Castelo de São Jorge and Bairro do Castelo: A Lisbon Walking Tour

The Castle of São Jorge is one of the most iconic symbols of Lisbon, and its majestic yellow stone walls can be seen from every part of the city. On this walking tour, we’ll take you on a memorable journey through one of Lisbon’s most iconic structures and into the charming neighborhood surrounding Castelo de São Jorge.

Our tour starts outside the castle’s ticket office, and is designed to optimize your visit to this historical site. Please note that entrance tickets need to be purchased separately.

Starting with a detailed description of Lisbon and its rich history, this tour will guide you to a spot where you can enjoy unparalleled views of the city. As you walk, you’ll hear some of the lesser-known stories behind the castle, which is a symbol of the Portuguese capital. We’ll take you back in time to the Moorish occupation of Lisbon and, at the ruins of the Royal Palace of the Alcáçova, we’ll imagine what life was like here in the Middle Ages.

On this tour, you can also look forward to:

• Gazing down at the 25 de Abril Bridge, the Golden Gate’s European sister
• Looking over Portugal’s political center from Lisbon’s best viewpoint, and imagining the historic Empire that stretched from Brazil to the very Far East
• Hearing about the city’s anti-earthquake architecture
• Taking a breather among indigenous plants in the garden of the Castelo de São Jorge, where wandering peacocks add a splash of colour to the castle’s sandy walls
• Visiting the Citadel’s twelve towers including the famous Torre de Menagem, which was the castle’s last line of defense, and the Torre de Ulisses, named after the Greek hero who supposedly gave Lisbon its title
• Witnessing the Porta do Moniz gateway, where the knight Martim Moniz entered the afterlife, creating a legend which still lives in every Lisboan’s heart
• Exploring the Castle’s Museum and archaeological site, which dates as far back as the 7th century BC
• Learning how the Romantic Garden and Castle of São Jorge became pawns in Portuguese dictator António de Oliveira Salazar’s fascist propaganda

Allow around an hour and fifteen minutes to complete this walking tour. Or, if your schedule allows, take your time as you wander through ancient ruins and areas of archaeological interest to find the magic that draws nearly two million people to this site every year.

Please note: Due to the frequent work and renovation campaigns taking place all around the site of the Castelo de São Jorge, this tour might at times be subject to disruptions on its original route. Should such disturbances happen, the listener is then invited to adapt his visit by using the “Resume Tour” option on the VoiceMap app, choosing the next possible location along the way, or simply wander around and manually select the location from which he wishes to resume his trip on the app’s map.