGuide for over seven years, and some of their best Sintra tours include:

The Igreja de São Pedro de Canaferrim is a 12th century chapel just within the outer castle walls and is the oldest Christian religious building within Sintra. The chapel was converted from a mosque or prayer room after surrender of the castle to the Christian crusaders in 1147. Today the church is the Moorish Interpretation Centre that exhibits items discovered during the archaeological excavations.

The chapel ruin had a roof added in in 2013

The Torre Real at the southern side of the castle provides the best views, and was named the royal tower as it was a favourite location of King Ferdinand. This is an outstanding viewpoint, but it's 500 steps from the central courtyard!

The castle is a large and sprawling complex, there are 450m of battlements within the inner wall and 5 defensive towers. To survive a siege the castle was constructed with a massive rainwater fed cistern, which was submerged and is close to the castle entrance. This was so well constructed it fed water to Sintra until the 1910s.

Outside of the walls the Moors dug huge silos to store grain, but the early Christians not realising their purpose, used them as rubbish tips.

The graveyard of the Igreja de São Pedro de Canaferrim which was in use for over 300 years after the Christians drove the Moors from the region

At the highest point of the walls is a small gate, which allowed defenders to secretly escape the castle in times of siege. It could also act as a way to let attackers in, and hence was known as the Porta da Traição, or "Door of Betrayal."

The position of the Castelo dos Mouros was chosen as it provided unrivalled views of the coastline and the Atlantic Ocean. On a clear day, Ericeira and Mafra can be seen to the north and the Serra da Arrabida to the south.

The Castelo dos Mouros is only 500 metres from the historic centre of Sintra, but the castle sits on a 450-metre high summit, and is 210 metres above the town. There are two very challenging uphill hiking trails to the castle (the Caminho de Santa Maria and the Vila Sassetti path), but they are too long and demanding for most tourists who make the day trip to Sintra.

Warning: For your day trip, never drive within the historic centre of Sintra. The narrow roads are not designed for the heavy tourist traffic, and there is almost no car parking. Also, at certain peak times, the Estrada da Pena (the road up to the castle) is closed to non-residents. For your day trip it is much better to catch the train from Lisbon.

The recommended means of travel up to the castle is to catch the 434 tourist bus. It travels a one-directional loop from the train station to the Castelo dos Mouros, Palácio da Pena and Sintra town centre, before returning to the station. The 24-hour unlimited use ticket costs €15.
Related articles: 434 tourist bus guide

The 434 bus at the entrance to the Castelo dos Mouros

The Castelo dos Mouros is an excellent tourist attraction but is eclipsed by the magnificent Palácio da Pena, which is only a short distance further up the road.

When comparing the Moorish Castle and Pena Palace, the Pena Palace is the much better tourist attraction, as there is simply so much more to see. The issue with the Pena Palace is that it can get extremely busy in the summer, and tickets to enter the palace do often completely sell out.

For a day trip to Sintra the priority should be given to the Palácio da Pena, with the Castelo dos Mouros visited afterwards or if you have a very long wait (3+hours) for your time slot to enter the palace.

Insight: If you visit the Moorish castle after the Pena Palace, you can walk downhill to Sintra via the Caminho de Santa Maria, which starts near the Saint Peter of Canaferrim chapel.
Related articles: The Palácio da Pena

The colourful Palácio da Pena is always a highlight to Sintra

The Castelo dos Mouros was constructed around massive boulders

The construction of the Castelo dos Mouros dates from the 8th century and the expansion of the Moors from North Africa.

The position of the Castelo dos Mouros was chosen as it provided unrivalled views of the coastline and Atlantic Ocean. On a clear day Peniche can be seen to the north and the Serra da Arrabida in the south.

Arab chronicles detailed that the Sintra region was very rich in cultivated fields and the Castelo dos Mouros was one of the most important castles in the region, even more important than the castle in Lisbon.

The first Christian Crusade against the Muslim Moors, led by King Alfonso VI of Castile, managed to capture the Castelo dos Mouros in 1093. The small Christian army was driven out of the castle and the Sintra region the following year.

The castle flourished between the first and second Christian crusade (1147) and this was regarded as the high point of the castle's history. During this time the fortifications were greatly strengthened but were not enough to repel the second much larger Christian crusade in 1147. This crusader army was comprised of drunks and thieves, who upon liberating Lisbon promptly sacked the capital.

Early Portuguese kings strengthened the Castelo dos Mouros, but the royal court favoured Lisbon, and the castle declined.

By the 15th century Jewish settlers were the only inhabitants, and when the Jews were expelled from Portugal (1497) the castle was completely abandoned.

In 1636 a lightning bolt caused a massive fire that destroyed the central keep, while in 1755 the devastating earthquake levelled much of the walls and battlements. The Castelo dos Mouros in this era was so insignificant that it was not even considered in the plans to rebuild after the earthquake.

The Castelo dos Mouros was destined to be forgotten and be permanently ruined. That was until King Ferdinand II transformed the entire Sintra region. Ferdinand II was a king obsessed by art, drama and the good life - he romanticised the middle ages and ordered the reconstruction of the castle.

The castle was reconstructed so as to be viewed from his beloved Pena Palace, while the grounds were designed for areas for contemplation and relaxation. His vision is what you are able to explore during your visit.

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