The ruins of the Castelo dos Mouros stand high above Sintra, and during the Moorish era (8th-12th century), this once mighty castle defended the entire region.

The castle was constructed on an exposed rocky outcrop, and this high vantage point provided the Moors a strategic view along the coastline and surrounding lands. The Christian Crusaders stormed the castle in 1147, and under their subsequent rule, it was left to become a ruin, taken over by the dense forests that cover the Serra de Sintra hills.

The natural and serene setting of the castle ruins enticed King Ferdinand II (1816-1885) to partially restore the battlements, and to transform it into the "showpiece" in the grounds of his wondrous Palácio da Pena.

 

 

Today, the Castelo dos Mouros still retains the tranquil and peaceful setting that inspired King Ferdinand II, and the castle offers a very different ambiance from the other tourist-crowded sights of Sintra.

For you as a visitor, there is a lot to see within the castle. There are the ancient battlements to explore, the defensive towers to climb, along with the spectacular views that convinced the Moors to build the castle here.

This article will provide an independent guide to the Castelo dos Mouros, helping you decide whether to visit it and how to get the most from your visit.
Related articles: Sintra introduction – Day trip to Sintra

The Torre Real (King's Tower) – The highest point of the castle, adored by King Ferdinand II due to its stunning views over the Serra da Sintra hills and up to the Palácio da Pena. It may be an arduous climb up the 220 steps of the battlements, but the view is truly worth it.

The Alcáçova – The castle’s stronghold and last line of defence in battle, or where Moorish leaders would rule from in peaceful times. From the battlements there amazing views over Sintra town.

Caminho de Santa María – The scenic footpath that meanders down the hill from the castle to the centre of Sintra, passing the outer walls and giant boulders strewn over the hill. This pleasant 20-minute downhill route is an enjoyable alternative to the crowded bus, when returning back to Sintra (a full guide is available here).

The view over Sintra from the battlements – The castle was constructed for its viewpoint, and there are magnificent views over the Sintra region, and on a clear day all the way to Mafra and Ericeira. The above image is of the Palácio Nacional de Sintra and historic centre of Sintra as seen from the Alcáçova.

 

 

The Castelo dos Mouros will appeal to adventurous and outdoor types of visitors, due to the amount of clambering around on the battlements and stunning views. The castle is surprisingly large, with over 450m of battlements and five towers that can be fully explored.

The setting of the castle is also quite unique as it spans a craggy ridge comprised of massive boulders, while the lower sections are intertwined with the ancient forests. This combines to make the castle popular with outdoor type of visitors and ones who prefer nature over rich history.

Warning: To get the most from the Moorish Castle requires a lot of walking and climbing around narrow battlements, this is only really suitable if you are physically fit and healthy. As the battlements are narrow and high in certain places, it is not really suitable if you are scared of heights or for very young children.

The steep climb up to the Torre Real

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 María, 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 castle is open from 9:00 to 18:00, and the last admission is 1 hour before closing time. A typical visit to the Castelo dos Mouros lasts 60-90 minutes, as it is a surprisingly large complex.

The admission prices for the Castelo dos Mouros are: €12 for adults, €10 for young persons aged 6 to 17, and €10 for seniors aged over 65. Additionally, a family ticket is available at €33, which covers two adults and two children.

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. Early morning or late afternoon are the best times to visit the Castelo dos Mouros, but often a visit here is fitted around the Palácio da Pena.

During peak hours there can be a long queue to purchase tickets from the ticket machines and it may be worthwhile to buy tickets beforehand. Tickets can be purchased from GetYourGuide from this link.

Insight: There is a second ticket machine at the entrance to the castle. This machine is always much quieter than the ones close to the road.

Summer time long queues for the ticket machines

Outside of the hot summer months, the steep hills of Sintra can be shrouded in fog or low-lying cloud. As one of the main draws of the Castelo dos Mouros are the spectacular views, do consider if it is worth visiting, if there is fog or low cloud.

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 taxi/Uber/tuk-tuk.

Onsite is a very basic café, which does not reflect the popularity of the castle. The food options sold by the café are very limited, and it is much better to bring your own drinks and snacks. When planning your day, it is recommended to have lunch within Sintra town, where there are many more food options than at the top of the hill where the Pena Palace and Moor's Castle are located.

There are decent toilets at the castle, with one set near the cafe and the other 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 of Sintra.

The many steps and narrow pathways along the battlements

A day trip to Sintra can waste a lot of the day waiting for public transport, stood in ticket queues, or simply wandering around lost. Sintra is one of the only real destinations in Portugal where a guided tour can be very useful. We have worked with GetYourGuide.com for the previous six years, and some of their best tours of Sintra 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 María 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, Palacio da Pena and Sintra town centre, before returning to the station. A single ticket costs €4.55, or there is a 24-hour ticket for €15. This 24-hour ticket is actively pushed by the bus company, but two singles (up to the palace and down from it) at €8.20 are all that is needed by most visitors.
Related articles: 434 tourist bus guide

The 434 bus at the entrance to the Castelo dos Mouros

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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