Page 314 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Portugal

24
Vila Nova de Milfontes
! D6 @ n Rua António
Mantas; 283 996 599
One of the loveliest places on
Portugal’s west coast is found
where the Mira river meets
EXPERIENCE Alentejo of Vila Nova de Milfontes,
the sea. The popular resort
which is located on the sleepy
estuary, is delightfully low key
and unassuming, but offers
many places to stay. Its small
castle over looking the bay
once had an important role
de fending the coast from
pirates. In contrast to the quiet
river are the pretty beaches Did You Know?
with their crashing waves, a
major summer attrac tion, The area around
especially with surfers. Mértola is part of a
nature reserve – the
Parque Natural do
25 "
Mértola Vale do Guadiana.
EAT ! F6 @ n Rua da Igreja 31;
286 610 109 # Jul–Sep:
9:30am–12:30pm, 2–6pm with a five-nave layout,
Adega 25 de Abril daily; Sep–Jun: 9am–12:30, four horseshoe arches and
a mihrab or prayer niche.
Bare brickwork and 2–5:30pm daily Overlooking the town is a
giant terracotta urns Pretty whitewashed Mértola ruined hilltop castle, with its
create a rustic backdrop is of historical interest as this keep of 1292. The Alcácova
for typical Alentejan
fare, including giant small town is a vila museu, a do Castelo, the excavated
ruins of a Moorish village
museum site. It has various
pork steaks and
amazing homemade discoveries from differ ent eras and earlier Roman cistern
desserts. exhibited in núcleos, or areas are within the grounds.
where a lots of treasures from
! E6 ⌂ Rua da Moeda a particular period can be
23, Beja § 284 325 960 found. The tourist office has
¢ Sun D & Mon
details of each núcleo.
¡¡¡ Mértola dates back to the
Phoenicians, who created a
Marquês thriving inland port here, later
This classy marisqueira enjoyed by the Romans and
is the place to sample the Moors. Roman artifacts
the local fishermen’s can be seen at the Museu de
catch. It’s a lovely tiled Mértola. The post-Roman
restaurant, with period is on display in the
outdoor seats facing an Núcleo Visigótico and in an
attractive square. early Chris tian basilica whose
! D6 ⌂ Largo Marquês ruins adjoin the Roman road
de Pombal 10, Porto to Beja (p312). The influence
Covo ¢ Mon–Thu bestowed by several cen turies
∑ marques of Moorish dom ination is seen
cervejaria.com in the museum’s Núcleo
Islâmico, which houses one of
¡¡¡
the country’s best collec tions
of Portuguese Islamic art. The
Igreja Matriz below the Moorish
walls was formerly a mosque,
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