DK Travel : The Algarve : Places of interest

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São Bartolomeu de Messines

Poet João de Deus (1830–96) is synonymous with this quiet rural town. The church has some amazing twisted sandstone pillars – unique in the Algarve.
Serpa

This tranquil town makes for leisurely exploration. Start with the city walls and the stout towers of the Porta de Beja. Up above are the remains of an 11th-century aqueduct. Within the walls the castle provides the strongest focal point, and its ramparts offer sweeping views of the Alentejan plains. Finally, leave time to sample somequeijo de Serpa , a creamy ewe’s milk cheese often served as a starter.
Silves

Overlooking a fertile valley of lemon and orange groves, cork and almond trees and swathes of scented meadows is Silves. Once the grandiose capital of Moorish Algarve, the town’s main draw is its castle. As well as taking the inspiring walk around its red sandstone battlements, visitors should look out for the fabulous vaulted Moorish cistern and Traitor’s gate – the battle-scarred doorway through which Dom Paio Peres Correira stormed to recapture the stronghold for Christian forces in 1242. Outside the castle walls is the 13th-century cathedral, which was the seat of the Algarve see until 1580. See Silves.
Slide & Splash

Corkscrew, Black Hole and Crazy River are some of the best water chutes. The adrenaline rush starts working overtime when you’re halfway down the Kamikaze water slide.
Tavira

Churches are emblematic of Tavira, with nearly 40 towers and spires piercing the town’s skyline. Two are of great historical significance: the Igreja da Misericórdia, the Algarve’s most important Renaissance monument; and the Igreja de Santa Maria do Castelo, final resting place of Dom Paio Peres Correia. The elegant Roman bridge spanning the River Gilão is another landmark that lends character to a town considered by many to be the most charming in the region. See Tavira.

Moorish-style lattice door,Tavira

Tavira
Vaqueiros

This remote village is the site of a copper-goldmine worked by a Muslim labour force some 900 years ago, now an imaginative theme park.
Vila do Bispo

The landscape around Vila do Bispo is rich with evidence of the Algarve’s prehistoric past. Mysteriousmenhirs , also known as megaliths, dot the countryside. Near Monte dos Amantes, a number of these stones, some bearing crudely carved crosses, appear to form a circle. Archaeologists speculate this could be the site of the mythical Church of the Raven, supposedly where the remains of St Vincent were interred before being taken to Lisbon.

Vila do Bispo
Vila Real de Santo António

The original settlement here was submerged by monstrous tidal surges in the early 17th century. It was re-born in the late 18th century when the Marquês de Pombal designed a new town based on the Lisbon grid system. The town now attracts Spanish day trippers from Ayamonte, just over the River Guadiana, which in turn is a magnet for sightseers from Portugal. See Villa Real and Castro Marim.
Vila Viçosa

During the 15th century Vila Viçosa became the country seat of the dukes of Bragança and the town is best known today for its splendid Paço Ducal. The semi-ruined battlements of the dukes’ former abode, the castle, surround a collection of brightly painted cottages and the 14th-century church of Nossa Senhora da Conceição.
Vilamoura

With its refined edge, glamorous reputation and celebrity status, Vilamoura is the resort choice for the well-heeled, where the yacht set and jet set rub shoulders. The boardwalk is also the jumping-off point for coastal cruises on graceful schooners, and shark and marlin fishing expeditions. The region as a whole is of great environmental and historical significance – the wetland surrounding the resort is a protected nature reserve, and the Cerro da Vila (Central Region) is one of the most important Roman sites in Portugal.