Silves

Of the ancient city of Xelb with its many mosques, the Moorish capital of the Algarve, the magnificence of which was said to eclipse even that of Lisbon, there remain the red sandstone walls of a castle standing above the white-walled town which rises in tiers up the hillside.
Thanks to its protected position inland, in the foothills of the Serra de Monchique, Silves has managed to preserve its character with its steep, cobbled streets.

The earthquake of 1755 destroyed most of the town and its historic buildings. The remains of the Moorish castle are still impressive, and the huge underground water reservoir is still used by the city today. An archaeological museum has been constructed above this cistern showing local objects including items from the Stone Age. The Ponte Romana, a stone bridge over the Rio Arcade was rebuilt in the 15th Century from the original erected during the Roman occupation. On the site of a Mosque the Cathedral was built in the 13th Century and suffered significant alteration over the time.

The tumulus city of yesterday is today a quiet market town surrounded by the largest orange growing area in Portugal. Cork is processed locally. North to the fertile valleys is an area of attractive forest covered hills leading to the mountains of Monchique. The dams of Arade and Foz are well worth visiting for the beauty of their natural setting.