I’ve been having a great time writing these post about what to do near Lisbon. It’s really amazing how many beautiful and historic places are just a short trip from the Portuguese capital. Most of these gems lack the crowds of the more popular sites, which is also nice! One of the most magical places we’ve visited so far is Castelo de Amourol — a stunning medieval castle on a small island in the Tagus River. Almourol is regarded as Portugal’s most beautiful castle, and I can totally see why! Visiting the castle feels like stepping into a fairytale, and it’s only a bit over an hour drive from Lisbon!
A Bit Of History
The site where Castelo de Amourol sits on today is thought to have been used by the Romans and other ancient civilizations. The castle, as it stands today was largely built by the Moors in the early 1100s, and was used as a lookup point to protect the area against attacks. during the times of the Moors, the castle was called Almorolan.
In 1129, during the time of the Reconquista, the castle was conquered and given to the Knights Templar. It was the Knights who reconstructed and fortified the castle, now called Almourol. Above the entrance to the castle you can see the date when it was founded by the Knights: 1171. During this time, the Castelo de Almourol was part of a defensive network designed to protect Portugal from further Moorish incursions.
After the Order of the Knights Templar was disbanded and the need to defend the territory no longer existed, the castle was left abandoned. During the 19th century it was restored to its present-day appearance.
Visiting The Castle
Visiting the Castelo de Almourol is very easy even though you must access the castle by boat! There is a big parking lot right by the boat landing. The lot includes spaces for cars, as well as longer spots for camper vans and RVs. After parking, we headed straight to the small dock and waited for the next boat. There are signs pointing to the boat landing. Our kids absolutely loved the boat ride to the castle!
It costs 4 Euros per person for the boat ride both ways, which includes the entrance to the castle. The ride is just a few minutes long. The boat driver collects payment, and he only accepts cash so come prepared.
In terms of accessibility, you have to go down a few steps on a ladder onto the boat. We saw lots of elderly people doing this, as well as a couple of women on crutches, but if you have serious mobility issues, it might be a bit challenging to access it.
There is also the option of accessing the Castelo of Almourol by kayak.
When you reach the island, you have to go up stairs and then do a short walk on uneven terrain up to the actual castle. Once you enter the castle, you are free to explore it at your own pace. Walking up the (somewhat narrow) ramparts and around the towers was super fun, and the views were stunning! Just beware that there are no railings anywhere, so be sure to watch your step as you go. Trust me, the views are worth it!
Opening Hours
You can visit Castelo de Almourol from Monday to Sunday. Opening hours are: February 10:00-13:00 | 14:30-17:30/ March-October 9:30-13:00 | 14:30-18:30 / November-January 10:00-13:00 | 14:30-17:00. The castle is closed on Mondays from October 1st to February 28th.
You can check their official website for more information, and for the latest information.
Lunch in Constância
After our visit to the castle we drove to Constância for lunch. Joe had found a nice traditional Portuguese restaurant called Leopoldina Tavernas serving Pica Pau, Valentina’s favorite Portuguese dish, so we headed there. Our meal was delicious, and we specially loved their chocolate mousse!
Final Thoughts
We absolutely loved our day trip to Castelo de Almourol! We’ve visited a lot of castles during our travels, and this has to be the most unique! Well, maybe it ties Predjama Castle Slovenia, but you get my point. If you have time, you should combine a visit to Castelo de Almoroul with a visit to Tomar, which is only a half hour drive away.
To learn more about our adventures in Portugal, visit this page. For all of our other travels, visit this page.
