INLAND VILLAGES

TopTen

1. Salir

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The walls of Salir’s Moorish castle are lit up at night and emit an eerie glow, but on the other side of the village (see Salir) the view is considerably more benign, with vistas stretching across the valley from the parish church and garden. In summer this rural idyll is blanketed by narcissi, and alive with the warbling of brightly coloured passerines.

2. Caldas de Monchique

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The warm spa water here has attracted visitors since at least the age of the Roman Empire (see Monchique). It is just as alluring today, but there are other reasons to visit this hillside hamlet, not least the wood of pine and eucalyptus which provides a lush, cooling canopy in the heat of summer. Woodsmoke and birdsong drift lazily through a valley peppered with whitewashed cottages and smallholdings.

3. Barão de São João

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Wrapped in classic hill-walking country and pleasantly lost in time, Barão de São João typifies rural Algarve. It is perhaps best appreciated during the antiques fair, which the village hosts on the last Sunday of every month.

4. Querença

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Surrounded by the rugged Caldeirão mountains, Querença is relatively isolated, which is part of its allure. It is best known for its 16th-century church and the ancient, weather-worn cross that stands at the southern edge of the village’s picturesque square.

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The church in Querença

5. Estói

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Just off the town’s main square is the Palácio do Visconde de Estói, a restored 19th-century Rococo palace (now a beautiful pousada), with gardens fanned by giant palms and cooled by fountains. A 20-minute walk from here brings you to Milreu, the remains of a grand Roman villa. The site is dominated by the apse of a temple that was converted into a Christian basilica in the 5th century. The baths, complete with fish mosaics, are another highlight.

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Palácio do Visconde de Estói

6. Alcoutim

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The town’s 14th-century castle keeps one timeworn eye on its townsfolk and the other on the old adversary, Sanlúcar, Alcoutim’s mirror image on the Spanish side of the River Guadiana. Served by a small ferry, the two villages in different countries are also connected by the only cross-border zip line in the world (www.limitezero.com).

7. Paderne

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Early in the 17th century the entire population of Paderne moved from the shadows of the nearby castle to the environs of a newly consecrated church. That village is now a sleepy place of faded charm and modest means, but therein lies its beauty. The architecture retains a certain grandeur, while the Moorish castle stands close by, perhaps still wondering where all the people went.

8. Guerreiros do Rio

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The scenic road south from Alcoutim runs partly along the banks of the River Guadiana and passes through a landscape bristling with olive, fig and carob trees before reaching this tiny village. Amid the orange trees, a former schoolhouse now contains a modest museum that provides a glimpse into the history of the river.

9. Martim Longo

prac_info Workshop: 9am–noon Mon–Fri except public hols

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The storks nesting on top of the belfry of Martim Longo’s parish church have been members of this small community for years, and they are as appealing as their unusual home. The “A Flor da Agulha” dolls’ workshop is also worth a visit for its traditional, hand-crafted jute dolls.

10. Alte

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The village’s cobbled streets, colourful window frames and cheerful chimney pots invoke an unhurried air that is quite disarming. Alte’s charming church, situated near a leafy square, retains a fine entrance. The spring running along its flank tumbles under an old mill, providing a great picnic spot.

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A cobbled street in Alte

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