If you want a blown away feeling, make sure to visit the Moorish Castle in Sintra.

Wind in Your Hair

In this case, I’m talking about being blown away very literally, because there is a phenomenal amount of wind up here.

I’ll admit that I read another blog post about the wind at the Moorish Castle — the author mentioned it multiple times — and I thought, “oh, how bad could it be?” Well, by the time you reach the Royal Tower, the answer is “bad — but also fun.” It’s tremendous.

Endless Views

Wind aside, the Moorish Castle is an amazing place. It has its roots in the 8th and 9th centuries, when the Moors (North African Muslims) used it as a high-on-the-hill stronghold to control the area. You can see why — it has a commanding view of the valley below.

Christian forces took over the region in the mid-twelfth century, and the castle saw further expansion under early Christian Portuguese kings in the 13th and 14th centuries. But people eventually got tired of living so high up in the mountains, and slowly but surely, the castle was abandoned.

Romantic Reconstruction

But never fear! In 1839, King Ferdinand II decided to rebuild the castle as part of his larger Pena Park project. And he went about this task with the same romantic fervor with which he imbued all of his projects. This meant that he added new flourishes, such as towers where none might have been before and walking trails leading to stony benches.

Okay, so King Ferdinand II and his architect were not entirely historically accurate. But they did important work like shoring up walls …

… and preserving the bones they found while working around the ancient Christian necropolis.

Ancient Remains

The castle’s contemporary curators have done a good job of pointing out sites of historical interest, such as these food storage silos (which date to the castle’s Islamic era) …

… and the 12th-century Church of São Pedro de Canaferrim.

The church has been refurbished and now houses a small interpretation center, where you can see objects found in the castle’s various archaeological digs (here are a die, some game pieces, flint adzes and blades, and a Neolithic pot).

Climbing the Ramparts

The real fun, though, is climbing all over the castle ramparts and looking down at the historic center of Sintra (while hoping you don’t fall — some of the stairs are incredibly narrow). From here, you can see the National Palace of Sintra; if you’re thinking of visiting, check out this post.

You really can ramble and clamber at will — it’s a great chance to explore and to be outdoors. You can still see vast lengths of the inner wall …

… the outer wall …

… and the old castle guard house.

Because this is also a park, there are a few scattered garden plantings.

Old Stables, New Building

My one disappointment with the Moorish Castle is the large building that they’ve created in the area of the old stables, which now houses the restrooms, cafeteria, and a viewing spot for the ancient cistern. It feels out of keeping with the Medieval (or Romantically-rebuilt Medieval) surroundings.

Tips for Visiting the Moorish Castle in Sintra

First of all, the Moorish Castle is all about being way up high, so if you have a fear of heights, you might want to stay off of the castle walls. If you like heights, though, the Moorish Castle is a great time.

Secondly, note that you won’t get a paper map, nor do they offer an online guide. So it’s worth taking a photo of this display, which you’ll only encounter in a few locations:

Third, the Moorish Castle can get crowded later in the day, and it’s not fun trying to pass lots of people on some of the narrow sections of the castle wall. If you can, go early!

Finally, you might want to purchase tickets in advance, though you can also buy them at the entrance.

Other Palaces to Explore Near the Moorish Castle in Sintra

• Curious how the castle fits into the bigger Sintra lineup? See my full comparison guide.
• After the rugged walls, step into the whimsical world and winding gardens of Biester Palace.
• Prefer something elegant and neoclassical? Seteais Palace is the perfect contrast.