The Castelo dos Mouros is a ninth or tenth-century Moorish hilltop fortification whose crumbling stone walls now snake along a wooded ridge above Sintra, holding 4.6 on Google across more than 25,000 reviews.
The climb along the ramparts is steeper and less sheltered than the palace visits nearby, but it rewards with some of the widest views in the region, taking in Pena Palace, the town below and the coast beyond.
The demanding Caminho de Santa Maria hiking trail connects it to Sintra’s historic centre on foot for visitors who’d rather walk up than take a shuttle or tuk-tuk.
Local tip: Wear proper walking shoes — the wall-top paths are uneven stone with real drops on either side, not a paved palace courtyard.
Good to know
- Where: 2710-405 Sintra, Portugal
- City: Sintra
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