Castello de Almourol

With rain forecasted along the Portuguese coast that July morning, we decided to venture inland toward Santarém. The outlook for the region was far more promising—and it turned out to be absolutely right. As we drove from Caldas da Rainha toward Santarém, the grey clouds gradually gave way to blue skies and glorious sunshine.
Our destination for the day was Castelo de Almourol, a striking river castle near Vila Nova da Barquinha. This whole area is shaped by the Rio Tejo, which winds gracefully through the landscape. As the longest river on the Iberian Peninsula, the Tejo eventually meets the Atlantic near Lisbon, but here it flows quietly past sandy banks and wooded shores.

Before visiting the castle, we stopped in Vila Nova da Barquinha, a sleepy riverside town where we took a break in Barquinha Park. A refreshing drink in the shade of towering plane trees offered welcome relief from the midday heat while the kids enjoyed the playground.
Afterwards, we continued the short drive to Almourol Castle. There’s plenty of parking close to the river, and from the banks you can really appreciate the beauty of the Tejo—its calm stretches dotted with sandy river beaches, some of them busy with kayakers gliding across the water.
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Castello de Almourol is the kind of castle you would sketch when somebody asks you to draw a castle. The castle is located on a small island in the Rio Tejo and is reached with an inexpensive ride in a little colourful boat which ferries people between the carpark and the castle.

Castelo de Almourol formed part of the defensive line controlled by the Knights Templar and served as an important stronghold during the Portuguese Reconquest. Once the boat reaches the island, a short path leads you up the granite outcrop to the main entrance, where the date of the castle’s foundation—1171—is proudly carved above the doorway.

Passing through the first gate, you step into the outer enclosure. From here, a second entrance leads into the inner ward, which also contains the impressive three‑storey keep rising above the rest of the structure. The combination of rugged stone, river views, and Templar history makes Almourol feel like a place suspended in time.

The views from the castle across the Rio Tejo are breathtaking, and it’s easy to imagine just how strategic this vantage point must have been during times of war. Naturally, the first thing we did was climb the outer walls, where we could admire the river below and watch the little ferry gliding back and forth.

After exploring the defensive walls, we stepped inside the keep, which now houses a series of informative displays detailing the castle’s long history. Iron staircases connect the three floors, leading you gradually upward until you finally reach the rooftop. From here, the panorama over the Tejo is even more impressive—a sweeping, peaceful landscape that contrasts with the castle’s military past.
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It’s no surprise that Almourol is considered one of Portugal’s top‑rated castles. Its idyllic island setting, combined with its Templar heritage, makes it feel like something lifted straight from a storybook.
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