DK Travel : The Algarve : Eastern Region

Long, narrow sandbank islands stretch along much of the coastline of the eastern Algarve (Sotavento). These natural barriers shelter a fragile lagoon ecosystem that is home to a staggering variety of flora and fauna. Tucked behind them are timeworn fishing villages and hamlets. Further east, beautiful Renaissance churches loom over picturesque towns and elegant cities replete with Roman bridges, Moorish castles and the distinctive pyramid-shaped rooflines. The sparse interior is Nature’s preserve, underlined by a culture and heritage that’s remained unchanged for centuries.

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A Drive to Alcoutim

Morning

A morning’s drive north out of Castro Marim on the EN122 will take you through undulating hills, and lush valleys to the banks of the River Guadiana.

Allow a leisurely hour to get to Alcoutim. Ignore the sign for the town, which looms on your right just before Odeleite. (That will be the road for the return journey.) Instead, carry on past the Barragem de Odeleite, a huge shimmering reservoir, and snake past many hamlets until the junction at Cruzamento, where Alcoutim is signposted.

Refresh yourself at any one of Alcoutim’s cafés hugging the central Praça da República. Alternatively, O Soeiro, at the bottom of Rua Município, has an outside terrace near the quay.

Afternoon

After lunch, consider a mini-excursion to Spain. The local Portuguesebarqueiro (boatman) will take passengers across the river to Sanlúcar, the mirror image of Alcoutim. An equally agreeable Spaniard will ferry you back when you’re ready.

The drive back to Castro Marim, via the 507, is one of the most inspiring routes in the Algarve, along the bank of the Guadiana. Call in at the little Museu do Rio in Guerreiros do Rio ( Inland Villages), to find out about local life.

After Foz de Odeleite the road heads back to the hills before joining the EN122 and arrowing south.
Alcoutim

The ramparts of a 14th-century castle still stand vigil over this delightful riverside hamlet nestling on the upper reaches of the River Guadiana. On the Spanish side, the equally slumbering village of Sanlúcar amounts to a mirror image of Alcoutim. Once upon a time these two neigbours were at war with each other and it was in the castle that Dom Fernando I of Portugal and his Spanish counterpart, Henrique II of Castile, signed a short-lived peace treaty in 1371. Boats regularly shuttle between the two villages.

Alcoutim
Baixamar, Santa Luzia

This premier seafood restaurant is well known for its octopus, but the sautéed tuna is just as tempting. A photograph on the wall taken in 1954 shows Tavira under snow – an occurence unheard of since!
Cacela Velha

Thought to have been a Phoenician settlement in origin, this quaint coastal hamlet commands one of the most unspoilt locations in the Algarve. A patchwork of fields and meadows surround a bluff crowned by an 18th-century fortress. Lying in its shadow is the parish church, its whitewashed candescence playing off the façades of the fishermen’s cottages lining the tiny square.
Camané, Ilha de Faro

Famous for itscaldeirada de lagosta (lobster stew) it is open for dinner only in August – bookings required!
Casa Velha, Cacela Velha

Set in one of the Algarve’s prettiest hamlets, this quaint eatery attracts an enthusiastic Spanish clientele for itsfeijoada de longueirão (razor clams in bean stew) and other dishes.
Castro Marim

The timeworn frontier town of Castro Marim looms with genteel poise over the mouth of the River Guadiana, and its twin castles bear witness to the strategic importance the settlement played during centuries past. Grand views from the ramparts of the main 13th-century stronghold encompass the Reserva Natural do Sapal to the north and Vila Real de Santo António to the south. Spain shimmers in the distance. See Villa Real and Castro Marim.
Estói

The quiet, unassuming country village of Estói basks in the glory of two major attractions. The pink Rococo façade of the town’s florid, 19th-century palace holds court over a garden replete with ornamental fountains and a terrace decorated with blue and white azulejos. Ten minutes’ walk away are the well preserved ruins of the Roman peristyle villa built in the 2nd century AD.
Ilha da Armona

Popular with independent travellers, the beaches facing inland are served by bars and restaurants. A ferry from Olhão takes 15 minutes.
Ilha da Barreta

Boat departures from Faro’s Porta Nova wharf shuttle visitors to this “deserted island,” where wildlife can be observed. A bar-restaurant, O Estaminé, provides sustenance.

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Restaurant price categories

For a three-course meal for one with half a bottle of wine (or equivalent meal), taxes and extra charges.
- under €20
- €20–€30
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- over €50