December, 2014
Via the Highway (A22) it is an easy drive to Silves. Not many Portuguese people use the Highway, as it is just too expensive for them. So driving the A22 is very relaxing and quick. Silves is just 15 minutes driving off the A22 into the mainland. From far you can see the dark red Moorish Castle on the highest point of the old town. The Rio Arade meanders in front of the town of Xelb, as the Arabs called Silves in former times. A Roman bridge connects both sides. Silves was once a very important political and cultural Arabic center, where many different cultures lived peacefully together. It was an even more important town than Lisbon or Seville. Close to the river, you can find a modern group of statues, which represents those different cultures.
Apart from the Fortress, there are not many buildings left over from former times, but it is still a very nice town to visit and nice to stroll the narrow streets up to the Fortress and down to the river and center of the town.
If you drive around Silves, you find a big parking place, where you are allowed to stay with your camper.
Along the river, there are some nice restaurants. I had lunch in a chicken place, close to the bridge, which is easy to find, as you smell the barbecue from far. Lots of Portuguese people here and the chicken Piri Piri was fabulous!
