The first time I stepped inside the walls of Saint George’s Castle in Lisbon, Portugal, was back in the 90’s. On my revisit to the Portuguese capital, I figured I’d give one of the city’s most well-known attractions, another shot, to see if I had missed something on the previous occasion. I am sorry to report, I had it correct the first time, it is really not a must… On the plus side, the squares from which you have a decent view of the city below, are nice, and the fact that you can climb stairs to reach the several towers and walkways atop the castle walls, is kinda cool. Besides that, there’s actually just walls. The castle was never meant for living, but for defence, and the castle grounds are surrounded by walls. There are ruins only left of the royal palace that was once here. Some rebuilt rooms contain an exhibition about the history of Lisbon, cafe, and restaurant.
Since I stayed at a hotel to the west of the citadel, at the foot of the hill, with views of the castle, I decided to start the climb towards the top from here. Positives: Off the tourist trail. You walk through a residential neighbourhood, getting the local feeling. Negative: Some of the super narrow staircases squeezed in-between buildings have been closed off, so ultimately you have to step onto the busier streets most people use.
Website: castelodesaojorge.pt
