The Legend of the Enchanted Cave

Near the hills of Sintra there is a rock with a special shape, which is said to mark the entrance of a way into the castle of Sintra. It is called the Moors Cave or the Enchanted Cave and it is related to a legend from the times when the Moors inhabited Sintra and fought with the Christians in their frequent incursions.

In one of their many combats a Christian noble man was made captive and Zaida, the Alcayde’s daughter fell in love with him. Day after day she visited the noble Christian, until he was to be released by the payment of a ransom. He also fell in love with her and he asked her to run away with him but she refused, asking him never to forget her.

The noble knight went back to his family but a great sadness shadowed his days. He tried to forget Zaida in the battlefields but after many sleepless nights he decided to attack Sintra castle again.
During that battle the two lovers hugged and the unfortunate knight fell hurt. Zaida took him through a secret passage, into a room hidden in the caves. While Zaida filled a vase with water in a spring nearby, her was also hit by a spear and she fell down too.
The brave knight, missing his beloved Zaida, went for her and found her near the spring. He fell beside her and both bloods mixed together. Later they were found dead side by side.

Since then, it is said that, in certain full moon nights, near the cave, a beautiful young lady in white comes to fill a vase with water and disappears in the night with a long and painful moan.