At the eastern end of the Algarve, a few kilometres from the mouth of the Guadiana, the river forming the border with Spain, Castro Marim is a small white village gathered below a castle and surrounded by salt pans and marshes. Its strategic position made it a frontier stronghold for centuries, and today it is one of the region's quietest and most authentic destinations.
The castle and the fort
The castle, rebuilt by King Afonso III after the reconquest in 1242 and enlarged by Dinis, was from 1319 the first seat of the Order of Christ, the order of knights born from the remains of the Templars, before it moved to Tomar. Within the walls are the remains of the old castle, the church and a small exhibition space; from the ramparts you can see the international bridge over the Guadiana, the salt pans, Spain and the ocean. On the hill opposite stands São Sebastião fort, built in the seventeenth century during the Restoration War against Spain.
The salt pans and the Sapal
Around the village stretches the Castro Marim and Vila Real de Santo António Sapal Nature Reserve, the first nature reserve created in Portugal, in 1975: salt marshes, channels and salt pans where storks, avocets, spoonbills and above all pink flamingos nest and rest. The traditional salt pans produce sea salt and flor de sal, the delicate "flower of salt" skimmed by hand from the surface, one of the region's finest products.
The Medieval Days
Every year in late August, the castle and lanes host the Dias Medievais, one of Portugal's best costume festivals, with tournaments, markets, music and falconry displays.
Around Castro Marim
To the south are the beaches of Altura and Praia Verde, and the long beach of Monte Gordo, in the municipality of Vila Real de Santo António. Following the Guadiana north, the road and boats lead to Alcoutim, a frontier village with its castle, facing the Spanish village of Sanlúcar de Guadiana, linked by a cross-border zip line that carries you over the river from one country to the other. Castro Marim is about 45 minutes by car from Faro or by bus from Vila Real de Santo António.