The Moorish Castle was built between the 8th and 9th centuries by the Moors and is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its purpose was to act as a control tower for the Atlantic Coast to the west and the land to the north. The castle is still very well preserved and will take you back in time to the medieval age.

Ticket Price and Opening Hours

To save time, you can also buy a ticket for the Moorish Castle online, simply follow this link.

Summer Months (March-October)     10 am to 6 pm (last admission at 5 pm)
Winter Months (October – March)     9:30 am to 8 pm (last admission at 7 pm)

How to get to the Moorish Castle

If you are staying in Lisbon, you need to take the Sintra train from Rossio station to Sintra station and then hop on the 434 bus to the Moorish Castle. The Moorish Castle is the first stop in the circuit of the 434 bus from Sintra Train Station. The bus ride will take about 15 minutes and once you get to the Castle, there is a ticket office where you can purchase your ticket for the Castle as well as for the National Palace of Pena. The 434 takes you not only to the Moorish Castle but also to the National Palace of Pena, the Sintra Palace, and then back to Sintra Station. I would recommend going up by bus to the castle from Sintra station because of the very narrow and sometimes steep roads. The Castle is only a short walk from the bus stop.

A ticket for the whole circuit costs 6.90€, whereas a one-way ticket costs 3.90€.

Tips for exploring the Moorish Castle

Castelo dos Mouros is quite a big area – there is a lot to explore and you have an amazing view from the top of the castle. You can walk along the whole wall. However, if you are afraid of heights, I would not recommend going up to the top since it can get quite scary. I have heard that the views from up there are amazing though. You just need to take caution because the steps are pretty uneven. That is why good walking shoes are definitely recommended for this visit.
When you plan on visiting the Moorish Castle, make sure you arrive early when the ticket office opens so that there are not too many tourists yet. I got there at around 9:50 and was one of the first ones to enter since the ticket office only opened at 10 am. This gave me enough time to explore the castle and take some beautiful pictures of the castle in the fog.

If you just want to admire the castle from the outside or afar, there is no need to pay for a ticket. The castle is seen from all over Sintra and you can walk around it for free. The Moorish Castles was one of my favorite sites in Sintra, mainly because of the mystical feel to it due to the fog. It is also quite interesting to see castles in other countries and find out why those were built and by whom.

Have you been to the Moorish Castle in Sintra?
How did you like it? Was there anything you found specifically interesting?