Castelo dos Mouros — Attraction in Sintra

The Mysterious Majesty of Castelo dos Mouros

Five resounding stars for Castelo dos Mouros(Castle of the Moors), a castle hidden in the high hills of Sintra, Portugal. This place is a veritable paradise for history buffs, thrill-seekers, and anyone with a penchant for panoramic views that truly take your breath away.

The bewitching beauty of this castle transports you to a different era, immersing you in a history book that has sprung to life. As you walk along the castle walls, a certain level of agility is required; small pathways on the castle walls often too small for two way traffic, demanding a keen sense of balance. Danger mingles with intrigue in these narrow passages, as a misstep could lead to a rather precarious tumble. This is definitely not a place for those afraid of heights, but it certainly adds a thrill to the journey.

Entry to this expansive, time-worn castle costs just 8 euros. But believe me, the privilege of standing atop the walls, capturing beautiful snapshots of the surrounding scenery, and soaking in the history through various Middle Ages artifacts is worth every cent.

In comparison to other popular Portuguese tourist spots, like the frequently photographed crimson palace of Pena, Castelo dos Mouros offers a striking balance. It's sufficiently populated with tourists, yet never feels overwhelming as the others were we just walked away from. (Or driven actually) The road uphill can be traffic jammed with cars and tourbusses.

The castle’s lavatory situation adds to its charm. Hunting for toilets here feels akin to a comical journey through the Labyrinth from the movie with David Bowie. Signs lead you on a merry chase.

One of the lesser-known facts about Castelo dos Mouros is that it was initially constructed by the Moors in the 8th-9th centuries, as a fortified outpost to monitor the Atlantic coast and the Sintra countryside. The castle's walls once encased a mosque, the remnants of which can still be seen in the archeological site within the castle.

This visit to Castelo dos Mouros was unquestionably one of the best castle experiences we've ever had. So pack your adventurous spiritr, because this castle is truly a unique, thrilling, and fascinating...

We found a parking spot near Castelo dos Mouros and Pena Palace, both near the city of Sintra, away from the overcrowded city of Lisbon. When approaching the Pena Palace, we saw a long queue with tourists. With our Lisbon card, we were allowed to skip the queue via a bypass. But that did not help much: time slots were issued for about two hours later. After some deliberation we decided to avoid this and to change our destination. We should have planned this ahead by arriving much earlier, or having booked online in advance. The website hints that early in the morning or late afternoon are the best times to visit the Palace.

Instead, we went to the nearby Castelo dos Mouros (Moorish Castle), without a waiting queue when we were there. The Lisbon card allowed no free access but granted 20% discount, so we paid €20.40 for 2 persons. The tickets we got contained a QR-code for downloading an audio tour, which I used barely as the spoken explanations were rather long. I still used it from time to time to read the associated text, and skip the talking. Given that there are lots of stairs, slopes and uneven pavement to cope with, there is little opportunity to use the audio tour (text or sound) proficiently, while walking and climbing takes all of your attention.

It is not an easy climb. No hand rails or something of the kind. I succeeded nevertheless despite my age (76) and related imperfect walking abilities, using everything withing reach I could get my hands on to support my climbing. Luckily, the number of other visitors was limited. I don't want to think of repeating this exercise at times when really busy. I did not reach the top, but came far beyond halfway, leaving myself very proud of my achievements.

Indeed, it takes some effort, an euphemism for sure, but eventually the view higher-up is spectacular. Looking down on villages below, very far below, one can easily feel insurmountable in this very old (8th or 9th century) fortress. It served not only as a watch tower but was also specifically designed to protect Lisbon and its...

NO CAFE OR CAFETERIA!! Bring water and snacks!! Beautiful castle. We went on a Monday, paid 10E for a taxi from the city center for a ride up. Way easier than the bus for our location and for a group of 3. Got there at 10am with no line for entry. Steps can be difficult for elderly or small children. Beautiful views, fun to explore, and lots of history. Nice views of Pena Palace and Sintra from up top. If you dont want to walk the whole thing go to the far left side for the views of Pena Palace. The stairs can be hard eapecially if youre scared of heights. There is a walking path that you can take that is easier. We walked the castle walls up and returned on the walking path which allowed us to see all the pretty plants. The stairs are harder to go down in my opinion. My only issue (I get hangry) was the CAFETERIA. The signed said they opened at 10am.... it was 1130am and not open. One lady asked the guy and he was rude and said they'd open at 12pm. At 12pm I asked if he was going to open and he snapped at me and said IM NOT READY I MIGHT OPEN AT 1230PM. Being on top of a mountain with no way to access food and having NO transparency for when they open is not ok. If they updated their website to say the cafeteria may or may not open if we feel like it people could come better prepared. I would NOT rely on any of the food/drink options up here. Make sure you bring enough water for all the stairs on this bad boy. At 12pm there was a small line starting to queue for entry. It's about a 10 minute walk from the drop off area to the castle. It's also about a 10 minute walk to Pena Palance from the Castle. You can walk on the road and try to avoid all the cars.... it's uphill. Or you can take the walking path which is dirt uphill with lots of roots and rocks you climb up. There are tuktuks that will take you from the castle to the palace for $5/pp which is a ripoff. The walking path isn't hard if you are physically capable.... reminded me of a small...