Silves Castle
Silves, Portugal
Silves Castle gives the Algarve’s inland history a strong physical presence. Its red sandstone walls, towers and surviving water-storage structures recall the importance of the city before the coast became the region’s principal holiday draw. Choose it for a change from beaches and a clearer understanding of the area’s layered past. Walking the fortress and then exploring the surrounding streets makes a more satisfying visit than treating the castle as an isolated monument.