Exploring Castelo de Sao Jorge Lisbon

It’s hard to miss this imposing structure that seems to keep watch over central Lisbon and visible from many parts of the city. Castelo de Sao Jorge or St George’s Castle is one of Lisbon’s most popular attractions for its history, architecture, views, long walls and towers. It is located on top of the highest of Lisbon’s seven hills. Come along with us as our family explores the remnants of this once formidable fortress.

History

The castle’s oldest parts could be traced back to the 6th century. Its prime location was the site of fortifications dating back to the Romans that once occupied this area. It was a royal residence occupied by the Moors until Portugal’s first king, D. Afonso Henriques, “captured” it in 1147 with some help from British crusader knights. Hence, the castle name and tribute to St. George, England’s patron saint.

This castle became the Portuguese royalty’s main residence in the early 1500s. Renovations and major improvements continued and this was eventually used for military purposes. What we see today is from a major restoration project in the early 1900s. The reconstruction of the castle and its battlements were based on how the castle looked during the 11th century with its medieval layout.

Castle Grounds

We entered the castle wall and found a courtyard covered with olive and pine trees, stoneworks and with some benches. This looked like a popular place for picnics too. There was a bronze statue of D. Afonso Henriques here to honor the king who brought this fort back to Portugal.

It was easy to see why this strategic location was chosen as a fort to protect the city and was considered a major defense position. It was way above the River Tagus and overlooking Lisbon. The panoramic views here from the castle walls were stunning.

It was a bit hazy during our visit. But, we could still see several landmarks a few miles away like the 25 of April Bridge that resembles San Francisco’s Golden Gate.

We loved seeing all these colorful buildings and rooftops. Being up here gave us a different perspective of the city. We actually found the building where our rented apartment was and realized there was another square and a small park nearby. So, if you visit this within your first few days here, it also provides a wonderful orientation of Lisbon.

It wouldn’t be a defensive fort without some cannons. This was a magnet for kids, particularly the boys, to climb on.

Near the cannons was a great set-up for a terrace bar and dining area with a view. We were here too early so it wasn’t open. I wish we had enough time to come back here to eat both lunch and dinner. This was definitely one of the best places to dine with a view in Lisbon.

The restaurant and museum are located inside the remnants of the Royal Palace of Alcacova. The stone buildings looked in pretty good shape.

Behind the battlements was the garden area. It wasn’t very big but we found many peacocks here. They showed off their colorful feathers quite a bit. We’ve always just seen them walking around but we found some of them high up on trees. Who knew they could fly that high?

The castle had an extensive network of walls connecting its towers and outer buildings. Visitors could walk and climb along its perimeter and on top of the walls. Some of the wall areas had excellent, sweeping views of the city. Warning: the pathway on some areas was quite narrow and the stairs were steep. This isn’t for anyone who suffers from fear of heights or vertigo or the faint-hearted.

Of course, this was my kids’ favorite part of the castle. Though, one side of the walls were open with no railings. It was a pretty high in some areas which made me very nervous. I’m glad my kids are a bit older now where I don’t have to hold their hands. But, I can totally understand how stressful it can be with young active toddlers here. Climbing some of those stairs was scary!

The Towers

The castle has 11 remaining towers and mostly still intact. The central one is Tower of Ulysses. This is where the royal archives are stored. It is also home to the Câmara Escura/camera obscura or persicope. Leonardo Da Vinci invented this optical apparatus in the 16th century. The device projects live, 360-degree images and sights, in real time, from around Lisbon to the tower’s walls. Unfortunately, the line to get in was really long so we didn’t get the chance to experience this.

Castelo de Sao Jorge is pretty much the shell and ruins of a former royal residence and fortress. There are no chamber or throne rooms to tour here. But, it is still quite interesting. We followed a long wall that opened into an enclosed archaeological site. This was the excavation site of a palace and a Moorish quarter and houses and some iron age house remnants. There are free guided tours during specific times throughout the day.

There is also a small archaeological museum on the grounds with great information on Lisbon’s long history. It was interesting to see how the city and castle looked before the huge earthquake of 1755 destroyed parts of it. There are various exhibits showing what they have excavated around the castle and the archaeological site. It’s a very brief glimpse of what life was like here.

We were dropped off at the surrounding neighborhood outside of the castle walls. It was a charming labyrinth of narrow streets, colorful houses, churches and small shops. It’s worth walking around here and exploring the neighborhood.

Castelo de Sao Jorge is a fantastic place to explore and wander around for a couple of hours. The views overlooking Lisbon can’t be beat. Though there wasn’t many remains of royalty here, my kids still enjoyed exploring the towers and walking along the castle walls. There aren’t many places you can still do this. This is one of Lisbon’s top attractions and it was easy to see why.

Basics and Tips for Visiting Castelo de Sao Jorge

• Getting There: Either climb up the hill from Rossio or take the tram number 28 or bus 737 to get there. The historic tram line to get up here was too long so we took a taxi from Comercio Square which was about 6 euros. There are also TukTuks to take you up to and from the castle. We took the bus going down. The bus stop was right outside the castle wall.
• Admission prices (as of May 2016): 8.50 Euros; Students < 25 years old: 5 Euros; Seniors (65+) – 5 Euros; Families (2 Adults and 2 children < 18 years old) – 20 Euros
• Get the Lisboa Card for discounted admission to the castle and ride the metro, buses and trams for free.
• Opening hours: 9AM – 9PM (Mar-Oct)  – 9AM-6PM (Nov-Feb)
• Go early, preferably right when they open. We were here for a couple of hours. Tour buses started arriving when we were leaving.
• Please keep in mind that there are no railings on one side of the castle walk. Hold on to the young, active kids.
• There is also a free guided castle tour. We did a self-guided tour but probably would have learned a whole lot more. Inquire at the ticket window.
• Please keep in mind that there are no railings on one side of the castle walk. Hold on to the young, active kids.
• There’s a restaurant, outdoor cafe and gift shop within the complex too.

*Have you visited Lisbon or this castle?

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