Silves, Algarve, Portugal

Useful Information

  Portugal

  Algarve

  Alentejo

  Central Portugal

  Lisbon

  Living in Portugal

  Buying Property in Portugal

  Leisure Activities in Portugal

It was the Moors who built the town, known as Xelb, into an architectural gem, occupying the town and area for just under 500 years in relative peace. Arabic chroniclers described the town as a city filled with gleaming domes, minarets and bazaars, surpassing Lisbon in beauty.

However the peace was shattered in 1189 when Christian crusaders laid siege to the town, destroying everything outside of the red sandstone castle walls. After six weeks the Moorish King surrendered to the King of Portugal, Sancho I with explicit agreement his people could leave Silves safely and freely with all the possessions they could carry. The crusaders went back on their word though, looting and stripping possessions from the departing Moors before slaughtering men, women and children.

Fact File

Silves was laid to siege three times in two years by Moorish & Christian armies.

Richard the Lionheart was among the Christian crusaders who defend Silves from a counter attack by the Moors, led by Yacub Ben Yassuf, a year later. The Moors held the castle siege but failed to exact their revenge on the Christian occupiers. Two years after the bloody massacre though Silves returned to Moorish control after another month long siege.

Silves remained under Moorish rule for another 50 years before it was conquered once again by the Master of the Order of Santiago, Don Paio Peres Correia. And, under the reign of the Portuguese King, Afonso III, the castle and town were reconstructed. A statue of Afonso III stands proudly outside the main gate to the Moorish castle today. However it was around this time Silves fortunes went into decline. The Rio Arade silted up and stopped the lucrative trade from Portimão.

Silves is still a charming place to visit, nestled among orchards of orange groves. The town is relatively easy to walk around with nothing being to far away. There is plenty of parking adjacent to the Rio Arade from where the cobbled streets and tree-lined squares are just a short walk.

In addition to the Castle, Silves has a number of other interesting buildings to explore including the 15th century cathedral and the Fabrica do Ingles, a former cork oak processing factory. The factory was turned into an exhibition centre with restaurants and bars occupying the former processing rooms. Fabrica do Ingles is currently closed to the public, but it is hoped to be reopened under new management in the future.

Silves is also home to a number of nesting white storks and it can be interesting viewing at dusk to watch them take flight to find food, high above the roof tops, so don't forget to look up when you visit if you want to get a glimpse of these enormous birds.

Getting to Silves, Algarve, Portugal

Situated 15 kilometres inland from Portimão, Silves on the Western Algarve, is relatively easy to reach by either car, boat, train or bus. Silves train station lies two kilometres south of the town itself, though there are taxi at the station should you wish to safe your feet. Trains run from Portimão on a regular basis.

However should you wish to take a more scenic route then why not take to the river? There are a number of companies providing transit from Portimão to Silves by boat on a daily basis.

If you prefer to travel by road, either by bus or car, the journey from Portimão is around 25 minutes, depending upon traffic.  If you are travelling from the east you can choose to take either the National 125 road or A22, the electronic toll dual carriageway, turning north onto the N124-1 at Lagoa.