Our primary means of transportation has been a pé e de bicicleta (on foot and by bike). When we moved here, we thought the trains were more frequent but if you look at timetable, Linha do Algarve, you’ll see that there is often only one train every hour or two. Então, agora temos outro meio de transporte — um carro. E com esta nova liberdade, começamos a explorar.
Castro Marim
This week, we headed northeast to the town of Castro Marim to take a look at the medieval castle there. We entered the medieval enclosure through Porta da Vila, one of the two gates. Before us stood Antiga Igreja da Misericórdia, a church built in the 16th century. Further in, we saw the ruins of the 13th century church, Igreja de Santiago, which was destroyed in the 1755 earthquake.
It was a treat to walk along the battlement to get views of the surrounding area. Very close to Spain, we have a great view of the town of Ayamonte.
Back on ground level, we enter Castelo Velho (the old castle) and look at the tower. Although there were stairs upwards, we were not permitted to climb to the keep
What really stole the show for me, were all the red poppies growing here.
We also visited nearby Colina do Revelim (Ravelin Hill) where we found the Capela de Santo António, um moinho de vento (windmill), e um caracol grande (and a large snail).
Monte Gordo
We decided to drive a few kilometers to Monte Gordo. The beach here is supposed to be epic. What a culture shock we got! The beach is large with a lot of sand from the boardwalk to the water. Along the boardwalk are restaurants one after another. Tall apartment buildings and hotels line the street. This must be seriously busy during high season, but it was empty on our visit.
Estoi
To the west of us, is the village of Estoi. Here, we visited the Milreu Roman Ruins. Discovered in 1877, excavation revealed a sizable Roman villa that is still the subject of archaeological study. The self-tour took us along original limestone slabs, through terraces and baths. A cobbled pathway brought us to the threshold of a house where we saw the tiled entrance and general structure of the home. But I was captivated by the temple further back. In front of the temple was a nymphaeum, a shrine dedicated to nymphs, that had many sea creatures depicted in the mosaic tilework. Behind, we saw a row of columns around a patio. And to make the visit extra cheerful, wildflowers were growing along the perimeter of the site.
After the ruins, we went to explore the village of Estoi and visit its Palace (now a high end hotel). Unfortunately, we arrived before the Palace opening hours but we did walk around and take some pictures of this cute tiny village. We will go back to the Palace soon.
To say I am obsessed about these little trucks is an understatement.
More Portugal
Read more about daily life, the embarrassing moments, and the process for having a long stay in Portugal. If you are more of a picture person, follow me on Instagram.
Our Newsletter
We’ll send you a weekly email if there are new blog posts to see. That’s it!
