Sintra’s Moorish Castle may not be as elaborate as Pena Palace or the National Palace, but it is a fascinating place. Now the castle is just ruins, but there is still lots to see and the views are spectacular. It ended up being my favorite place in Sintra, so I wanted to share some of the history of the Moorish Castle and the highlights of our visit.
Note: The Moorish Castle in Sintra is also known as the Castle of the Moors or in Portuguese, Castelo dos Mouros.
The Moorish Castle perched atop the Sintra Hills
Contents
- Brief History of the Moorish Castle
- What to see at the Moorish Castle
- Tickets for the Moorish Castle
- Castle of the Moors Hours
- Facilities at the Moorish Castle
- How Long Does it Take to See the Moorish Castle?
- How to Get to the Moorish Castle
- Is the Moorish Castle Worth Visiting?
- Expert Tips for Visiting the Moorish Castle Sintra
Brief History of the Moorish Castle
The castle was built at the top of the Sintra hills, on extremely uneven terrain, by the Moors in the 8th or 9th century mainly for protection. It was conquered by King Afonso Henriques in 1147, and the castle’s Muslim rule ended.
The 1755 Lisbon earthquake caused considerable damage to the chapel and affected the stability of the castle. Later once peace was restored, the castle lost its strategic importance as there was no need to provide protection. Soon after the Moorish Castle was abandoned.
In 1838, King Ferdinand II acquired the Moorish Castle along with the Pena Palace. He worked to restore the medieval ruin and surrounding areas. In 1940, there was another restoration in preparation for the ceremonies celebrating the foundation of Portugal.
Flags still fly proudly from the castle.
In 1955, the Sintra Hills where the Moorish Castle is built was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It’s hard to comprehend the castle is over 1000 years old!
What to see at the Moorish Castle
It’s a little bit of a walk from the bus stop to the Moorish Castle. It’s hard to say how long the walk takes because we stopped along the way to take pictures of the view and see some points of interest. Walking from the bus stop you can’t see the town or Sintra’s other attractions but the green of the Sintra Hills is still photo worthy!
The first point of interest you will pass is the guardhouse. It now actually houses a restroom and cafe.
The walk from the bus to the castle is well-marked and has great views too.
Looking up towards the Castle of the Moors you will see several granaries. Granaries are structures carved out of rock to store food, mainly grains and legumes. This demonstrates the Arabic influence since this method of preserving food has been described in several Arabic agricultural texts.
Before you reach the castle, you will also find a burial area and a church. There is one marker that I found moving, it was inscribed – “What man has assembled only God can set apart.” The quote is alluding to the fact that it’s impossible for us to tell whether the remains are Christian or Muslim. It was also an interesting quote given that nature had turned the Sintra Moorish Castle into ruins.
You can see Pena Palace through the walls of the Moorish Castle.
The church that is next to the tombs is interesting. It is believed to have been founded in the 12th century. They have put in what looks like brand new floors. You will see remnants of the mural painting and also some interesting artifacts from the archaeological investigation site outside the church and other parts of the castle.
You will also want to visit the Cistern at the Moorish Castle. It is a little hidden because it is underground, but you can find the entrance close to the cafe. It was built back in the 12th century to catch and store rainwater. There is no record of the cistern ever drying up and legend says that a Moorish king is buried underneath.
Anisa climbing up the castle walls. You can see how windy it was, I couldn’t keep the hair out of my face.
Moorish Castle Wall Walk
The highlight of our visit to the Moorish Castle was the castle wall walk. It looked a little scary but it wasn’t too bad. You have to be careful because the steps and walkway are uneven, but the views are worth it. Some of the shots I took from the castle wall walk looked like I had used a drone. Well, a drone is on my Christmas list!
If you want to do the castle wall walk, I would recommend that you wear practical shoes. I wore ballet flats and that was fine, but heels or flip-flops could be dangerous. Also, when we went, it was quite windy, I wished I would have put my hair up.
You can get great pictures of Pena Palace and other Sinta attractions including the Monserrate Palace, Palace of the Seteais, and the National Palace from the wall of the castle. On a clear day, you may even be able to see the Atlantic. I cannot say enough about how magical the views are!
