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Silves Castle
Castelo de Silves
Portugal · Algarve · Near Faro
Built 755 · Moorish / Medieval Portuguese
Quick Facts
- Hours
- Extended to 20:00 from June to September.
- Tickets from
- €3
- Duration
- 1–1.5 hours
- Best time
- October to April
- Nearest city
- Faro
Highlights
- ✦Best-preserved Moorish castle in Portugal
- ✦Built from distinctive local red sandstone (red sandstone walls are iconic)
- ✦Former capital of the Algarve during the Moorish period
- ✦Sweeping views over the Algarve hills, Arade River, and distant sea
- ✦Archaeological museum inside the walls with Moorish and Roman artefacts
Skip the queue with a guided tour
Skip-the-line tickets & expert guides
Silves Castle rises above the whitewashed rooftops of the town on a hill above the Arade River, its distinctive red sandstone walls glowing in the Algarve light. Built by the Moors in the 8th century on the site of a Roman fortification, Silves (then called Xelb or Chelb) was one of the most important cities in Al-Andalus — the prosperous, cosmopolitan capital of the Algarve taifa kingdom, famed for its poets, scholars, and fine architecture. The castle was captured by crusading forces in 1189 and definitively by the Portuguese in 1242. Today it is the best-preserved Moorish castle in Portugal, its towers and curtain walls intact, enclosing an archaeological zone and cistern that reveal the layers of Roman, Moorish, and medieval occupation.
History
The site was fortified in Roman and Visigothic times before the Moors built the current castle from the 8th century. Under Moorish rule Silves was the most important city in the Algarve and a centre of Iberian-Arab culture. It was taken briefly by a force of crusading knights in 1189 with the help of King Sancho I of Portugal, then retaken by the Almohads, before being permanently conquered by Afonso III in 1242. After the Reconquista the town declined in importance, and the 1755 Lisbon earthquake caused significant damage. The castle was restored in the 20th century.
How to Visit
Silves is 18 km north of Portimão and 70 km west of Faro. Trains run from Faro and Lagos to Silves station (2 km from the castle, served by a local taxi or a pleasant walk through orange groves). By car the castle is well signposted in the town centre with nearby parking. Combine with the Gothic cathedral of Silves immediately below the castle walls.
Frequently Asked Questions
The castle is built from local Graywacke red sandstone, giving the walls their distinctive terracotta colour, especially striking at sunset.
Location
Rua do Castelo, 8300-144 Silves, Portugal
Nearby Castles
Tours & Tickets
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Entry from
€3/ adult