Plan Your Visit to Moorish Castle in Sintra

Best Time To Visit Moorish Castle

The Moorish Castle, situated in the picturesque town of Sintra, is an evergreen historic destination. The former fortress offers breathtaking views of the surrounding landscape and insight into the Moors and other dynasties. You can plan your visit to the castle throughout the year and week, but certain months and days are better for a relaxed experience.

The ideal time to visit the Moorish Castle is during the spring and autumn months, i.e., from April to June and September to October. During these months, the weather is mild, with pleasant temperatures ranging from 15°C to 25°C (59°F to 77°F). You can comfortably explore the castle and expansive grounds. The lush greenery and blooming flowers in spring and the vibrant foliage in autumn add an extra touch of magic to your experience.

As far as the timing of the visit is concerned, visit early in the morning or late in the afternoon to avoid the crowds. Weekdays are better if you have the time for the same reason.

Where is Moorish Castle Located?

Address: 2710-405 Sintra, Portugal

Find On Map

The Moorish Castle is 3.5 km from the historical centre of Sintra, standing above the ruins of the Castelo dos Mouros.

Closest Landmark: Reboleira, 19.5 km

Getting to the Moorish Castle in Sintra

By Public Transportation

By Bus: Sintra Station is the closest bus stop to Moorish Castle. You can take bus no. 434 from Sintra Station and reach Moorish Castle gate. The journey takes 10-15 minutes.

By Train: You can reach Moorish Castle by train from Lisbon. Take the Sintra Line from various stations like Estação do Oriente, Estação do Rossio, and Estação de Entrecampos.

By walking: You’ll see many footpaths signposted between the historic Sintra centre and the Moorish Castle. Percurso de Santa Maria (Casa INFO > Moorish Castle/Pena; 1770 metres, 1 hour) and Percurso de Seteais (Seteais > Pena/Moorish Castle; 2410 metres, 1½ hours) are the two footpaths you can follow.

By Car

Driving is an option, albeit not ideal due to narrow Sintra lanes. Beginning from the town’s historic centre, you’ll see a vertical sign showing the way to the Moorish Castle (3.5 km). You can take the IC19 (from Lisbon), IC30 (from Mafra) or EN9 (turning off the A5 motorway to Cascais) to reach the castle.

Parking Facilities

Moorish Castle is close to several parking lots, including:

Estacionamento, which is 13 minutes from Moorish Castle.
Parking Quinta dos Lobos, which is 16 minutes from Moorish Castle.
Emes - Empresa Municipal De Estacionamento De Sintra, EM SA, which is 12 minutes from Moorish Castle.

Know Before You Go To Moorish Castle

Choose weekdays: Weekdays are better if you want to skip the lines at Moorish Castle. There are fewer people around on weekdays, making it the best time to visit the castle. Also, try visiting early in the morning, as crowds pick up later in the day.
Book tickets online: Online tickets to Moorish Castle provide the skip-the-line option. You can also choose your visiting slot, allowing you to time your visit when there are fewer tourists around.
Get a guided tour: Guided tour tickets to Moorish Castle are available online. They provide skip-the-line access to Moorish Castle.

Moorish Castle has two entrances, but the one on the eastern wall is the main entrance. It is used by visitors to enter and exit the castle.

Stores: Moorish Castle's Parques de Sintra stores offer interesting and different proposals, objects and various publications you can bring as souvenirs.
Restaurants: Cafeterias Parques de Sintra, located outside Moorish Castle, provide hot dishes and beverages.
Private groups: You can book guided tours for a private group and enjoy the attraction with your family.
Toilets: Moorish Castle has several toilets, including accessible toilets.

You can get multimedia guides inside Moorish Castle and listen to the castle's history in various languages like Portuguese, English, Spanish, and French. If you’re buying offline tickets, you can purchase your audio guide at the Parques de Sintra online ticket office for €1.09.

With online tickets, you do not need to purchase audio guides.

