Alvor to Silves in The Algarve

It’s a warm spring morning in April when we come across the lovely fishing town of Alvor. First we’re going to take a look on foot, before driving inland from Alvor to Silves in The Algarve region of Portugal.

There’s an old municipal campsite in Alvor during our visit, which is busy with motorhomes. It’s free to park and many look like they’ve been here overnight. For us, it’s a useful parking spot for a couple of hours, so choose an empty space to park.

Across from the parking is a nice swimming pool complex and beyond a promenade walkway towards the centre.

There’s a really good atmosphere here, it’s low key yet vibrant, bringing a welcoming feel. From the neat promenade lies an estuary, with a lovely outlook beside pavement eateries. This time of year is wonderful. The first blooms bringing a dash of colour and the sun an extra hint of warmth.

Skies are blue and there’s a feeling of summer in the air, and with it opportunity for coffee outside.

Taking a comfy chair overlooking the sea, we sit and watch the world go by before venturing into town.

Alvor old town

The old town of Alvor is situated just above the promenade on a small incline. The buildings are brightly painted in an array of colours, making a dashing backdrop. Amongst the white wash facades are small shops and restaurants, welcoming the morning visitors to their delightful town.

We really like Alvor, it’s just our cup of tea and we’re so pleased to have come to see it.

Monchique mountain village

Heading inland to the mountain village of Monchique gives a whole new perspective to The Algarve.

The drive takes us through unspoiled countryside, climbing higher through green terrain with trees surrounding us.

Thankfully there’s a large empty parking area just beyond the village, where we easily park ready for a wander.

The village itself consists of narrow streets winding along a hillside, slippery cobbles leading between colourful facades.

It doesn’t take us long to explore and soon we find ourselves in the village square. This leafy area is where the locals and visitors descend, enjoying restful moments at one of the restaurant tables.

A few small shops offer crafts and local produce, needless to say, we come away with a jar of Honey.

Up to the mountain

Back in the campervan, it’s time to continue the drive, this time heading further up the mountain. It’s not long before distant views of the sea give cause to pause at a viewpoint. The mountain summit of Foia reaches 902m and incredible panoramas span the countryside.

The hills are green and coast blue and from here we get our very first glimpse of the West Coast of Portugal.

A beautiful country road follows on from the summit, taking us along through endless green landscapes, passing small lakes, rivers and wild flowers.

We hadn’t expected such a remote feel in this part of The Algarve and it makes a welcome change from the coast.

Silves

Our next stop comes at the inland town of Silves, which is actually quite a big place. There’s a couple of motorhome areas here, so we choose one for the night beside the river. It’s called Parque do Rio and costs €9, providing an ideal place to park up, with a dump area too ready for emptying and re-filling.

After a restful evening, we walk directly into Silves the following morning. It’s a hot, sunny day, one of the first really warm days we’ve had, a sign we’re heading to the end of April.

It’s only a short walk before we come to one of the main attractions, a Roman footbridge spanning the Arade river. Its freshly painted white walls glisten in the sunshine.

Old town centre – Alvor to Silves in The Algarve

Above the town centre lies a red sandstone castle, dominating the hilly summit of cobble streets. Beside the cobbles and narrow, sloping side streets are numerous shops and restaurants, making a pleasant feel.

Walking through the old centre we reach a spacious, open area and the cathedral, before reaching the entrance to the castle itself. You can visit the castle, but we choose to order a freshly squeezed orange juice instead at a nearby cafe.

Another lovely place to go is the indoor market, a Mercado selling fresh produce at the foot of town.

A fruit and veg stall tempts us with a Melon, tomato, 2 tangerines, 2 plumbs and 1 potato. Why the list of our purchase? Well, because it cost a pricey €13.50! At first, we thought the stall holder had made a mistake, but on querying the figure, we realise our hearing hasn’t let us down after all!

Maybe we’re just out of touch with the price of things nowadays, nonetheless it was a talking point for a little while afterwards!

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