Page 468 - Lonely Planet Europe’s Best Trips (Travel Guide)

www.museudeportimao.pt; tightly woven medieval the city’s history and is
Rua Dom Carlos I; adult/child centre. At the top of the built around a fascinat-
€3/free; h2.30-6pm Tue, town, its sizeable castle ing Moorish-era well,
10am-6pm Wed-Sun Sep-Jul, (%282 445 624; adult/conces- complete with spiral
7.30-11pm Tue, 3-11pm Wed- sion/under 10yr €2.80/1.40/ staircase. The old-town
Sun Aug), before strolling free, joint ticket with Museu streets are great for
through the no-frills Municipal de Arqueologia strolling.
sardine restaurants of €3.90; h9am-8pm Jun-Aug, The Drive » Cruise 14km
the fishermen’s quarter to 6.30pm Mar-May & Sep-Nov, straight down the N124-1 to the
of Largo da Barca near to 5pm Dec-Feb) offers great beach at Carvoeiro.
the road bridge. At the views from the ramparts.
southern end of Portimão Originally occupied in
stretches the impressive the Visigothic period, c Carvoeiro
resort beach of Praia da what you see today dates Carvoeiro is a cluster of
Rocha, backed by numer- mostly from the Moorish whitewashed buildings
ous restaurants and era, though the castle rising up from tawny,
nightlife options. was heavily restored in gold and green cliffs and
the 20th century. Below
The Drive » The N125 leads backed by hills. This
you east to the junction with the this, the atmospheric diminutive seaside resort
N124-1, that takes you north to cathedral (Rua da Sé; admis- is prettier and more
Silves. It’s a drive of only 20km. sion €1; h9am-12.30pm & laid-back than many of
2-5pm Mon-Fri, plus 9am-1pm the bigger resorts. The
Sat Jun-Aug) is the region’s town beach is pretty
b Silves best-preserved Gothic but small and crowded,
Silves is one of the church. The Museu however, there are lots
PORTUGAL 33 ALENTEjO & ALGARVE BEACHES
Algarve’s prettiest towns Municipal (%282 444 of other excellent op-
and replete with history: 838; Rua das Portas de Loulé; tions in the area. The
it was an important adult/under 10yr €2.10/ most picturesque of
trading city in Moorish free, joint ticket with Castelo all, with stunning rock
times and preserves a €3.90; h10am-6pm) gives formations, is Praia da
good background on Marinha, best reached by
the Percurso dos Sete
Vales Suspensos clifftop
walk, beginning at Praia
DETOUR: Vale Centianes, 2.3km
MONCHIQUE east of town.
Start: a Portimão & Praia da Rocha 4 p469
(p465) The Drive » Head back
High above the coast, in cooler mountainous to Lagoa to join the N125
woodlands, the picturesque little town of Monchique eastwards. After 25km, turn
makes a lovely detour, with some excellent options right and head towards the
for day hikes, including climbing the Algarve’s highest coast, emerging atop the long
hills, Picota and Fóia, for super views over the coast. beach. It’s a 37km total drive.
Monchique and the surrounding area have some
excellent eating choices and nearby Caldas de
Monchique is a sweet little spa hamlet in a narrow d Praia da Falésia
wooded valley. This long straight strip
The N266 heads north from the N124 north of of sand offers one of the
Portimão; it’s a 27km drive from Lagos to Monchique, region’s most impressive
then another 30km on to Silves. first glimpses of coast as

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