Between Two Castles and Two Countries
Just a few minutes from the Spanish border, Castro Marim is one of the first historic towns travellers encounter after entering Portugal. Most people simply drive through on their way to the Algarve, but stopping here is worthwhile. Dominated by two fortifications overlooking the Guadiana River, Castro Marim has guarded the frontier between Portugal and Spain for centuries and still retains the atmosphere of a quiet border town rather than a tourist resort.
The town was occupied by the Phoenicians and Romans before becoming an important Moorish settlement. After its conquest by the Portuguese in the thirteenth century, King Afonso III strengthened its defences and, for a short period, Castro Marim even became the headquarters of the Order of Christ, the religious order that later helped finance Portugal’s great voyages of exploration. From these castles, guards watched the Guadiana and controlled one of the most important crossing points between the two kingdoms.
Our visit was mainly a practical overnight stop before continuing east towards Spain.
We stayed in the municipal motorhome area close to the historic centre. Although the service point was already out of operation when we visited, finding a place for our 23-foot motorhome was easy because the parking area was spacious enough and several other motorhomes were already there. The surface was uneven, with some deep potholes that required a little care when choosing where to park, but once settled we had a quiet night. The nearby road generated some traffic during the day, yet it became much quieter after the evening. Most importantly, we felt safe throughout our stay and the castle, supermarkets and cafés were all within easy walking distance.
The only real disappointment was the lack of services. The former motorhome facilities had been taken out of use, leaving the parking area without fresh water or waste disposal. Even so, as a simple overnight stop before crossing the border, it still worked well.
Walking into the town took only a few minutes. The streets were quiet, the cafés were frequented mainly by local residents and the castle immediately dominated the skyline. Unlike many Algarve destinations, Castro Marim has never become heavily urbanised, allowing its medieval character to remain largely intact.
One of the town’s greatest curiosities is that it has two separate fortifications. Most visitors head directly to the medieval castle, but the large Forte de São Sebastião, built during the seventeenth century after Portugal regained its independence from Spain, stands opposite it. Together they created a defensive system capable of controlling both the river crossing and the surrounding plain.
Another little-known fact is that Castro Marim was the first headquarters of the Order of Christ before the order later moved to Tomar. This is significant because Prince Henry the Navigator became Grand Master of the Order, and its wealth helped finance many of Portugal’s early Atlantic expeditions. The famous red Cross of the Order painted on the sails of Portuguese caravels therefore has an unexpected connection with this small border town.
The surrounding landscape is equally unusual. Just south of the town lie the Castro Marim and Vila Real de Santo António Salt Marsh Nature Reserve, one of Portugal’s oldest protected wetlands. Flamingos, spoonbills, avocets and many other migratory birds use the marshes throughout the year, while traditional sea salt is still harvested using methods that have changed very little over centuries.
For us, Castro Marim proved to be much more than a convenient stop before entering Spain. Although the motorhome area has lost many of its original services and the uneven ground could certainly be improved, the combination of a peaceful night, easy access to the historic centre and the remarkable history of this former frontier fortress made it one of the more interesting border towns we visited during our journey through Portugal.