Historical and religious architecture and sites

Aljezur Castle – Castelo de Aljezur

This is a Moorish castle built in the 10^th century to protect the ancient river port that used to provide direct access to the sea – it was one of the last Moorish strongholds in the Algarve to be captured during the re-conquest in the 13^th century. There are two towers that are still standing, as well as the ramparts and a cistern, once you reach up there you’ll get to see a wonderful panoramic view of the surroundings and understand why the fortress was built there.

Church of Our Lady of Mercy – Igreja da Misericordia

This one will be rather hard to miss seeing as how it’s located in the historic town center – which you should be visiting anyway. The initial church was built in the 16^th century but it needed to be rebuilt in the 18^th century following the 1755 earthquake – the only feature from the old church is its Renaissance doorway.

Church of Our Lady of Dawn – Igreja Matriz de Nossa Senhora da Alva

This is called the New Church, even though it was built in the 18^th century as well. it features some rather noteworthy features are the 18^th century statue of the patron saint of Aljezur, Our Lady of Dawn, and behind the main altar, there’s a 16^th century Manueline font and two 17^th century statues.

Don’t forget our Aljezur car rental services while on your trip to this wonderful Algarve destination.

One of the best starting places for a tour of the entire city is in fact an attraction in itself, the Praca de Dom Francisco Gomes features an obelisk erected in 1910 which commemorates the diplomat Ferreira d’Almeida, an important figure in Faro’s history.

From there, those looking for some peace and quiet can enjoy the Jardim Manuel Bivar, a garden featuring wonderful flower beds, tall palms and jacaranda trees. On the east side of the park you can see the Igreja de Misericordia, a 14^th century church.

Beyond the Jardim, you can see the Arco da Vila, which is an arched gateway, surmounted by a bell tower and a statue of Faro’s patron saint, St. Thomas Aquinus. Through the gateway you’ll see the very attractive historical centre of Faro.

The historical centre of Faro is dominated by the Cathedral, which saw most of its original Gothic look destroyed by the 1755 earthquake, however the tower and south window still remain from the initial building. It was of course later rebuilt and renovated and it now features elements of Gothic, Romanesque and Baroque architecture.

The interior is very quiet and reminiscent of a basilica, definitely a must-see for those who have a thing for religious buildings.

Then there’s the Largo Se, in the square in front of the cathedral, you can see the town hall and the Bishop’s Palace.

A bit to the south of the Cathedral, on the Praca Afonso III, you’ll find the Archaeological Museum, which is housed in what used to be the convent of Nossa Senhora da Assuncao, founded in 1518.

These are still not all of the attractions in the city, but only a few, make sure you employ our Faro car hire services in order to see them and many more while on your trip there.