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Though Christians reconquer central Portugal in the 12th century, the Algarve is still firmly under Moorish rule. Dom Sancho (1185–1211) briefly takes Silves in 1189, but the city is recaptured by Al-Mansur. Dom Sancho II (1223–48) later launches a campaign to invade southern Portugal with the help of northern European Crusaders.

On stormy nights in the Algarve hinterland, the raucous bellows of a hideous beast can be heard.

Chunky pentagonal bastions, thick walls and gaping moats surround this busy frontier town near the Spanish border. The 17th-century fortifications resemble a multifaceted star and are very well preserved – they are best viewed from the castle. Within the walls are the excellent Museu Municipal and Biblioteca and the tiny 16th-century church of Nossa Senhora dos Aflitos. The mighty Aqueduto da Amoreira stretches between Elvas and a spring some 5 miles (8 km) away at Amoreira.

The pitiful cries of a Moorish woman supposedly echo in the streets near Loulé Castle.

The Algarve plays a pivotal role in Portugal’s maritime expansion in the 15th century. Henry the Navigator is made governor of the Algarve in 1418 and initiates the voyages of discovery from his bases in Sagres and Lagos. By the time of his death in 1460, Madeira, the Azores and Cape Verde islands have been discovered and much of the west coast of Africa has been mapped. In 1488 Bartolomeu Dias rounds the Cape of Good Hope, and ten years later Vasco da Gama opens the trade route to India.

Dominating this graceful town is the Torre das Três Coroas, the Tower of the Three Crowns, named in honour of kings Sancho II, Afonso III and Dinis. You can gain free access to the tower via the adjoining castle and palace. The nearby Museu Municipal is housed in a 17th-century almshouse. Among the exhibits are some wonderful examples ofbonecos , pottery figurines typical of the region.

The historic centre of Évora, capital of the Alentejo, is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Stunning examples of Roman, Moorish, medieval and 17th-century architecture abound in the narrow streets and breezy squares. The central Praça do Giraldo has a wonderful 16th-century fountain. A walk from the square up the lively Rua 5 de Outubro leads to the grandiose Sé (cathedral). An adjacent 16th-century palace houses the Museu de Évora. The nearby Roman temple is the best preserved monument of its kind in Portugal. See The Alentejo.

The fortress is steeped in history and myth. Huge walls and bastions date from 1793: little, if anything, remains of Henry the Navigator’s original fortress. Whether or not there was an academy of navigation founded here remains a matter of debate and legend. An 18th-century sundial fashioned into the wall is aligned with the famous wind compass. See Sagres.