São Brás de Alportel

In the hills behind the Algarve coast, São Brás de Alportel is a calm town of white houses and gardens, surrounded by cork oaks. Far from the beaches, it keeps the atmosphere of the old rural Algarve, with a character shaped by the cork trade.

History and identity

The town grew rich in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries through cork, when the surrounding hills were covered with cork oak forests and the town became one of the centres of the industry. Its old houses, with their gardens and orchards, still show that quiet prosperity.

What to see and do

• The historic centre, with its white houses and gardens.
• The parish church and the town’s small museums.
• The cork heritage, in the workshops and interpretation centres.
• The surrounding hills, with their cork oak landscapes.

Gastronomy and traditions

The town keeps the cooking of the Algarve hills — almonds, carob, honey and the local sweets — and its festivals are part of the rural calendar of the region.

Visiting São Brás de Alportel

São Brás de Alportel is in the Algarve, about 15 kilometres north of Faro, reached by road. Access to the town is free; for local events and services, check the official website before your visit.

Visitor information: cm-sbras.pt.

Image credit: São Brás de Alportel, Portugal, by Marc Ryckaert, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.