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Silves
Destinations › Europe › Portugal › Algarve

Silves

Population: 37.000 Since: Roman era, Moorish capital by the 11th century Price: Mid-range

Introduction

Silves sits above the Arade river, its red sandstone castle visible from the road in long before you arrive. This was the Moorish capital of the Algarve, and it still feels quieter and more inland than the beach towns to the south. The old center is a climb of narrow streets up to the walls.

Most visitors come for half a day, then move on. Give it longer. The town is small, about 11,000 people, and rewards a slow walk, an orange juice in the shade, and time inside the castle when the tour buses have gone.

Sightseeing

Silves Castle: Rammed earth walls and thick towers, the best preserved Moorish castle in Portugal. Adult 2.80 euro.
Museu Municipal de Arqueologia: Next to the castle, built around a preserved medieval well. Roman and Moorish finds.
Se de Silves (Cathedral): Gothic church raised after the Christian reconquest, on the site of the old mosque.
Islamic Heritage Interpretation Centre: Small museum explaining the town's Moorish past.
Cruz de Portugal: A carved stone cross from the 1500s at the edge of town.
Arade riverfront: The old quay area below the town, good for a flat walk.

"The old Moorish capital above the orange groves"Silves

Things to do

Walk the castle walls: Views over orange groves and the river valley from the top.
FIESA sand sculpture festival: Held in Pera each summer since 2003, 35,000 tons of sand shaped by around 60 artists.
River trip on the Arade: Boats run down toward Portimao when water levels allow.
Cross the old bridge: The stone Ponte Romana below the town, partly medieval despite the name.
Day trip to Armacao de Pera: Nearest beach town, about 15 km south.
Explore the orange country: The valley around Silves is citrus farming land.

Top attractions

Local food and drinks - Silves

Local food and drinks

Fevres de porco: Local pork dish, the name translates as secrets of pork.
Bistro Rainha: Portuguese cooking with a Belgian touch, mains 15 to 30 euro.
Orange juice: Silves sits in citrus country, so fresh juice is everywhere.
Superbock: The standard Portuguese lager, cold and cheap at any cafe.
Cataplana: Algarve seafood stew cooked in a clam shaped copper pan, found on most menus.
Local traditions - Silves

Local traditions

King of the Algarve title: The Portuguese crown claimed this title from 1249 to 1822, tied to Silves as the old capital.
Medieval Fair: Each August the town restages its Moorish past with costumes, market stalls and music around the castle.
Citrus harvest: Winter is orange season in the surrounding farms.
Religious processions: Small saint's day processions still wind through the old streets.

History

Silves was already important under the Romans, then flourished under Muslim rule as Xelb, capital of the Algarve and a center of trade and learning. The castle you see today is Moorish in origin, its walls built of rammed earth. The river connected it to the sea, and ships once reached the town directly.

Christian forces took the town in 1189, lost it, and captured it for good in 1249. From then the Portuguese king carried the title King of the Algarve, used until 1822. The 1755 earthquake and the silting of the Arade both hurt the town, and it slipped from capital to quiet market center, which is more or less what it remains.

Things to know

Silves has no train station, the nearest stop is about 15 minutes away by car.
Buses run but many are seasonal and infrequent, so a car is far easier.
The old town is a steep climb on cobbles, plan for the gradient.
Many sights and restaurants keep shorter winter hours, so check ahead.

Do's and don'ts

Climb up to the castle late in the day when it is cooler and quieter.
Try the local pork and a glass of orange juice from the valley.
Wear shoes with grip for the cobbled slopes.
Visit in August if you want the medieval fair.
Don't rely on buses to keep a tight schedule here.
Don't expect beaches in town, the coast is a drive south.
Don't rush the castle in 20 minutes, it deserves an hour.
Don't drive right into the old center, park below and walk up.

Good to know

Accessibility: The riverfront is flat, but the old town and castle involve steep cobbled climbs that are hard with limited mobility.
Price level: mid-range

Photo: Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons