On this day I woke up at 6am. Ventured out to Palace of Pena. It was quite a trek up to the Palace. Lots of steep hills, in fact it's all hills (wear sneakers only). We only got to eat a little pastry and drink some water and OJ at the Cafeteria that opens at 11am. By the time I got to the Moorish Castle, I ran out of fuel. I couldn't chug along anymore. I was dying in the relenting 94 degree heat. It's about another 10 minute walk from the entrance just to get into the Moorish Castle. It is quite a sight, reminds me of The Great Wall of China. So is the Moorish Castle worth it? My son loved it. As for me, all I saw were rocks everywhere I turned. Lol. And the rocks all looked the same. Note: It's about an hour and a half to walk all the way back down into town. Sintra is like a Fairytale Land, choose wisely which sites you want to visit. Plan for an entire day here. read more

Moorish Castle - 8K steps in 3 hours in 95 temps - Castles Near Me - Sesimbra, 15

See all

King me baby! This 8th-12th century Moorish castle is somethin' else. What an amazing site to see! Standing on the wall of the castle, looking out over Portugal, was just brilliant. Be very careful though as there are plenty of opportunities to slip and fall. I highly recommend good shoes and strong legs only. For what was about $10-15, we purchased tickets to see the castle. You could buy tickets ahead of time on the website, or you can purchase them at the front of the castle at the self service kiosk. Unlike Peña Palace, you can actually see quite a bit of artifacts and such, without purchasing a ticket. Sintra is a journey though so be prepared. If you're doing a day trip here, start EARLY, like as early as possible. There's so much to see in Sintra, you maybe opt to spend a night or two here. When you do come, I recommend taking the bus, or rideshare to the top near Peña palace, and then work your way down to the other castles/attractions etc. Although we didn't stay long, walking around, what seemed like the Great Wall of China, was worth the price of admission. Not only did I get some great pics, I took some absolutely stunning videos. Again, just be very careful as there are numerous opportunities to fall without any guide rails or stabilizers. We stashed one of our love locks here so let me know if you find it. Having secured our lock, we now have shared ownership of the castle, so please be kind to it. Bring waters and snacks. Enjoy. read more

Came here from Pena palace. We followed Google maps which took us slightly off the beating path. Don't be alarmed, it's a shorter route. By the time we made it to the castle, we didn't have much time until they closed. We used our Lisboa card for a very small discount. The castle was small, compared to the São Jorge castle in Lisbon. It was quite the hike all the way up and very cold, but so worth it. Their cafe is tiny with only outdoor seating. Used "Rick Steves Portugal" for background info. read more

See all

Walking around the castle was fun. Some Beautiful views but I didn't see that or feel much else. I didn't feel it was a must-do like some reviewers and understandably the locals want to give support To a good number of places to visit. read more

Moorish Castle - Moorish castle view 1 - Castles Near Me - Sesimbra, 15

One of the more hyped tourist spots in Sintra, the Moorish Castle was nice, though I wouldn't bank on spending a large stretch of time there. It's just a fun structure with some good views. The long and short of it: 1. Getting There. The train to Sintra station is just that. A train to the station. The castle is a good 1.5 mile walk from there which wouldn't be too bad..... if it weren't all uphill. Still we made the walk and were no worse for ware, we even got to see the small town outside the palace and castles which was fun. It's really not bad though if you don't feel like making the trek there are plenty of tuk-tuks and cabs that will give you rides both up and down. Your choice! 2. Views. The views from the castle are absolutely spectacular (which is good because that's pretty much all there is to the site). Perched way up on a hill, some of the battlements offer up-high views of the city while other areas simply look out into the countryside. Millennials would call this site "Instagramable." 3. Tickets. Tickets are fairly cheap at about 8 euro, though you get a 6% discount if you bundle 3 sites from https://www.parquesdesintra.pt/en/. Pina Palace is right up that way and is also worth doing, so pick a 3rd spot and save yourself some cash. I won't say the Moorish Castle is a must do, though a day trip to Sintra is pretty high on the list and you're not far from it, so you might as well. Just don't expect a ton of information or craziness. Still, nothing wrong with a nice hike and some pretty views while in Portugal. Overall Grade: B- read more

See all

Built originally in the 10th century by the Moors, this place offers a wonderful panorama view of the area, including Pena Palace and other palaces nearby. There is not really a "castle " to visit, but you can walk around the wall and up the fortress. Some of the view reminds me of the great wall of China. The spectacular panorama alone is worth the visit. Not far at all from Pena Palace. read more

See all

5 stars if you're photog looking for amazing shots of the city. The entry fee is reasonable, and is only a 10 minute walk from Pena Palace. The Moorish castle experience felt like a walk among ruins halfway reclaimed by nature. The attraction takes less than an hour to explore, and takes you to some dizzying heights and 360 degree views of the city. Otherwise, as a tourist site, it is not well developed, so expect a more intimate experience. Recommended if you are exploring Pena Palace as well. Otherwise not worth the trip up to do this attraction once. read more

Moorish Castle - You can see Pena Palace from here - Castles Near Me - Sesimbra, 15

See all

I will shamelessly say that I had the "Sound of the Shire" from LOTR playing in the background as I walked up the steps and treads of this castle (more like walled outpost). It's an absolutely gorgeous location to explore in the early morning. There's light moss mottled all along the walls, boulders and steps. The view from the top turrets are outstanding and you get a great lay of the land. The entrance fee is also reasonable. I think it's great that this place has been preserved in a light-touch sort of way so the original character and rustic nature remains. It's not overly manicured or pruned and that's definitely part of the charm. read more

Another sightseeing area which it's a must see. But come ready to do a lot of walking going up the walls. read more

Moorish Castle - Castles Near Me - Sesimbra, 15

This fortification has spectacular views all the way to the ocean and neighboring Pena Castle on another peak. A climb to the highest point is quite exhilarating. Absolutely don't attempt this if you are afraid of heights. Imagine being way higher than the observation level at the Sears Tower or the Empire State buildings. Well here you don't have to imagine, because you are. Also, remember the trail you followed up because once at the top it's easy to forget which is the correct way down. Especially if others await your return. If you forget you will end up a distance from where you started and you may have to retrace your steps up the dizzying wall path. Be very careful on your way down because there is no railing to hold on to. As a matter of fact, there is nothing on your right side other than a sheer drop off! It can get a little uneasy when you encounter some going in the opposite direction because you have to turn sideways in or order to avoid contact. read more

See all

After the Palace and Park the Moorish castle was a different style and provided some great views of Sintra and the Palace. It's a short walk from the palace to the Castle. The hike up the steps to the top of the castle are worth it. We walked back down to town from the Castle to town. It was a long walk downhill from the back of the Castle but a nice trek. read more

The Castle of the Moors is absolutely beautiful. Unfortunately we were visiting on a rather foggy miserable day so you couldn't see a great amount down into the valley but when the fog cleared the view was breathtaking. The castle has lots of artefacts and information on the history to get a good grasp of what happened in the castle and the history of those that were there. read more

The best views in Sintra for only 8€. The castle is large with lots of stairs. Prepare for a good deal of walking. I recommend taking the 434 to here and then walking to Pena (~10 minutes). There are beautiful views of the clouds over the palace of Pena and the castle itself is a lovely place to explore. A must see in Sintra, for sure! read more