Discover Portimão

CULTURAL TOURS Portimão . Alvor . Mexilhoeira Grande This new edition of “Cultural Tours” aims to showcase an updated version of the built and natural heritage of the municipality of Portimão. Three parishes, Portimão, Alvor and Mexilhoeira Grande come together to form the municipality, which encompasses 183 square kilometres of river, sea and countryside.

In addition to the beach and the sun, Portimão provides a vast variety of things to see and do, made unique by the area’s heritage and ancestral culture. No matter the time of year, you are hereby invited to embark on this journey into the past, through the historical and architectural attractions of the municipality of Portimão.

Portimão, Alvor and Mexilhoeira Grande - where history comes together, building springboards that propel us into the future. Happy adventuring! INDEX

1. ROUTE 1

2. ROUTE 2

3. ROUTE 3

Mexilhœira Grande

1. ROUTE 1

Alvor

1. ROUTE 1

2. ROUTE 2

3. ROUTE 3 Alvor Walks between the Lagoon and the Sea!

ROUTE 1 - ON THE RIVERSIDE

It came from far away, from the edge of fear But it was blue and gentle as it approached, and it murmured

“Iberian Pœms”, Miguel Torga

Look out onto the Lagoon from the viewpoint

Head to the square ROUTE 2 - MANUELINE TRACES

Across seas never before sailed.

through wars

allowed for (…)

Mother Church of Alvor or Church of the Divine Saviour ROUTE 3 - ISLAMIC ALVOR

“At the break of dawn sleep and clutch your perfume close But when night falls, allow it to unfurl and exalt it.”

Pedro and São João marabouts

The Marabout of São Pedro ABREU PALACE COURTYARD

MILITARY ARCHITECTURE | ALVOR CASTLE

SOME TIPS FOR YOUR TRIP

• • • • • •

I took:

What I liked:

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ROUTE 1 - BY THE RIVER

the Arade River basin, swelling out until

mountain range positioned as its

pyramid-shaped village called Ferragudo”.

The

The

The Museum has since taken Marinha Marina (which can be between the city and the Praia da Rocha Marina.

Located on the banks of the

been maintained and its -

ROUTE 2 - THE WALLED CITY AND MANUELINE TRACES

But what we long to recall

We’ll go through them one and all…”

This church bears the name of Our Lady of Conception, to which festivities that take place on the 8th December are also dedicated. narrow streets that seem to whisper tales and legends to those who wander through them, Portimão has proved itself to be a walled city with a vibrant history. The settlement dates back to 1463, the year in which 40 residents asked King Afonso V of for permission to found a village, which they would name São Lourenço da Barrosa. It was this village that would go on to become Vila Nova de Portimão. Between 1467 and 1475, the town began to develop around the Mother Church. In 1476, Gonçalo de Castelo Branco was given the settlement by royal decree, which also meant he was duty-bound to continue the construction of the church and surrounding walls. It was thus that the conclusion of the Portimão city walls was requested in the courts of Évora (1475) and Montemor-o-Novo (1477), as the settlement could only be considered a town once it was completely enclosed. As a result, Donatario Gonçalo Vaz ordered the completion of the walls

Once the walls were completed, four doors led into the town: Guarda (the Guard’s door), Ribeira (the Riverside door), São João’s door and the Porta da Serra (mountain door), as well as three archways: Santa Isabel, Igreja (Church) and Fumeiros (smokehouse) archways. It is also a well-known fact that the Gonçalo Vaz’s coat of arms has been placed over every door and archway in the town. The Mother Church was destroyed in the 1755 earthquake. The walls were severely damaged, and many of the stones used to rebuild houses. and take

Make your way around the perimeter of the Church

Rua do Arco Maravilhas

da Serra

dates back to the 16th

Heading towards River the way to

The Riverside Door

St. Isabel’s Archway

The “Maritime Commitment”

Guarda

MANUELINE TRACES

been found within the ruins of the Church of the Convent of São Francisco ROUTE 3 - URBAN LANDSCAPES

are to be proclaimed? (…)”

Álvaro de Campos

Walk towards Alameda da Praça da República (Republic Square Avenue)

Alameda da República (Republic Avenue) Go down Rua (Vasco da Gama Road) to Praça 1º de

Sárrea Garfias Palace | Largo 1º de Dezembro

house

Bring your visit to an end as you reach the Arade River Mexilhoeira Grande Making our way inland!

ROUTE 1 - MANUELINE TRACES

the sea But it is the sea that mirrors the sky.”

towards the parish of Mexilhœira Grande

At the Mother Church or Church of Our Lady of the Assumption,

visible in the church’s architecture.

“new worlds to the world” ATP 2020 - EN