Carvoeiro to Silves and Monchique: Private day trip

Discover Silves’ Moorish legacy, sunlit castle walls, and the scent of orange trees in bloom.

Once the Moorish capital of the Algarve, Silves is a city of crumbling red-stone ramparts, orange blossoms, and timeless views. Start your visit at the Castelo de Silves, wandering its impressive walls for sweeping vistas over the Arade River. Just below, explore the haunting Silves Cathedral, where Gothic arches meet Moorish echoes. Don’t miss the Municipal Museum of Archaeology, built around a medieval cistern. Stroll down Rua da Cadeia Velha, with its citrus trees and old-world charm, then relax by the riverfront with a glass of cold medronho or a bite of frango piri-piri and sticky Dom Rodrigo.

Breathe in pine-scented mountain air, spa steam, and panoramic views from Portugal’s peaceful highlands.

Begin at Caldas de Monchique, a forested spa town with mossy paths and natural springs. Continue up to the Miradouro da Foia, the Algarve’s highest point, for coastal views stretching to Sagres. If you’re feeling active, stroll the PR5 trail or lose yourself among cork oaks and eucalyptus. In Monchique village, enjoy handmade crafts, quiet stairways, and tiled fountains. Don’t leave without tasting porco preto, local goat cheese, and a sip of fiery medronho or herbal pennyroyal liqueur.