« Alcoutim »

Alcoutim, in the upper north-east of the Algarve, has been an important river port. Nowadays pleasure boats ousted the merchant ships. The environment is green and well watered. The town is separated from Spain by the (border)river Guadiana and from the region of Alentejo by the river Vascão.

Forming one of Algarve's natural boundaries, the Guadiana River brings the cool of running water to the harsh beauty of a landscape seared by the sun. Alcoutim cannot fail to charm visitors, inviting them to wander the streets or spend a peaceful hour or two on an esplanade by the water's edge.

 

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The castle stands on an imposing site overlooking the river whish archaeological digs suggest this area was inhabited during the Iron Age and at the beginning of the Roman occupation. The Castle was built in the 14th century to defend the border; it was altered in the 17th century to adapt it for artillery.

The Main Church is an example of the first Renaissance buildings erected in the Algarve. Built between 1538 and 1554 on the site of a medieval church it's subsequently rebuilt on a number of occasions.

Approximately 1 km outside Alcoutim, across the modern bridge that spans the Cadavais creek, the ruins of Castelo Velho are to be found at the top a hill overlooking the river, This was a Moorish settlement protected by ramparts and four-sided towers that was founded in the 8th and 9th centuries. The ruins are a fascinating reminder of a culture that had a profound influence on the Algarve but has left little material evidence of its presence.
http://www.cm-alcoutim.pt
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