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Vila Real de Santo António - Description
Today, these townhouses around the main square are showing serious
degradation with the passing of time. With the construction just to the
north of the town of a new bridge in 1991 across the River Guadiana
provides rapid connecting with Seville and the rest of Spain. The
obvious diminishing of the popularity of this town will have further
effect if steps are not shortly taken. Between the town and the Ocean is
a popular beach resort area named Monte Gordo that offers the
tourist kilometres of sea washed beach lined with a pine forest and safe
bathing.
The population of approximately 14,000 inhabitants tend to gain their
living either working in the tourist industry, fishing, or, trading
across the river with their Spanish neighbours. Attached to the Town Hall
is a small but interesting museum which is mainly focused on the designs
for tins for packaging in the fishing industry. It is a very pleasant and
relaxing experience to cross the river by the original ferryboats and
visit the Spanish town of Ayamonte. Visitors can take a boat trip
upriver to the charming small unspoilt Portuguese town of Alcoutim.
Vila Real de Santo António - Nearby Locations
North of Vila Real de Santo António is Castro Marim that due
to its location has played a considerable part in the history of Portugal.
This later town was originally chosen as the founding headquarters in 1319
of the 14th Century movement of the Order of Christ. Although the buildings
are now in ruins from the effects of the 1755 earthquake it still has the
unusual feature of having a castle built within a castle. In the 17th
Century a stronger and more defensive stronghold was built on a hilltop
just to the north that also still remains. The castle acted as a well-known
haven to escapees in the early days from the Spanish Religious Inquisition
until the Portuguese also introduced their own Religious Inquisition. From
the walls of the castles the view is to the south across the flat lands that
are now a nature reserve for birds and plants and this area is known as the
Reserva Natural do Sapal.
Near to Vila Real de Santo António are the holiday destinations of
Manta Rota, Monte Gordo and Praia Verde, all purpose
built to provide accommodation for visitors to the long sandy beaches.
Inland, and up river is the interior small unspoilt administrative town of
Alcoutim with its ruins of two castles that date back to the Moor
occupation of the Algarve, and of which one that is even older dating back
at least 1000 years. The King Dinis rebuilt the main castle in 14th Century
but it was liberated from Moor occupation in 1238. This small town looks
across the River Guadiana at the Spanish town of Sanlúcar and
has a local museum. It was at this town that Dom Fernando I signed in 1371
an important Peace treaty with Don Henrique II de Castile. Even further up
river is the town of Mértola with its 13th Century castle ruins. The
Phoenicians founded this historic town as an inland port, later successfully
used by both the Romans and Moors. Perched on a high spur overlooking the
River Guadiana this town has many vestiges of the past and a museum
housing one of Portugal's best collections of Islamic art.
Back on the coast the small beachside village of Cacela-a-Velha dates
back to Phoenician times and has an 18th Century Fort that overlooks a small
natural lagoon between itself and the protecting sandbar.
Vila Real de Santo António
(Area Map)
Vila Real de Santo António Events
Feira de Vila R. de Sta. António - February
Festival do Teatro (Theatre) - April
Festival da Musica - May and June
Festival de Folcore - September
Beach Fair - 10th to 12th October
Municipal Holiday: 13th of May
Vila Real de Santo António Restaurants
Selected list for Vila Real de Santo António area
 Useful Vila Real de Santo António Telephone Numbers
Town Hall - 281 511 030
Fire Brigade - 281 512 777
Police - 281 430 66
Emergency Treatment - 281 511 374
Ambulance - 281 512 777
Tourist Office - 281 544 495
Useful Vila Real de Santo António Facts
Postal Code - 8900
Algarve Towns
Albufeira
· Almancil
· Alvor
· Armação de Pera
· Carvoeiro
· Faro
· Lagoa
· Lagos
· Loulé
· Monchique
· Olhão
· Portimão
· Quarteira
· Sagres
· Silves
· Tavira
· Vilamoura
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