Sintra · Hilltop fortress · Islamic origins
Moorish Castle of Sintra: tickets, hours and how to get there
The walls that climb over the granite boulders above Sintra, 5 minutes on foot from Pena. Official and Tiqets prices side by side.
Today
Opening hours for every month are on the Opening hours page.
Checked against the official website on October 22, 2026 · Official source
In short
- On the official site an adult pays 12 € (10 € for youths 6–17 and seniors 65+, 33 € for a family of 2+2, under 6 free). Tiqets sells an entry ticket with an optional audio guide at 13.20 €. Prices read on 22 October 2026.
- The castle is open 9:30–18:00, with last entry at 17:30. The ticket office closes from 12:00 to 13:00, with automatic ticket machines. Dogs are allowed.
- It is 5 minutes on foot from the main entrance of Pena (0.3 km), and the 434 bus stops here. Private vehicles cannot go up. Allow 1 to 1.5 hours (our estimate); the path has steps and rocks.
Walls, keep, cistern and silos
The double wall climbs over the granite rocks. Inside are the keep, a cistern and silos cut into the rock, the remains of the Islamic quarter, the parade ground and a gate that Parques de Sintra calls the Door of Treason. The walk along the parapet gives views over Sintra, Pena and the Atlantic.
The church and the necropolis
The church of São Pedro de Canaferrim is today a historical interpretation centre. A medieval Christian necropolis includes a tomb with the inscription “What man has joined, only God can separate”, according to Parques de Sintra.
A short history
The fortification was founded in the 10th century under Islamic rule. In 1147 Sintra passed to Afonso Henriques, and in 1154 the town received its charter from Gualdim Pais, master of the Templars. The Islamic quarter gave way to a medieval town that was abandoned in the 15th century. Ferdinand II had the castle restored in the 19th century. Excavations began in 1976, and an archaeological research field has operated since 2009.
