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Things to do in Silves

Our most recommended things to do in Silves

Portimão: Silves & Arade River History Tour on a Solar Boat

1. Portimão: Silves & Arade River History Tour on a Solar Boat

Come and explore the beautiful Arade River and experience a journey between between Portimão and Silves which is full of history. You will have about 1.5 hours to visit this wonderful medieval city, which contains numerous monuments, a castle, a museum, and excellent gastronomy. Throughout your tour, you will enjoy an unforgettable and unique experience aboard a solar-powered boat. You will travel on a boat so silent that all you will be able to hear yourself glide though the water, as well as hear the sounds of the waves hitting the shore. Combining comfort and fun, this tour is great for couples, families, and groups. Capacity has been reduced by 30% to ensure all guests' safety during the trip. The Arade River has forever been of great importance in connecting Silves (the Islamic capital of the Algarve between the 8th and 13th centuries) to the sea. For centuries, the Arade was the scenery of important merchant trades, and was sailed by many cultures including the Phoenicians, Romans, Vikings, and Moors, among others. Ships came to carry minerals, oranges, cork, wood, figs, almonds, carobs, fish, salt, among other various riches of this region.

From Albufeira: Half-Day Winery Tour and Silves

2. From Albufeira: Half-Day Winery Tour and Silves

Start with pickup from your hotel or resort and travel by a comfortable air-conditioned vehicle through the Algarve countryside. Enjoy the beautiful scenery of cork trees, groves of orange trees, and picturesque villages throughout the journey.  Visit a family-owned winery and take a guided tour of the vineyard and wine cellar. Learn about the history of wine production in the region and the winemaking process. After the tour, enjoy tastings variety of wines produced onsite.  Then, travel to the charming town of Silves. Enjoy a short visit to the town and take a leisurely stroll along the cobblestone streets to the impressive Moorish castle - located at the top of the town. After some time in Silves, return to your hotel in Albufeira.

From Albufeira: Historical Algarve Region Tour

3. From Albufeira: Historical Algarve Region Tour

Start the tour after getting picked up from your hotel or any meeting point in the Albufeira area, travel to the destination of Silves. The castle is a must-see, and the Silves Cathedral, a unique place full of historical pieces that tell the history of the region. Proceed onward to Fóia, the highest point in the Algarve region, with 902 meters of height. Next, visit Cabo São Vicente in Sagres, which is the most southwesterly point in Continental Europe. Admire the Fortaleza de Sagres, an essential military monument during the Age of Discovery. You will have spare time for lunch here. Travel next to the Praia da Cordoama with an outstanding rock formation on top of the sea. Finally, head to Lagos, where you will visit the city center, followed by the return journey to your hotel.

Algarve: Silves, Mt Foia, Lagos, & Cape St. Vicente Day Trip

4. Algarve: Silves, Mt Foia, Lagos, & Cape St. Vicente Day Trip

Join a full-day tour to some of the most interesting and scenic locations in the Algarve. Explore the old town in Silves, climb Mount Foia, step back in time at Lagos, and visit Cape St. Vicente, the most southwestern point in Europe. Your first stop is Silves, the former Moorish capital. Visit the oldest part of the city where both the largest castle in the Algarve and the oldest cathedral are located.  Next, head to Mount Foia and take in the views. Climb the Serra de Monchique and make your way to the highest point of the Algarve. Take some spectacular photos and, on your way down, make an optional stop for lunch (cost not included).  In the afternoon, visit Lagos and discover the former slave market dating back to the 16th century. See the golden church of Santo António, the fortress, and the old town. Continue toward Cape St. Vicente, the most southwestern point of Europe. See landmarks including the lighthouse, the fishing port of Baleeira, and the fortress of Sagres.

From Albufeira: Full-Day Wine Tasting Tour with a Guide

5. From Albufeira: Full-Day Wine Tasting Tour with a Guide

The day begins with pickup from your hotel in Albufeira and heads out into the rolling countryside of the Algarve. Soak up stunning views of the green landscapes that surround you as you make your way to two family-owned wineries. At each winery, learn about the wine making process from grape to glass and taste a selection of fine Portuguese wines. Afterwards, visit the charming town of Silves, boasting picturesque cobblestone streets and an impressive red brick castle. Spend some free time exploring on your own, learn about the rich-history of this Medieval town, and get a sense of Silves' culture as you mingle with the locals. At the end of an unforgettable day, sit back and relax on the return journey to your hotel.

Algarve: Full-Day Guided Sightseeing Tour with Lunch

6. Algarve: Full-Day Guided Sightseeing Tour with Lunch

Enjoy this day of discovery and history where you will visit some of the most interesting and scenic areas of the Algarve. Follows lesser traveled paths, giving you a discerning view of Portugal’s past and present. Meet your driver and travel to the town of Silves. Wander the narrow streets and alleys of the town and visit the impressive cathedral which you can pay to enter if you would like. From here, continue your ascent into Monchique Mountain. Stop in the charming spa village of Caldas de Monchique, with springs of proven medicinal properties. Following the winding road, reach the highest point in the Algarve, Fóia, standing at 902m above sea level. The views here are dramatic and the air is incredibly pure. Downhill then from Fóia, cross the countryside and take a break in the small village of Marmelete where you have time to enjoy lunch in one of the local restaurants. After lunch, go straight to Costa Vicentina, to admire the magnificent beaches where you can have some time to walk around, relax, and capture pictures of the views. Then it’s on to the ‘end of the world’, Cape St. Vincent, the southwestern point of Europe, where you can feel the wilderness of the place. The lighthouse that rises in this place defies the elements and is one of the most important lighthouses in Europe due to its strategic position. Lastly, pass through Sagres, a typical fishing village, and see its sheltered fishing port. At the end of the tour, the driver will drop you back at your hotel.

