Silves

Silves is a historic and delightful town, which was the originally capital of the Algarve (9-12th century​). 

The town is situated on a hill above the Arade River, and is best known for the Silves Castle (Castelo dos Mouros, Moorish Castle)

The castle is open to the public and the impressively complete sandstone walls of the Moorish fortress retain their towers and elaborate communication system.

There’s a lot happening underground at the castle’s courtyard, where you can enter a 10-metre-high cistern and peer down a well that descends 60 metres into the earth.

Just below the fortress is Silves’ Cathedral, built on the site of the mosque in the thirteenth century. Much restored and rebuilt over the years, it contains the tombs of some of the Crusaders who died there.

Flanked by two broad Gothic towers, it has a suitably defiant and military appearance, though the Great Earthquake of 1755 and centuries of impoverished restoration have left their mark inside.