Castelo de São Jorge

One of the most famous spots in Lisbon is São Jorge's Castle. It's located in Alfama, a really cute and colourful neighbourhood, and it has more than 500 years.

It was destroyed during wars and earthquakes, but it's mostly reconstructed now. It is a must see in the city.

And also a great place to see the city itself. Since it's on top of a mountain, you can see from top to the bottom of Lisbon, including the touristic spots, such as Praça do Comércio, Bairro Alto, Santa Justa elevator and all.

Therefore, the best time to visit there is the sunset. Many couples and tourists go there to see the sun going down in Tejo River and to drink some wine in the evening. There's also a restaurant there (a bit expensive) if you'd like to have dinner in a castle.

History

The castle was built to fight invasions in Lisbon during the Middle Age and around it you can see ruins of the first human ocupations in the city, during the 2nd century! So, if you like history, this will be more than a nice tour for you.

Castelo de São Jorge, or Saint George Castle, is the iconic castle of the city of Lisbon, situated in one of its many hills. Its name is in honor of Saint George, the Patron Saint of the Crusades and Cavalries. King John the First ordered its construction in the fourteenth century.

But enough of history. Lets go to the present. Nowadays the castle is a touristic attraction. No one lives in it, although many still live in its surroundings. The castle has an amazing view over Lisbon as it stands on top of the highest hill of the historical center, giving you a view over the river and the city. I would advise you to go there to see a sunset. Spots for you to sit down and relax are enough for everyone. Really, a sunset here is majestic, and it provides you a perfect view over the planes that arrive to the city!

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One sunny afternoon you can mount the small hill on top of which you'll find this charming castle. Try to do it on a normal day, not on a weekend or during holidays, because you will have more peace and quiet this way. The castle is one of the most iconic spots in the city and attracts many visitors from Lisbon and elsewhere every day already.

Tickets

Once you're at the top, don't worry if the queue seems long, it usually moves quite fast. Don't forget to bring with you your housing contract - as a person, living in Lisbon, you can actually enjoy the beauty of this castle for free! Keep in mind that your student identity card or your ESN (Erasmus Student Network) or ELL (Erasmus Life Lisboa) card will, despite being very useful in many other situations, not be enough of a proof to get you in for free. If you decide to come to the castle spontaneously and therefore don't have a contract with you, you'll have to pay 5 euros. Still worth it!

What to do

Once you're in the castle, just walk around a bit and you'll probably soon find a family of magnificent peacocks. They are very friendly and obviously used to visitors, will come close to you and be amazing models for your pictures, but make sure you don't bother them. You can visit a small museum or just walk around, admire beautiful statues and views and enjoy shadow under old trees.

When you get tired, find your favourite spot to admire the city from. If you want, you can even get a glass of good wine at the top and keep the glass as a memory. You can see everything: the Ponte 25 de Abril (25th of April Bridge) that connects Lisbon and Almada on the other side of river Tagus, the Praça do Comércio (The Commerce Square), Rossio, Belém with its tower and the famous Jerónimos Monastery. Maybe you can even spot your university or home!

Once you've visited the castle, you'll surely come back there again. It is one of the most beautiful spots in the city and it is also free for you if you live in Lisbon, so you should definitely come more than once!