From Lagos: Small-Group 4-Hour Wine Tasting Tour

7. From Lagos: Small-Group 4-Hour Wine Tasting Tour

Enjoy a relaxing wine tasting experience and discover a rich diversity of high-quality wines from a local winery on a 4-hour small-group tour aboard a minivan. Discover three amazing local wines accompanied by a plate of tapas with cheese and sausages. Visit the winery's production room and wooden barrel room to see where the magic takes place. You will then return to Lagos via the region's stunning countryside, to stop and see the famous Algarve oranges, ancient Cork trees, and some of the oldest villages of the region. Enjoy some free time to visit the ancient Moorish village of Silves, and walk along its cobbled streets making your way up to its castle before you head back to your accommodation in Lagos.

Algarve: Silves Farmers Market and Orchard Private Day Tour

8. Algarve: Silves Farmers Market and Orchard Private Day Tour

Oranges and the Algarve are a match made in heaven. The region produces what are considered to be the best oranges in the world. The Silves area in particular is known for its sweet, fine-skinned, aromatic and incredibly juicy oranges. The tour starts in the town of Silves, the heart of orange country in the Algarve. Visit the farmers market and take time to wander by the Arade river and enjoy pretty views of the Roman bridge and the red-hued town. Next, enjoy a guided tour to one of the largest orange orchards in the region, where you can learn about the whole process and the different species that are grown so that oranges can be enjoyed all year round. You even get to pluck an orange straight from the tree and savour it right there in the open air. The tour ends as you are served a delicious, naturally sweet, vitamin-C-packed glass of just-squeezed orange juice.

Silves, Caldas and Monchique Wine Tasting: Full Day Tour

9. Silves, Caldas and Monchique Wine Tasting: Full Day Tour

After being collected from your hotel, you will head towards the historic village of Silves, where you will discover in detail the Algarve village. The castle is a must-see, and you will be able to explore this fantastic monument in detail. The tour then continues with the Silves Cathedral, as well as the Archeology Museum of Silves, a unique place full of historical pieces that tell the history of the region. Following this you will stop for a wine tasting, where you will taste some of the wines local to the region. You will then go down and walk along the river Arade, before taking a break for lunch. In the afternoon you will head up to the mountains, where Monchique is waiting for you. Before reaching Monchique you will stop at the Thermal Spa of Caldas de Monchique, a very picturesque place full of history and an unparalleled natural beauty. Here you will see some of the well-known thermal spring water sources. You will then proceed onward to Fóia, the highest point in the Algarve region and one of the largest in Portugal. With 902 meters of height, you will be able to gain a breathtaking 360º view of the entire area.

Algarve: Silves and Vineyard Tour with Wine Tasting

10. Algarve: Silves and Vineyard Tour with Wine Tasting

Taste the finest wines while exploring the countryside and culture of the Algarve region on this guided day trip that includes hotel transfers. Stop in Silves, the former capital of the Algarve, and admire its Arabic architecture. After a hotel pickup, head to Silves, which was once the capital of the Moorish Kingdom of the Algarve. Get free time to visit Silves Castle and Silves Cathedral, both built with the red sandstone characteristic of the area. You will then have free time to purchase lunch at your expense. Continue to a family-run wine estate, set amid rolling vines, stylish villas, tennis courts, and outdoor pools. Take a guided tour of the vineyards and cellars. Taste the locally produced wines and enjoy the flavors of homemade bread along with olive oil.

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What people are saying about Silves

Overall rating

4.7 / 5

based on 582 reviews

This was a fabulous tour to learn about some of the history of the Algarve region, explore some unique areas, like the thermal spa in Caldas, appreciate the amazing views on top of the mountain, and end the day enjoying some wonderful wine at a local winery. Antonio is an exceptional guide for this tour. He is extremely knowledgeable about the area, willing to answer all questions, and is super friendly. We even stopped at a site along the way to observe the hundred nesting white storks. It was a truly enjoyable day and I would highly recommend this tour to appreciate more about the Algarve region.

The guide was fantastic and lovely. We did a short stop in silves at the castle and carried on to the winery where we tried all the wines. Loved it so much we bought a bottle!

Maravilhoso. Quero ressaltar o papel da motorista e guia Vanda. Atenciosa, bom papo, bom humor e muito educada. Entregou mais que o esperado. Recomendação fortíssima.

Really enjoyable day. Learned a lot about the algarve. Danielle was a very knowledgeable guide

Brilliant trip tour guide had great knowledge about everything to do with wine.