Lisbon · Portugal
São Jorge Castle
A practical guide to São Jorge Castle in Lisbon: how much time to give it, how to get up without wrecking yourself on the hill, camera obscura hours, the price with the Lisboa Card and what to skip.
With the Lisboa Card it's a clear yes: the best view of Lisbon and walls you can walk. Without the card, €17 is steep if you already have free viewpoints in your plan.
São Jorge Castle crowns the highest hill in central Lisbon. Phoenicians, Romans, Visigoths and Moors fortified the same spot for almost 3,000 years, and what you walk today is a set of walls on a Moorish layout with eleven towers, the best panoramic view of the city and an excavation with 11th-century houses.
Our experience
We scheduled it for 15:15 on a Tuesday, after lunch in Mouraria, right below the castle. We gave it 80 minutes and got in with the Lisboa Card. We picked the afternoon for the light on the walls and because the morning was already set aside for Belém, on the other side of the city.
We knew the camera obscura isn’t running at that hour, so we didn’t count on it. When we left we kept walking north, to the Miradouro da Graça and the Miradouro da Senhora do Monte.
A bit of history
The key date is October 25, 1147. Afonso Henriques, the first king of Portugal, took the city after a 17-week siege with the help of about 13,000 crusaders from northern Europe who were on their way to the Holy Land. The surrender was negotiated, but the crusaders sacked the city anyway, and even Lisbon’s Christian bishop died in the looting.
At the end of the 14th century the castle took the name of Saint George, patron saint of England, to seal the alliance with the English. It was a royal palace from 1255 until 1511, when Manuel I moved to the riverfront. The earthquakes of 1531 and 1755 left it in ruins, and between 1938 and 1943 the Salazar regime rebuilt it with a medieval look that didn’t always respect the original design. That’s why the walls follow the original layout, but many of the battlements are from the 20th century.
How it fits into your day
The castle pairs well with Mouraria, Alfama and the chain of viewpoints to the north. See our day in Belém and at the castle for how we combined them.
What to see, in order
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The statue of Afonso Henriques
The first king of Portugal, spear in hand, at the entrance. It's a 1947 copy of the original by Soares dos Reis.
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Praça d'Armas
The inner square with 16th- and 17th-century cannons and the first big view over the Baixa and the river.
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The walls and towers
You can climb all eleven towers and walk the whole wall. The northeast and southeast walls face the Tagus; the west walls face the Baixa in afternoon light.
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Tower of Ulysses
It held the kingdom's archive for centuries and today houses the camera obscura, which projects a live 360-degree view of Lisbon. Only from 11:00 to 13:00.
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The excavated Moorish quarter
At the back of the castle: 11th-century houses, alleys, and Roman and Iron Age remains. It's the most original part of the site and a lot of people never make it there. Give it 15 or 20 minutes.
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The gardens and the peacocks
Under the pines on the south and east sides. They descend from birds brought from India.
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Santa Cruz do Castelo
The tiny neighborhood inside the outer walls, lived in since Moorish times. Walking it is free.
Tips we wish we’d known
Tips
- The camera obscura only runs from 11:00 to 13:00, in English and Portuguese, for 20 people per session and only when the sky is clear. If you go in the afternoon, forget about it.
- Your ticket includes a one-hour guided visit, "Discovering the Castle". Don't pay the guides at the gate.
- The classic photo is from the northeast wall looking south: towers, the Baixa, the river and the bridge in the background.
- Free entry on the first Sunday of the month is only for Lisbon residents, not tourists.
Do
- Take bus 737 up if you're coming from lunch.
- Wear shoes with good grip: the steps on the walls are uneven and have no railing in places.
- Walk down along Costa do Castelo or keep going to the Miradouro da Graça, ten minutes away.
Don’t
- Don't ride tram 28 up: it's the number one pickpocket spot in Lisbon and runs right through this area.
- At the cafés on the way, don't accept the bread, olives or cheese they set down without asking: they charge for them separately.
- Don't spend time on the exhibit in the palace rooms: it's small, and the reason to come is the view.
Frequently asked questions
How much time do you need for São Jorge Castle?
Between 80 and 120 minutes for the walls, towers, gardens and the excavation. In an hour you see the main things.
Is it included in the Lisboa Card?
Yes, entry is free with the card, but there's no fast-track line: you wait in the regular line.
What are the opening hours?
From March to October, 9:00 to 21:00, with last entry at 20:30. Closed January 1, May 1, and December 24, 25 and 31.
How do you get up to the castle without walking the hill?
On bus 737 from Praça da Figueira. It drops you at the gate and is free with the Lisboa Card.
Is the castle original?
The layout of the walls is. A good part of the towers and battlements was rebuilt between 1938 and 1943. The excavation at the back is the least altered part.