Silves

On a hill on the banks of the River Arade, Silves played a key role in the history of the Algarve. Today Silves is a small town of just over 10,000 people. It has pride in a glorious past. Its period of maximum splendor was during the Muslim domination, when it came to have a population of over 30,000 and won deserved fame as a leading cultural center. After the reconquest of the city, it became the seat of the Bishop of the Diocese Algarvia, but would never have the social, economic and cultural importance it had in the Islamic period. In any case, a visit to Silves is essential to understand the history of Southern Portugal.