Castro Marim

Castro Marim is a town in the Algarve with a medieval castle, a popular medieval festival in the last week of August, and local festivals in September.

Understand

Castro Marim (KAHSH-troo muh-REEN, /ˈkaʃ.tɾu mɐ.ˈɾĩ/) is a very old town, founded before the Roman Empire, that is surrounded by hand-harvested sea salt - 'salinas' - and a Natural Park protected by the 1982 Ramsar Convention. Its castle belonged to the Templary organization until 1356.

It was home to 6,700 people in 2011.

Visitor information

• 1 Posto de Turismo, Rua de São Sebastião 3 (Mercado Municipal), ☏ +351 281 531 232, expediente@cm-castromarim.pt. Daily 09:30–13:00 & 14:30–18:00. (updated Jun 2021)

Get in

By car

Drive from Faro or any other place in the Algarve.

By plane

The nearest large airport (Portugal's second-busiest) is at Faro (FAO ^IATA). There are train and bus connections to Castro Marim.

See

• 1 Castro Marim Castle, ☏ +351 281 510 746. Daily 09:00-23:00, 14:00-17:00.  
• 2 Forte de São Sebastião (São Sebastião Fort). The São Sebastião de Castro Marim fort - so named because it occupies the place where a chapel dedicated to São Sebastião once existed - is the best preserved example of what was the extensive system renovation process defensive of the village in the mid-17th century. Its construction is due to King D. João IV, within the scope of the Restoration Wars with Spain, and it would have started as early as 1641. The project transformed the old medieval castle into the most important military square in the whole of the Algarve. The plan of the fort was adapted to the hill on which it was implanted, defining an irregular walled enclosure, which includes five bastions and whose main door is facing the north, in the direction of the town and the castle. This close relationship with the castle of Castro Marim is one of the most important aspects of the works carried out in the village in the 17th century, as the new military system in the locality did not dispense with the old walled enclosure, but integrated it into the new structure.  
• 3 Church of Misericórdia de Castro Marim. inside a fort with the same name.  
• 4 Ermida de Santo António (Chapel of St. Anthony). Contains an altarpiece evoking the miracles of the saint. 
• 5 São Sebastião Church. With 17th century altarpieces and 18th century tempera paintings. (updated Mar 2021)

Igreja de Nossa Senhora dos Mártires

• 6 Church of Nossa Senhora dos Mártires. Although dating from the 18th century, it has an image of the archangel São Gabriel from the 15th century. It has an interesting dome. 

Do

• Dias Medievais de Castro Marim. The Medieval Days in Castro Marim take place annually in the last week of August. This fair brings together various artists from around the world, such as medieval musicians, archers, swordsmen, troupes, and dancers. It also brings vendors and various types of artisans such as weavers, blacksmiths, and herbalists. 

Beaches

Praia Verde

• Alturas Beach. 
• Guadiana River. 
• Monte Gordo Beach. 
• Praia Verde Beach. 

Eat

• 1 Restaurante D. Rodrigo, Aroeira, Altura, ☏ +351 281 956 505. A rustic, simple, local eatery in an old train station. Mid-range. (updated Jun 2021)

Sleep

• 1 Quinta da Fornalha, ☏ + 351 917 107 147, geral@quinta-da-fornalha.com. A very nice country cottage, in an ecological farmhouse of local people that can show you around. They have 3 cottages with 2 rooms each, very nice furnished, warm, with kitchen and modern style. Each night is very cheap, about €80 for each whole house where can sleep from 4 to 6 persons. You can visit the animals of the farm like milk cows, Lusitan horses or Portuguese donkeys. Also you can learn to do yogurt or to produce 'CAL' a natural traditional white pigment from calcario rocks that is used in all Mediterranean houses and that makes the white houses style. 

Go next

• Tavira
• Cacela Velha, UNESCO protected
• Alcoutim, 100% EU Natura Space
• Ayamonte just across the border in Spain. A ferry operates over the Guadiana river that separates Portugal and Spain

Routes through Castro Marim

Lisbon ← Faro ← Tavira ←

W  E

→ continues as → Isla Cristina → Huelva → Seville