Loul茅's restored castle is the setting for its municipal museum. The archaeology section's homo erectus kicks things off, and via dusty collections of pottery and bone you'll arrive at the Roman and Islamic periods. Medieval house ruins can be viewed under a glass floor, and the admission fee includes entry to a stretch of square-towered castle walls and the Cozinha Tradicional Algarvia, a re-creation of a traditional Algarve kitchen, featuring a hearth, archaic implements and burnished copper.
糖心传媒's must-see attractions
9.99 MILES
The centrepiece of the Cidade Velha, the s茅 was completed in 1251 but heavily damaged in the 1755 earthquake. What you see now is a variety of Renaissance鈥
Igreja de Nossa Senhora do Carmo & Capela dos Ossos
9.59 MILES
One of the Algarve's most dazzling churches, this twin-towered baroque masterpiece was completed in 1719 under Jo茫o V. After the 1755 earthquake, its鈥
23.15 MILES
This russet-coloured, Lego-like castle 鈥 originally occupied in the Visigothic period 鈥 has great views over the town and surrounding countryside. What鈥
22.39 MILES
One of the Algarve's 鈥 and Portugal's 鈥 most emblematic sights, this huge natural seaside cave has a hole in its ceiling through which streaming sunlit鈥
23.17 MILES
Just below the castle is the s茅, built in 1189 on the site of an earlier mosque, then rebuilt after the 1249 Reconquista and subsequently restored several鈥
28.21 MILES
Housed in a 19th-century fish cannery, the ultramodern, award-winning Museu de Portim茫o is the city's number-one draw. The museum focuses on three areas:鈥
Igreja de S茫o Louren莽o de Matos
4.04 MILES
This baroque masterpiece was built on the site of a ruined chapel after locals, while digging a well, implored Saint Lawrence for help and then struck鈥
7.66 MILES
Encased in azulejos, this beautifully maintained museum occupies a former cork magnate鈥檚 mansion, which retains its original kitchen. It displays an ever鈥
Nearby The Algarve attractions
0.02 MILES
Situated opposite Loul茅's castle, the mid-17th century chapel of Nossa Senhora da Concei莽茫o possesses three impressive elements: a heavily gilded baroque鈥
2. Igreja de S茫o Louren莽o de Matos
4.04 MILES
This baroque masterpiece was built on the site of a ruined chapel after locals, while digging a well, implored Saint Lawrence for help and then struck鈥
4.55 MILES
On the village square, this small museum has a model of a waterwheel as well as information panels (in Portuguese) on water use. There's also a tourist鈥
7.23 MILES
Within the area encompassed by what remains of Salir's ruined castle, this little museum has a glass floor above the 12th-century Moorish foundations鈥
7.3 MILES
Situated 900m west of Est贸i, these Roman villa ruins are so large and grand they were originally thought to have been a town. The villa, inhabited from鈥
7.48 MILES
Built in 1587 and renovated several times after the 1755 earthquake, this church has three naves separated by Tuscan columns, 17th-century paintings and鈥
7. Cal莽adinha de S茫o Br谩s de Alportel
7.54 MILES
Constructed during Roman times, this ancient road is thought to have linked Faro (Ossonoba) with Beja (Pax Julia). It was used by mules and shepherds鈥
7.61 MILES
This interpretive centre has a small exhibition on Moorish and Roman history in the area, and information on the Cal莽adinha de S茫o Br谩s de Alportel, an鈥