Winding around two peaks in the Serra de Sintra (Sintra mountains), the Moorish Castle dates from the very beginning of the Moorish occupation of the Iberian Peninsula, in the 8th century.

After the capture of Santarém, King D. Afonso Henriques besieged Lisbon for three months. Although the Castle of Sintra surrendered voluntarily after the fall of Lisbon, according to legend on this occasion the king, fearing a surprise attack on his troops, ordered D. Gil, a Knight of the Templars, to form a group of twenty of his most trustworthy men in order to spy on the enemy’s movements and thereby prevent the Moors from leaving Lisbon and reaching Sintra via Cascais and the River Tagus. The crusaders made their way discreetly. To avoid being spotted they travelled by night, hiding during the day, along the road from Torres Vedras to Santa Cruz and along the coast to Colares, in the hope also of avoiding Albernoz, a feared Moorish chief in Colares who was a notorious killer of Christians. Between Colares and Penedo, Our Lady appeared to the fearful knights and told them: “Have no fear, because twenty of you go, but you’re one thousand”.

In this way, full of courage because Our Lady was with them, after a five-day journey they confronted and defeated the enemy and captured the Moorish Castle. In honour of this deed the Chapel of Our Lady of Milides (“mil ides”, “a thousand go”) was built in Colares.

The Moorish Castle is a fine point from which to admire the view from Sintra to the sea.

How to get there

The Moorish Castle is situated 3.5 km from the historical centre of Sintra. It is open every day of the year, except for Christmas Day (25 December) and 1 January. From April to September it is open from 9.30 a.m. to 8 p.m. (last entry at 7 p.m.) and from October to March from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (last entry at 5 p.m.)

In order to get there, there are signs from the historical centre for motorists, as well as for the route on foot. There is a bus (434) from Sintra railway station which does the Pena Circuit and passes by the Moorish Castle.

Estrada da Pena
2710-609 Sintra
Tel.: 21 923 73 00
Fax. 21 9237350
E-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
www.parquesdesintra.pt