Castle of Sesimbra

The Castle of Sesimbra stands on a steep ridge about a kilometre and a half above the town, with views down to the harbour and along the Arrábida coast in both directions. The original fortifications are Moorish — eighth or ninth century — but the long stone curtain wall, the towers, and the inner keep were built by the Templars and rebuilt by successive Portuguese kings into the sixteenth century.

Inside the walls stand the original parish church of Santa Maria do Castelo (twelfth century, restored), an old cemetery, the remains of a Roman cistern, and a small interpretation centre. The grounds are free to enter and the walk around the walls takes about an hour. Bring water and a hat in summer — there is no shade. The drive up is steep; on foot, a marked trail climbs from the town in about 45 minutes.

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A story
The castle was held by the Moors until 1165, when the Knights Templar — under their first Portuguese Master, Gualdim Pais — took it for Afonso Henriques. It changed hands twice more in the following decades before being held permanently. Inside the walls, the parish church of Santa Maria do Castelo predates the Reconquest in parts; the local population lived inside the castle until the seventeenth century, when they moved down to the coast and founded the lower town.