Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Buses from Vila Real run to Castro Marim (€2.20, eight minutes) and go on to Monte
Francisco, a short distance north. Weekend buses are extremely limited.
TOP OF CHAPTER
Alcoutim
POP 2900
Strategically positioned along the idyllic Rio Guadiana, Alcoutim (ahl-ko-
teeng
) is a
small village just across the river from the Spanish town of Sanlúcar de Guadiana. What-
are-you-looking-at fortresses above both villages remind one of testier times. Phoenicians,
Greeks, Romans and Arabs have barricaded themselves in the hills here, and centuries of
tension have bubbled across the river, which forms the Algarve's entire eastern boundary.
In the 14th century, Dom Fernando I of Portugal and Don Henrique II of Castile signed a
tentative peace treaty in Alcoutim. Tragically, today Alcoutim is struggling to stay on the
map - it's population has been slowly diminishing. Nevertheless, it's worth a quick visit if
you're passing between the Algarve and Alentejo, even if just for the quirky riverside
beach and fascinating castle and churches.
Sights & Activities
Castelo
(admission €2.50; 9.30am-7pm Apr-Sep, to 5.30pm Oct-Mar)
The flower-ringed, 14th- century
caste-
lo
has sweeping views. Inside the grounds are the small, excellent
Núcleo Museológico de Ar-
queologia
(archaeological museum), displaying ruined medieval castle walls and other arte-
facts, and an exhibition on Islamic board games.
Entrance fee to the castle also includes entry to small museums (núcleos museológicos)
in Alcoutim and around.
CASTLE
Riverside Beach
The main attraction for most day-trippers is the small riverside beach, equipped with sand,
palm-leaf umbrellas and even a lifeguard! The setting is breathtaking, but in summer it's
hot, hot, hot. At the bridge, follow the signs to Praia Fluvial.
BEACH
Sleeping