You also have great views of the Moorish Castle during the castle wall walk. Seeing it from above, helped me visualize what the castle would have been like in its prime.
I also couldn’t help but think how difficult it must have been to build especially all those years ago. All that hard work and now it’s just Moorish ruins.
Tickets for the Moorish Castle
You can save money (and time) by buying your Moorish Castle Sintra tickets online here. You can then just show your tickets on your phone to be scanned at the entrance to the castle. If you don’t buy your tickets online, the ticket office is located close to the bus stop.
The discounted prices are €7.60 for adults and €6.18 for children age 6-17 and seniors aged 65 and up. Children 5 and under are free. (Accurate as of April 2022)
Castle of the Moors Hours
During high season the Moorish Castle is open from 9:30 am to 8:00 pm with the last entry being at 7:00 pm. During the low season, the hours are from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm with the last entry being 5:00 pm. Also, go early to try and beat the crowds.
It looks like I used a drone to take this picture, but it was taken on my castle wall walk. You can see how uneven the terrain is!
Facilities at the Moorish Castle
In addition to the facilities at the guardhouse, inside the castle, there is a small cafe. The cafe seating area is outside. You will also find restrooms and a gift shop.
How Long Does it Take to See the Moorish Castle?
I would recommend allowing 2 hours to see the castle. You will want to take your time to explore the ruins and do the wall walk.
How to Get to the Moorish Castle
From Lisbon, you can take the train from the Rossio Station direct to Sintra. Once you get to the Sintra Train Station you should get the 434 Bus to the Moorish Castle stop. The Castle is a short walk from the bus stop just follow the signs. There is also access to the castle from Pena Park.
Is the Moorish Castle Worth Visiting?
Yes. Don’t skip the Moorish Castle when you visit Sintra. It has wonderful views and an interesting history. We had a great time doing the castle wall walk too.
Have you been to the Moorish Castle in Sintra? Or another castle that is now ruins? I would love to hear about your experience in the comments.
-Anisa
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Expert Tips for Visiting the Moorish Castle Sintra
- Buy your Castle of the Moors tickets online to save time and money.
- Be sure to do the castle wall walk and see the archaeological sites.
- Go early to try and beat the crowds.
Last Updated on April 8, 2022
Such a fascinating history! It really is hard to believe the castle is over 1000 years old. Casting my mind back, I can’t quite remember the last time I visited a building that old. Probably somewhere in England.. (slightly out of topic, but I was really amused in Colonial Williamsburg in Virginia when our tour guide proudly announced that the house we were in was “original” – all of 300 years old! Love that place though.) The header pic is really cool too. Is it shot from a drone by any chance?
Michelle – Haha yes its crazy the history in other countries! I wish I had a drone, that photo was also taken on the castle wall walk. One side of the castle is a bit higher than the other!
I just went to the Pena palace. I wish we had more time to visit this one too:)
Tanja – Awe! I hope you get the chance to go back.
I absolutely love a good castle post and this one is so detailed–I felt like I was there with you! What’s magical about castle ruins, is that it encourages you to use your imagination and visualise how it must have been when it was in use. The views are also stunning–it looks like you had s great day out. As Michelle mentioned, we do have many old castles in England. For really romantic castle ruins, I recommend Bodium in Sussex south of London if you’re over it. It even still has a moat!
Shalon – Thanks so much for the kind words and the recommendation. I am going to keep Bodium in mind for my next trip to England. I have seen a few castle in England, but I know there are so many more that I want to visit.
Def let me know when you’re going. I’m in the process of planning a post on UK castles to see and which to skip and if it’s ready in time it may be helpful to you. One of the reasons I moved to England was for the castles!
Shalon – I hope to be back there in October. Yes, would love to read more about the castles there.
The views from the walk to the castle are amazing! I agree with Michelle that it is hard to imagine something that old. I’ve been to ruins from the 15th and 16th century, but nothing 1000 years old. Thanks for sharing on #TheWeeklyPostcard
Thanks Sarah! Yes I agree it is hard to comprehend how old it is!
