Castle of Almourol

Almourol is one of the most photogenic castles in Portugal, largely because of where it stands. The fortress occupies a small rocky island in the middle of the Tagus, which in this stretch of the river is wide, slow and lined with reed beds and poplar trees. Seen from the bank on a misty morning, the grey towers seem to float on the water, which explains why the castle has inspired so many legends.

The island was a strategic spot long before there was a castle on it. The Romans and later the Moors used the position to watch the river, and it is generally said that the area passed to Christian control in 1129. In 1169 the Knights Templar were given the territory, and their master Gualdim Pais, the same man who founded the Templar headquarters at Tomar, rebuilt the fortress in 1171. Almourol became part of a defensive line along the Tagus meant to hold the frontier against Moorish counterattacks. After the Templars were dissolved in the early 14th century, the castle lost its military role, fell into decay and was only restored in the 19th and 20th centuries, which accounts for its tidy, romantic look.

The plan is simple and effective: an outer curtain wall with several towers enclosing a small courtyard, and a tall keep, the torre de menagem, from which the views stretch along the river valley. Inside, there is not much to see but the walls, the courtyard and the climb to the ramparts, and that is the point. The pleasure is in the setting.

Access is exclusively by boat. Short crossings run from the river bank near Tancos, and the trip takes a few minutes. Time on the island is limited, so the visit as a whole is brief. The neighbouring riverside has walks and picnic spots in the municipality of Vila Nova da Barquinha, and the Almourol Templar Interpretation Centre, known as CITA, offers background on the Templars in the region. If you enjoy being on the water, kayaking and paddleboarding around the island are also possible.

Local tradition links the castle with a medieval chivalric tale, and it is mentioned in a 16th-century romance of chivalry, which helps explain the aura of fairy tale. Ask about the current boat schedule and opening times before you go, since they change with the season and with river conditions. Almourol suits history buffs, photographers and families who like a short adventure. The castle is roughly an hour and a half from Lisbon by road, and it combines naturally with a visit to Tomar and its Convent of Christ, the greatest of the Templar sites in Portugal.