São Jorge Castle

São Jorge Castle crowns the highest of Lisbon's central hills, and it is visible from almost everywhere in the Baixa. People have lived on this hilltop for well over two thousand years, and the oldest fortifications date from around the first century BC. The walls you walk today grew from the Moorish citadel that Afonso Henriques captured in 1147 with the help of northern European crusaders, a turning point in the history of the city.

After the conquest the castle became a royal residence. King Denis turned the fortress into a palace around 1300, and in the late fourteenth century John I dedicated it to Saint George. The national archive was kept here for centuries, and kings received visitors such as Vasco da Gama in its halls. Earthquakes, especially that of 1755, left it in ruins, and much of what stands now is the result of twentieth-century restoration, run today by the city council.

A visit has several parts. The terraced Praça d'Armas, shaded by trees and lined with old cannons, has the classic view over the Baixa, the river and the 25 de Abril Bridge. Beyond it, the castle proper has ten towers linked by wall walks and stairways, and the Olissipónia space in the remains of the palace introduces the history of the city. In the Tower of Ulysses, a camera obscura installed in 1998 projects a live 360-degree image of Lisbon, with guides pointing out the landmarks. There is also an archaeological site with traces of the Moorish quarter and earlier settlements.

Opening hours are longer from March to October than in winter, and the wall walks and towers close earlier than the grounds, especially when it gets dark. The castle is closed on 1 January, 1 May and 24, 25 and 31 December. Lines at the ticket desk can be long at midday, so buy online, and come in the late afternoon if you want sunset from the walls. Allow two hours, and wear shoes with grip, as the stone paths are uneven and the walls have steep steps without much protection, so take care with children.

The climb from the Baixa is steep. Bus 737 runs up from Praça da Figueira, and tram 28 and tram 12 stop in the streets below. Afterwards, walk down through the Castelo quarter and Alfama, passing the Santa Luzia viewpoint and the cathedral on the way.