Silves
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Overview
Silves' winding backstreets of whitewashed buildings topped by terracotta roofs climb the hillside above the banks of the Rio Arade. Crowning the hill, hulking red-stone walls enclose one of the Algarve's best-preserved castles. Situated 17km northeast of Portimão, the town makes a good base if you’re after a less hectic, noncoastal Algarvian pace.
01 / Attractions
Must-see attractions
Silves
This russet-coloured, Lego-like castle – originally occupied in the Visigothic period – has great views over the town and surrounding countryside. What…
Silves
Just below the castle is the sé, built in 1189 on the site of an earlier mosque, then rebuilt after the 1249 Reconquista and subsequently restored several…
Museu Municipal de Arqueologia
Silves
Built tight against the defensive walls, this archaeological museum has a mix of interesting finds from the town and around. The modern building was…
Centro de Interpretaçao do Património Islâmico
Silves
This interpretative centre promotes the network of Islamic routes through Portugal, Spain and Morocco, with a small but interesting exhibition on…
Silves
The exterior of the 16th-century Igreja da Misericórdia is plain apart from its distinctive, fanciful Manueline doorway hanging well above street level …
Casa da Cultura Islâmica e Mediterrânica
Silves
Built with an art nouveau flourish in 1914, this wonderfully restored neo-Moorish cultural centre 600m west of the centre hosts occasional exhibitions,…
02 / Plan with a local
03 / Articles
Latest stories from Silves
Tips & Advice
Spending Diary: a five-day trip to a remote corner of AlgarveNov 13, 2019 • 10 min read
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