In the 16th century a town called Vila Real de Santo Antonio de Arenilha stood near the site of the present
city. By the 18th Century it had disappeared, swallowed up by the waves and shifting sands.
After the town disappeared there was still a need to control the arrival of merchandise via the Guadiana
and to present a firm face to Spain with whom a war had been fought in 1762/1763.
Vila
Real de Santo Antonio was built in five months using experience that had been gained in building Lisbon after the earthquake
of 1755. It was founded by Royal Charter in 1773.
The city has a strict grid of
streets that lead off from a broad open square, Praca Marques de Pombal. The square has traditional black and white mosaic
paving and in the centre there is an obelisk monument to King Jose 1. (1714-1777)
Vila Real de Santo Antonio lies on the banks of the
River Guadiana which is the natural frontier between Portugal and Spain. A ferry from Vila Real de Santo Antonio takes you
across the river to the Spanish town of Ayamonte in Andalusia.
Castro Marim is tucked away 5km north of Vila Real de Santo
Antonio. The town used to be closer to the sea than it is now and for thousands of years it was used as a port that sheltered
ships using the Guadiana River.
There are two castles to explore at Castro Marim which was once a key fortification protecting Portugals southern
coast. The main castle was built by King Alfonso III in the thirteenth century. The massive ruins are all that survived the
earthquake of 1755.
In 1319 King D.Dinis (1261-1325) made Castro Marim the first headquarters of the crusading Order of the Knights
of Christ. This order had been established to replace the Knights Templar. The knights played
a decisive roll in the Christian reconquest of Portugal following Moorish occupation.
The
marshy area around Castro Marim is a designated nature reserve popular with birders
TAVIRA
Tavira is one of the most beautiful and historical
towns in the Algarve. Situated 30km from Faro airport, Tavira is sited on both sides of the River Gilao.
Ancient balconied houses overlook
both sides of the river which is straddled by two low bridges. One of these is a seven-arched stone bridge of Roman origin.
There are a succession of cafes and restaurants
along the riverbank in the centre of the town.
Many of these specialise in seafood . Tavira is a tuna-fishing port and fishing boats
operate from just beyond the town centre.
Historic churches, classical-style mansions
and Tavira's Moorish castle attract tourists to the town which lies within easy reach of the superb island beach of Ilha
de Tavira.
This
10km long island is one of the most accessible of the barrier islands in the Ria Formosa Nature Reserve.
