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Many visitors to Sintra overlook the Moorish Castle, but you shouldn't because it offers one of the best views of Sintra! The Moorish castle was built in the 8th century and resembles the wall of China, making it a fantastic location to explore.
In this post I cover The history of the castle, entrance fees, opening hours,when to arrive, duration of stay, how to get there, tickets, parking, food, restrooms, accessibility, main attractions, why you should visit and our top tips!
Moorish Castle was occupied by the Moors as a defensive castle until 1147, when Alfonso Henriques, the first King of Portugal, conquered it. At the beginning of the 15th century the castle was completely abandoned and in 1755 Lisbon earthquake caused considerable damage to the castle.
In 1840 King Ferdinand II of Portugal took up the task of conserving and improving the condition of the castle, the castle has been continually improved on and restored ever since.
Adults: 8 Euro
Kids (age 6 - 17): 6.5 Euro.
9:30 am - 6:30 pm
•Last ticket and admission: 6:00 pm
•Ticket office closed from 12 pm to 1 pm. Automatic ticket vending machines are available
Best to arrive early morning or late afternoon. It gets busy during the afternoon.
•The peak season is April-September. Try to avoid weekends to beat the crowds.
You'll want at least 1.5 hours to explore and climb the castle walls
If you're coming from Pena Palace, it's a 10-minute walk downhill or take the 434 bus from the train station of Sintra.
It's best to buy tickets online to save time waiting in line, however, If you don't, there are a few electronic ticket booths.
There are a few parking lots nearby, but they get full pretty quickly, so if you're driving, arrive early.
There is a little cafe near the entrance with drinks, snacks and sandwiches.
Right next to the cafe you'll find the restroom.
Manual wheelchairs with folding chassis are available upon reservation, as well as a traction equipment adaptable to the vast majority of manual wheelchairs. This allows, with less effort and greater speed, to go through the routes.
•Organised tour groups of Sintra don’t stop here as frequently as the other palaces, so it’s less crowded.
• Close to Pena palace.
• The view is fantastic.
•Wear comfortable shoes! There are some very steep sections at the Moorish Castle when walking up steps to climb the castle walls. The climb isn't easy, but it is manageable.
•Bring a hat and water - there isn't much shade here, and it can get hot, especially in the summer.
•Church of São Pedro de Canaferrim
•Tomb
•Medieval Christian Necropolis
•Main Gate to Moorish Castle
•Alcazaba (citadel)
•Royal Tower
Our Whereabouts xxx