| SILVES |
Once a rich and powerful city, Silves today is a sleepy town
lying in the foothills of the Serra de Monchique mountains.
Believed to have been founded by the Phoenicians, its cathedral
and ruined red sandstone castle remind visitors of its rich
and industrious Moorish past, which came to an end after a three-month
siege led by King Sancho I in 1189.
In the days of the Moors, Silves was known as Xelb, capital
of Al-faghar, the Moorish province of the Algarve. Its population
of 30,000 'spoke pure Arabic, composed poetry and were elegant
in manner and speech', according to the Arab chronicler Idrisi.
What to see. Silves boasts the best-preserved castle
in the Algarve. Built on the site of the 11th-century Palace
of the Verandahs, its turreted walls dominate the town and provide
panoramic views over the surrounding countryside. Built on the
site of a former mosque, the town's 13th-century Gothic cathedral
contains a number of Crusader tombs and a jasper statue of Nossa
Senhora da Conceicção, believed to date from the
14th century. The archaeological museum located downhill houses
Stone and Iron Age tools and surgical instruments from the 5th,
6th and 7th centuries.
Nearby. Some 10 km north-east of Silves is the Barragem
do Arade, one of the Algarve's main reservoirs. Visitors to
this peaceful spot can swim, enjoy a picnic or hire a canoe
for the afternoon. São Bartholomeu de Messines nearby
is a quiet country town with an old parish church. Alte, 28
km east of Silves, is widely described as the prettiest village
in the Algarve. It is also famous for its lively Saturday market
and folk-dancing traditions.
Nearby. Eroded into natural tunnels, arches and grottoes, the
cliffs at Ponte da Piedade 3 km from Lagos offer a marine fantasy
world for people visiting the region. A long drive west of Lagos
is Sagres, a town best known for its associations with Prince
Henry the Navigator, whose single purpose was to spur men to
discover Africa, India and the Far East. |
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| © 2007 Maisturismo |
