Like the stuff of legend, 10-towered Castelo de Almourol stands tantalisingly close to shore but just out of reach in the Rio Tejo. The castle is 5km from Constância. Boats (€2.20, five minutes) leave regularly from a riverside landing directly opposite the castle. Once on the island, a short walk leads up to the ramparts, where you’re free to linger as long as you like.
The island, almost jumping distance from land, was once the site of a Roman fort; the castle was built by Gualdim Pais, Grand Master of the Order of the Knights Templar, in 1171. It’s no surprise that Almourol has long caught the imagination of excitable poets longing for the Age of Chivalry.
You can also go to the castle by boat from the town of Tancos , with the same hours, which must be pre-booked. Buses run between Constância and Tancos, passing near the castle.
