Holiday destinations and rent a car services in Portugal 2023: As Xelb, Silves was once the capital city of Moorish Algarve, and the Arabs named the region al-Gharb. During the early 12th century, the town was renowned as a center of learning, a place where Islamic writers, philosophers, and geographers gathered. To protect the inhabitants, the Moors built a mighty castle on an elevated position overlooking the town. Captured later by Crusaders, the fortress stands today as a permanent reminder of Moorish domination and Christian Reconquest. It is the most impressive historic monument in the Algarve and one of the top castles in Portugal. Its huge walls of red sandstone color the pleasant riverside town of Silves below with an inviting ochre glow. Visit during early August and revel in the annual Medieval Festival set outside the sturdy battlements. If you are looking for a car to travel between Portugal’s travel attractions you can discover extra information at car rental in Ponta Delgada Portugal
The Portuguese city of Guimarães is the cultural and historical center of the country, and its main symbol is the medieval Guimarães Castle, which has become a historical landmark in Portugal. Today the castle has been restored and has hardly retained its original appearance. The fortress on the site of the castle, the hill of Monte Largo, was first erected in the 7th century. The modern look of the castle acquired much later – in the 12th century. Until the end of the 9th century, the area was under Arab rule and was called Vimaranesh. Later, when the Portuguese conquered the land, Count Diogo Fernandes became the owner of the fortress. At that time, a monastery was founded at the foot of the hill, a solitary donjon was erected and surrounded by a protective wall, and a small settlement sprang up around the cloister. The fortress gradually strengthened, grew and expanded.
Premium vacation destinations and rent a car services in Portugal: Obidos Castle is an impressive structure that sits on a hill at Obidos, a small city that dates back to Roman times on Portugal’s Atlantic coast. The Moors built the castle sometime in the eighth century. It was remodeled around the 14th century and a keep was added. The castle today houses a luxury pousada hotel. A traditional medieval market takes place in the castle every July. Cais da Ribeira is a charming picturesque district in Porto, sometimes referred to as “the soul of Porto.” It’s made up of medieval streets that end on a square by the Douro River. Medieval buildings are filled with bars, cafes and restaurants, making Ribeira a popular place for eating and drinking. Ribeira is especially popular on feast days when townspeople flock there to see fireworks. There’s a bronze cube in the middle of the square. Nearby is the house where Prince Henry the Navigator was born in 1394.
The Universidade de Coimbra is Portugal’s oldest seat of learning, founded in 1290 by King Dinis. Acknowledged by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site, the historic buildings of the Velha Universidade, or old Coimbra University, surround a beautiful colonnaded central square, the Paço das Escolas. The Alta and Sofia wings of the university – a former royal residence – reward visitors with a number of star features, including the astonishing Biblioteca Joanina, a sumptuously decorated library installed in 1717 by King João V. A tour also takes in the dazzlingly ornate 16th-century Capela de São Miguel. Those with a head for heights can climb the landmark 18th-century clock tower for a grand perspective over Coimbra, one of the country’s most attractive cities.
Travel attractions and rent a car services in Portugal by CarRentalinPortugal.com: It is in Portugal where you can feel as far away from home as ever – at the very edge of the world, because the country is located at the westernmost cape of Europe, and further there is only the ocean, beyond which there are uncharted lands. No matter where you choose to spend your vacation or weekend in Portugal, traveling around the country is incredibly interesting. You will be accompanied by guides in Portugal who not only have an impeccable knowledge of history and traditions, but also a sincere desire to show tourists the beauty of their homeland. A true favorite among the medieval castles of Portugal can be considered the castle of Obidos, located on a hill, which offers a wonderful view of the surroundings of the city of the same name: vineyards, windmills, bright terracotta roofs of the surrounding houses.
Belém is synonymous with Portugal’s golden Age of Discovery. It’s from the shores of this Lisbon suburb that intrepid navigators set sail in the 15th and 16th centuries on long and perilous voyages to chart unknown waters and map new territories. One such mariner, Vasco da Gama, discovered the sea route to India in 1498 and to honor his achievement, King Manuel I commissioned a monument that became a lasting symbol of the country’s astonishing era of conquest and expansion. Today, the Mosteiro dos Jerónimos is one of the country’s most cherished and revered buildings, and is a must-see on every tourist’s agenda. The church and monastery embody the spirit of the age, and feature some of the finest examples of Manueline architecture found anywhere in Portugal; the beautifully embellished decoration found on the South Portal is breathtaking. Inside, the beautiful cloister is equally exuberant. Appropriately, the church houses the tomb of Vasco da Gama and other national figureheads, including Luís de Camões, Portugal’s greatest poet and chronicler of the discoveries. See more details on carrentalinportugal.com.