Landmarks

Moorish Castle Entry Tickets

4.3/5(1,473)

Camila L

Couple

Verified booking

5 days ago

The Moorish Castle is a military fortress built by the Moors during their rule of Portugal. Today, it is decorated with all the flags Portugal has ever had, which I thought was a very special touch. It is the northernmost point in the city, and the view from up there is spectacular—there is no better view of Sintra than the one from the castle. However, be prepared to climb a lot of stairs, and wear sneakers and comfortable clothes.

Gwyneth E

Couple

Verified booking

Last week

Great experience at the castle, great views from the top and lots of walking to do to help get your steps in 😀 we got a taxi up from the town as it was quite a bit away if we had walked and VERY steep! Headout was easy to use to book tickets and they came through straight away. Would use again ☺️

José L

Family

Verified booking

Yesterday

It is a spectacular place. Great for walking at your own pace, connected with history and nature! I recommend starting at the Moorish Castle and, from there, walking along the paths to the Quinta. It's highly enjoyable.

Donald D

Couple

Verified booking

2 weeks ago

The tickets were a good value. The app experience was easy and it worked well. There is no internet service at the Moorish Castle. Fortunately, I left the app running so I could access the tickets without cell service.

Jose C

Group

Verified booking

3 days ago

How grandiose the Moorish construction was for its time, as well as the foresight to build a fortress to ensure the protection of the area, which nevertheless was not enough to prevent its recapture by the Portuguese.

Andreescu E

Couple

Verified booking

Last week

Returning here fter 17 years was full of emotion. Last year I arrived in Sintra in the period when the access was closed due to fire warning. But now I've enjoyed in full the visit!

Step into Portugal’s past at Sintra’s 9th-century Moorish Castle. Entry includes access to the full complex and scenic marked hiking trails.

Discover the storied walls, Islamic settlement, and medieval necropolis as you wander this military fortress set atop Sintra’s lush hills.

Climb the castle's ancient ramparts to savor panoramic views stretching from the Pena Palace to the Atlantic Ocean.

Add extra depth to your visit with a multilingual audio guide or join an English guided tour filled with tales of Moorish rule and Christian conquest.

Entry to Moorish Castle

Access to surrounding hiking trails

Audio guide in Portuguese, English, Spanish, and French (as per option selected)

Offline content: text, audio, narration, and maps (as per option selected)

English guided tour of Moorish Castle (as per option selected)

Dog-friendly access

Food and drinks

These tickets can't be cancelled or rescheduled.

1,473 reviews
How do we collect reviews?
These ratings include verified reviews from both Headout guests and our trusted partners who operate this experience locally. All reviews come from real travelers who've taken this experience.
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What our guests say
Jason F
Couple
Verified booking
Aug 2026
Everything went smoothly from entry to exploring the Moorish Castle. It wasn’t overly crowded during our visit, so there was plenty of space to walk around, explore at our own pace, and enjoy the views without feeling rushed. The whole experience was easy and well organized. Definitely worth visiting while in Sintra!
Jose C
Group
Verified booking
3 days ago
How grandiose the Moorish construction was for its time, as well as the foresight to build a fortress to ensure the protection of the area, which nevertheless was not enough to prevent its recapture by the Portuguese.
Ricardo S
Group
Verified booking
4 days ago
The Castle of the Moors was sensational. And what's more, it served as a great leg workout, hahaha. Buying the tickets was fast and felt very secure.
Camila L
Couple
Verified booking
5 days ago
The Moorish Castle is a military fortress built by the Moors during their rule of Portugal. Today, it is decorated with all the flags Portugal has ever had, which I thought was a very special touch. It is the northernmost point in the city, and the view from up there is spectacular—there is no better view of Sintra than the one from the castle. However, be prepared to climb a lot of stairs, and wear sneakers and comfortable clothes.
Gwyneth E
Couple
Verified booking
Last week
Great experience at the castle, great views from the top and lots of walking to do to help get your steps in 😀 we got a taxi up from the town as it was quite a bit away if we had walked and VERY steep! Headout was easy to use to book tickets and they came through straight away. Would use again ☺️

Step into the Moorish Castle’s storied stone walls and explore Sintra’s hilltop history at your own pace.

Getting started

Begin at the main entrance of the Moorish Castle, where your ticket is validated. These are dated tickets, so you can visit anytime within operating hours and stay for as long as you like, taking your time to admire the sweeping cityscapes and rich history of this UNESCO World Heritage Site.

What to expect

Dating back to the 8th century, the Moorish Castle stands as a fortified landmark overlooking the Serra de Sintra and the Atlantic Ocean. Its granite walls and towers reflect centuries of Iberian history, from the Muslim occupation to medieval Christian rule.

Features

Second Circle of Walls: Start your exploration at this historic entry point, offering a first glimpse of the castle’s defensive architecture.

Islamic Houses: Walk through remnants of the original settlement, revealing the site’s early cultural layers.

Medieval Christian Necropolis: Visit this burial site to connect with the castle’s later Christian history.

Primary Wall and Old Stables: Discover how the castle’s design blended with the rugged landscape for defense and daily life.

Panoramic viewpoints: Enjoy sweeping views over Sintra, the Palace of Pena, and the Atlantic Ocean from the parapet walk.

You can upgrade and add a multilingual audio guide or guided tour to your visit and dive deeper into the history of this military fortress that once defended against Catholic invasions.

What to bring

Bring a fully charged smartphone and your trusted headphones if choosing the audio guide upgrade.

Make sure to wear sturdy walking shoes as you’ll encounter lots of uneven terrain inside the castle.

Mobile signal may be weak at the site; it's best to download your ticket, audio guide, and all digital content via WiFi before your visit.

Pet dogs are welcome at the castle. Make sure to read these guidelines before bringing your pet dog along.

What’s not allowed

Flash photography, tripods, and filming equipment are not allowed inside the exhibition spaces.

Accessibility

The experience is not fully wheelchair accessible due to uneven terrain and historic structures.

Certain areas of the castle are wheelchair accessible. These include the inner portions of the castle, the Moorish Castle Church, the store, and the cafeteria.

There is parking for disabled persons.

Additional information

The audio tour is compatible only with Android (version 5.0 and later) and iOS (version 15.0 and later) smartphones. Not compatible with Windows Phones, iPhone 6/6 Plus or older, iPod Touch 6th generation or older, iPad 4th generation or older, iPad Air 1st generation, or iPad Mini 3rd generation or older.

Private parking is otherwise not available. We’d recommend parking at the historic center of Sintra and relying on public transportation to reach the castle.

Your ticket will be emailed to you shortly after the purchase.

Please display the same along with a valid photo ID at the time of redemption.

Kindly ensure that you arrive 10-15 minutes before the scheduled time to avoid any delays.

Ticket redemption point

Show your ticket at the Castle of the Moors.

Address: 2710-405 Sintra, Portugal.

The self-guided tour starts at Second Circle of Walls of Moorish Castle.

Get directions to the redemption point