Almourol Castle

Almourol sits on a granite outcrop in the Tagus with water on every side and no room for anything but the castle. The Templars rebuilt it in 1171 under Gualdim Pais, whose inscription is still over the gate, and the result is compact and complete: a curtain wall with nine round towers, a taller keep in the middle, and a walkway around the top that takes a few minutes to circle. Because the river is broad and slow here, the reflection doubles the walls in still weather. Getting there is half the visit - a small boat runs across from the bank, and the crossing gives the view that makes the place, the whole island fortress rising straight out of the water.

What you actually see

• The boat crossing - a few minutes on the Tagus with the island fortress ahead.
• The keep - the tower at the centre of the enclosure, with steps to the roof.
• The wall walk - a short circuit of the curtain wall above the water.
• The gate inscription - the 12th-century dedication carved over the entrance.

When to go

Summer is the reliable season because the boat depends on the river - high or fast water in winter and spring stops the crossing, sometimes for weeks. Late afternoon gives the best light on the granite and the calmest surface for reflections. Weekends bring queues at the small jetty.

Honest expectations

The castle is tiny and empty inside - twenty minutes covers it, and there is no exhibition, shade or shelter on the island. Crossings are cancelled without warning when the river runs high, and the schedule is loose out of season. Stairs are steep and worn. It photographs better from the bank than it visits.

Nearby

Constancia's riverside town is next door and Tomar's convent half an hour north.