Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Sights & Activities
There are several cafes with outdoor seating around Praça Sacadura Cabral, where you'll
also find the
mercado municipal
in a huge glass building.
Museu Municipal
( 285 253 978; Rua da Romeira; 9.30am-12.30pm & 2.30-5.30pm Tue-Fri, 10am-noon & 2-4pm Sat & Sun)
In an appealing residential quarter off a lane about 200m east of the
praça
(head up
Rua do Espírito Santo, behind the tourist office)
,
this tiny museum contains local prehis-
toric and Roman remains, such as 1st- and 2nd-century needles, as well as Moorish funer-
ary tablets. The municipality's collection of ecclesiastical art is housed in the
Igreja de São
Pedro
(
MUSEUM
10am-1pm & 2.30-5.30pm Tue-Sun)
.
285 251 421;
Lagar de Varas do Fojo
(Museu do Azeite)
(Rua João de Deus 20; 9.30am-12.30pm & 2.30-5.30pm Tue-Sun)
With a system of production
that would have been similar to that of Roman times, an oil press here recreates the oil-
pressing factory that functioned on this spot between 1841 and 1941, with giant wooden
and stone-wheel presses, vats and utensils. Opposite is the recently opened
Jardim das Oli-
veiras
, with various varieties of olive trees and herbs, and reflective space. It's dedicated to
Miguel Hernández, a Spanish poet and revolutionary who, upon fleeing Spain, entered the
Moura district, only to be returned by Salazar to Franco's troops. He later died in prison.
MUSEUM
Igreja de São Baptista
This 16th-century church has a remarkable Manueline portal. Set against the plain facade,
it is a twisting, flamboyant bit of decoration, with carvings of knotted ropes, crowns and
armillary spheres. Inside are some fine deep-blue and yellow 17th-century Sevillian
azule-
jos
. It's just outside Jardim Dr Santiago.
CHURCH
Jardim Dr Santiago & Spa
( thermal spa 9am-noon)
The lovely, shady Jardim Dr Santiago, at the eastern end of Praça
Sacadura Cabral, is a delightful place. There are good views a bandstand and shady
flowering trees, and it's a favourite spot for elderly men to sit and chat.
At the
thermal spa
, at the entrance to the garden, you can join the locals for a soak in a
basic bath. Bicarbonated calcium waters, said to be good for rheumatism, burble from the
GARDENS