Discounted tickets: Moorish Castle offers a 50% reduction in ticket prices for people with disabilities. However, proof must be presented.
Wheelchair accessible: Moorish Castle is wheelchair-accessible, with several provisions made regularly to improve accessibility at the castle.
Assistance dogs: Guests with disabilities are allowed to bring assistance dogs inside Moorish Castle. Water fountains are available for assistance dogs.

Amor de Mercearia - Open daily from 10 AM to 7 PM, Amor de Mercearia sells several products, gifts, and souvenirs like clothes.
Casa Vidi - Casa Vidi is a souvenir shop open daily from 8 AM to 6 PM. You can buy clothes and fabrics.
Cintra Centre - Cintra Centre is open from 10 AM to 6 PM. You can buy several products like decorative items, porcelain, cups, bags, etc.
Loja do Vinho - Open daily from 11 AM to 10 PM, Loja do Vinho is a wine store selling premium and local wine, bakery products, etc.

Cantinho de São Pedro - Cantinho de São Pedro is one of the oldest restaurants in Sintra, Portugal. It is embedded in the Sintra hills and serves fresh and quality food, with Portuguese cuisine as its speciality.
A Mourisca de Sintra - You can also head to Mourisca de Sintra close to Moorish Castle. The restaurant is known for its friendly staff, good service, reasonable prices, and good quality food.
Tascantiga - Head to Tascantiga if you want to try delicious tapas and wine after visiting the Moorish Castle. It has a relaxing and casual ambience, where you can relax, drink wine, and remember your visit to Moorish Castle.
Bono Lisboa - Bono Lisboa is a local favourite specialising in Mediterranean cuisine. The restaurant has a wonderful atmosphere and offers exceptional food made from fresh and locally-sourced ingredients.

Budget: Comfy Sintra (1.8 km), Pousada de Jovens de Sintra (3.3 km), Sintra Bliss Hotel (3.1 km)
Mid-range: Eighteen 21 Charm Houses - Quinta Velha (4.1 km), RoseGarden.House (1.5 km), Sintra Small Hostel (1.6 km)
Luxury: Cedros Nature House (2 km), Sintra Palace Marmòris (5.2 km), Tivoli Palácio de Seteais (3.4 km)

Park and Palace of Monserrate: Monserrate, at its peak, was a hub for international visitors, who praised its beauty in their travel work. Francis Cook, a rich, 19th-century British industrialist and art collector, was especially fascinated by the attraction, transforming it into a Romanticism masterpiece.

National Palace of Pena and Park: Built in the Romantic style in the 19th century, the National Palace of Pena and Park is one of Sintra’s top attractions. You can reach the second-highest vantage point on the Sintra Hills and get ravishing views of the natural landscape.

National Palace of Sintra: Popularly called the Town Palace, the National Palace of Sintra was built in the middle ages by the Portugal monarchy. You can discover the rich history of ancient royalty in the intricate design of the palace rooms and artefacts, dating back thousands of years.

Behaviour: Ensure you and your guests demonstrate the right behaviour at the Moorish Castle Sintra. Avoid making noise, shouting, running, or using offensive language.
Dress code: Wear clothes that respect the history and culture of the castle.
Touch: Do not touch or poke around the ancient artefacts. They are protected as the Moorish Castle is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Children: Keep an eye on young children as the Moorish Castle is perched atop a hill, and has steep slopes.
Signboards: Follow the rules mentioned on various signboards inside the castle.

Carry Water: Moorish Castle is spread across several areas. Carry water to stay hydrated if you’re visiting in the summer season. You will need to walk around to explore the place, and it can get hot during summer days.
Don’t club attractions: Moorish Castle is one of several attractions in Sintra, Portugal. Avoid covering all the attractions together, as you’ll miss key highlights.
Wear trekking shoes: Wear trekking shoes when visiting Moorish Castle. They can help you easily navigate ancient, rocky pathways.
Inform the staff: Inform the Moorish Castle staff beforehand if you or your guests require wheelchair assistance. Not informing may lead to non-availability, as several guests require wheelchair assistance.