Page 337 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Portugal

Perched on a hill, Alte is one of the prettiest Rococo spirit of the palace.
villages of the Algarve. The approach The lower terrace features a
from the east is the most picturesque, blue-and-white tiled pavilion,
inside which is a copy of
with sweeping views of rolling hills. Canova’s Three Graces. The
walled terrace above, the
Patamar da Casa do Presépio,
the Igreja da Misericórdia 20 has a large pavilion with
(1541–51), with its lovely door- stained-glass windows,
way topped by saints Peter Estoi fountains adorned with
and Paul, and in the nearby ! E7 @ n Faro; 289 803 nymphs and tiled niches.
Palácio da Galeria. The fascin- 604 A walk downhill from the
ating Núcleo Islâmico on other end of the main square
Praça da República show cases The quiet village of Estoi has leads to the second major sight
Moorish artifacts, including an two notable sights, separated in Estoi: the Roman ruins of
11th-century figurative vase. by a short distance and about Milreu, a complex that dates
Seeking some beach time? 1,800 years. Just off the main from the 1st or 2nd century
The sandy, offshore Ilha de square is the Pousada Palácio AD. The buildings probably
Tavira, provides ex cellent de Estoi, an unashamedly began as a large farmhouse,
swimming. A popular resort pretty Rococo pastiche. The which was converted in the
in summer, you can reach it palace was the brainchild 3rd century into a lux urious
by ferry from Quatro Águas. of a local noble man, who villa, built around a courtyard.
died soon after work was Well-preserved mosaics of
begun in the mid-1840s. fish and other marine crea tures
19 Another wealthy local later still adorn the walls and floor of
acquired the palace, and
the baths, located along side
Alte completed it in 1909. For the the living quarters; however,
vast amount of money and most portable archaeological
! E7 £ @ n Rua Condes de energy he expended on his finds from this complex are
Alte; 289 478 060
new home, he was made now housed in the Museu
Perched on a hill, Alte is one viscount of Estoi. The work Municipal in Faro (p322). The
of the prettiest villages of the was supervised by the archi- importance of the villa is
Algarve. The approach from tect Domingos da Silva Meira, indicated by the remains of a
the east is the most pictur- whose interest in sculpture is temple overlooking the site.
esque, with sweeping views evident everywhere. The palace
of rolling hills. The focus of underwent restora tion of its Milreu
this steep, white village is the interior, a feast of pastel and ⌂ N2-6 § 289 896 070
16th-century Nossa Senhora stucco, and is now a pousada, # May–Sep: 10am–1pm,
da Assunção, which has a but the gardens can be visited 2–6pm Tue–Sun; Oct–Apr:
Manueline door way and daily by non-guests. Dotted 9:30am–1pm, 2–5pm Tue–
baptismal fonts, and a fine with orange trees and palms, Sun ¢ 1 Jan, Easter Sun,
gilded altarpiece celeb rating they continue the joyful 1 May, 7 Sep, 25 Dec
the Assumption. The little
chapel of São Sebastião
boasts beautiful, rare 16th-
century Sevillian azulejos.
A short walk from the church,
and clearly marked, is the Alte,
river overhung with trees, and
a water source known as the
Fonte Grande. This leafy
setting is ideal for picnicking.
On the steep slopes, about
700 m (half a mile) from the
village, is a mill (now a restaur-
ant) and a 5-m- (16-ft-) high
waterfall, Queda do Vigário.

Grand Rococo-style
stairs at the Pousada
Palácio de Estoi
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