Cacela Velha Fortress

The morning after the big night... We briefly saw our first clouds today and as it promised to be a warm and sunny day, we decided to jump into the car and go to an old village called Cacela Velha.

As we drove on the road towards Spain, we were pleasantly surprised by the changes in the countryside. Low rolling hills with pine trees. Then orchards of orange trees full of ripening fruit. As we got closer to the village, we saw fields of flowers and flowering trees.

During the 10th century, a castle and Islamic town were built on the site of Cacela Velha. Archeologists figure that it was an agricultural centre that was also used as a stopover for Greek and Phoenician navigators.

The current structure, that consists of a church, priest’s house and a few other buildings within a fortress was built between 1770 and 1794.

The views from the village were lovely. We walked down a set of stairs to the beach and just enjoyed being in the sun by the sea while watching the sea birds do what seabirds do.

The beach on the sandspit below the village has been rated as one of the best in the world. To get to it, you have to take a little ferry from a place called Fabrica, which we didn’t do.

I included a photo of an Algarve fly screen. A series of ribbons hang down in doorways to repel flies. We will have to try that on our little trailer doorway. I wonder if it works for mosquitoes...Read more