Drool! You are killing me with these posts! The history inner nerd is dying with anticipation of visiting these places. We are currently reading through CS Lewis books and all these places reflect the images conjured in my head of castles, and knights, and princesses. I am also devouring every BBC famous Queen miniseries I can get my hands on! One day, Lord willing, I will see them with my own eyes. Love love love!!
Amanda – Thank you! I really hope you get to visit some of these castles. Next week, I am going to take a break from castle and talk beach stuff, but I do still have more castle posts coming. I am a bit obsessed.
Visited Sintra 10yrs ago and I really enjoyed the Moorish castle as well. I’d like to go back with the kids as I am sure they’d have much fun there! All of Sintra is such a special place.
Julz – Glad to hear you enjoyed it too and I agree the kids would love exploring the Moorish Castle.
Wow, the castle and it’s views look amazing. Can’t wait to go here! Good to know it’s cheaper to buy the tickets online up front, thanks for the tip.
Lisanne – Thank you. You will love Sintra.
Wow 1000 years old it always amazes me how old these countries are and how young America is.
Laryssa – I know. It is really hard to comprehend.
I love history so cannot wait to visit when I’m in Portugal. Also love the tips about buying onlin and going early and doing the castle walk. I hate crowds so wouldn’t mind getting up for that!!
Kelly – You are going to love it.
Thanks for the history lesson. It always mind boggles me to think that things have been around so long! Like my country wasn’t even created yet and here you guys are already fully functional lol. Thanks for the post
Victoria – Yes, it really is crazy to think about. Glad you liked the post.
Thanks for writing and sharing such a detailed overview of the Castle of the Moors. I visited Sintra last year and also loved these fortifications. The views from the top were beyond amazing.
Ania – So glad you enjoyed it. I agree the views were just stunning!
Such a lovely place!! I often can also not tell how long a walk would take as I stop to take pictures too
Shere – Yes it is so easy to get distracted!
I saw Sintra and Pena palaces many years ago (loved it!) but missed the Moorish Castle! I would love to travel there again and this time make sure that I see all the other gems in the Sintra Hills and surrounds…
Birgit – There is so much to see in Sintra, it’s hard to see everything. Now you have a good reason to go back. I want to go back too!
I start thinking that maybe 4 days in Portugal is not enough after reading all your posts about this country. What am I going to do? Unfortunately, I do not have any extra days left to take a vacation, so I need to think about next year already!
Gabriela – If you only have 4 days, then I would suggest to spend 2 or 3 days in Lisbon and 1 or 2 days in Sintra. You could go back to Portugal another time and see Porto and the Algarve.
Wow, this castle looks like a great idea. I love history and I love castles.. As a bonus the views are awesome. Great photos 🙂
Priya – Thank you. Yes, the castle is definitely worth a visit. I am obsessed with castles too and this one probably has the best view of any that I have been too.
What a beautiful castle! Thanks for sharing the history of it too. I love walking and exploring articulture like this, so it’s something I know I would enjoy. I’ll be keeping this in mind for the future!
Ashley – Glad to hear you enjoyed the post and I hope you do get the chance to visit Sintra.
We loved visiting the Moorish castle when we were in Sintra last fall! Thanks for reminding me of this beautiful castle!
Danielle – So glad to hear that you enjoyed it too!
I loved Sintra when I was there a few years ago. One of my good friends just got engaged there too! Such a magical place. This guide is great for planning a trip there – super detailed and well written! Really stunning photos too!
Rohan – Thanks so much. So glad to hear you enjoyed the post and that you also enjoyed Sintra.
Visiting castles is my favorite thing to do when traveling. The older, the better. This one is so beautiful and so well maintained after over 1000 years. Hopefully I will get to visit one day!
Stephanie – haha yes I remember you love castles! You really need to go to Sintra, you would absolutely love it.
The Moorish Castle looks fascinating. I love the old stone work. The walk there must feel like stepping back in time.
Donna – Yes it is fascinating. I don’t think I really comprehended the age of the castle when I was there because I was just blown away by the views.