English name: Rock engravings of Fornelos, Part of a group: Gravuras Rupestres de Montador, Gravuras Rupestres de Carreço Walking along the rocks at the edge of the ocean, it’s important to pay attention to where you place your feet. But be sure to stop and look up and around. There, across a small bay, you …
Also known as: Cividade de Âncora, Cividade de Âncora-Afife Walking around the stones, your feet crunch the dry eucalyptus leaves. It’s just possible to make out the foundations of ancient houses, roads, doorways, and more. Beyond the stones that emerge from the soil and vegetation, there are hints and traces of others beyond. This enormous …
Also known as: Gravuras Rupestres da Matança, Gravuras Rupestres de Suvidade English name: Rock Engravings of Afife Along the wide trail, pilgrims walk determinedly along the Caminho de Santiago. Few pay attention to the stones beside the trail. These stones have lain here for millions of years, and for many thousands of years they held …
Underneath the 17th century chapel and its surrounding park lie the remains of a large fortified settlement from the time before the Romans or Christianity came to Portugal. The single rebuilt house at the entrance stands as a reminder that the modern use of the hilltop is only the latest evidence of people’s use of …
Also known as: (Ruinas da) Cidade Velha de Santa Luzia, Povoada foritificado de Santa Luzia English name: Hillfort, or (Ruins of) the Old City, or Fortified settlement of Santa Luzia Walk around the hilltop, and admire the views off to the River Lima and the Atlantic Ocean. People admired the views, as well as the …
Portuguese: Museu da Escrita Sudoeste de Almodôvar (MESA) The characters tease you: they look familiar, and they obviously convey a message. What is it? It’s impossible to say. Someday we may decipher all the symbols, but for now they remain enigmatic, leaving us to wonder at the people who lived here before the Romans. This …
Also known as: Alinhamento da Têra, Alinhamento do Monte de Têra Standing tall with flocks of sheep to keep them company, the stone pillars line up from East to West. There are gaps in their formation revealing the loss of some of their number over the thousands of years they have stood here. The five …
Name in Portuguese: Museu Arqueológico de São Miguel de Odrinhas (MASMO) A beautiful museum, built around the ruins of a Roman villa, which houses a vast collection of artefacts. There are inscriptions and relics from the Roman period, as well as relics from more recent eras and others dating back through the prehistoric eras to …
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Also known as: Povoada de Chibanes Walk along the ridge of the Serra de Louro, and enjoy the tremendous view. To the east stands the castle of Palmela on a high hill. To the north, you can see to the Tejo River mouth and the capital city of Lisbon. To the south, you can see …
This is a Roman site, but it does also have remnants of an Iron Age settlement. Most of the site is of Roman construction (1st century AD/CE), but there are remnants of earlier Iron Age buildings. Pottery from the Chalcolithic period was found on the site, indicating continued occupation from prehistoric to Roman times. Other …