Getting to Know the Municipality of

Aljezur

No. of inhabitants in 2001 = 5 288 Area 323,0 (Km2)

Bordeira
Bordeira is a village surrounded by hills and farmland. Some of its streets retain the charm of houses in the traditional style and there are ruins of an old country manor house.

Main church,
which dates back to the 18th century, is worth a visit to see the triumphal arch and the retable in the main altar, with the statues of Nossa Senhora da Encarnação (Our Lady of the Incarnation) (18th century), Sao Francisco (St. Francis), Santo Antonio (St. Anthony) and Sao Luis (St. Louis) (17th century) and a Sao Sebastião (St. Sebastian) (probably 16th century).
There are also side retables (18th century) and a collection of holy treasures.
In the former cemetery that adjoins the church stands a Manueline gateway (16th century) of unknown provenance.

Carrapateira
The only monuments in this village perched high above the sea are a defensive fortress built to ward off raiding corsairs (17th century) and a hermitage dedicated to Nossa Senhora da Conceição (Our Lady of the Conception). In the church, which has Manueline doorways (16th century), there are 17th and 18th century statues, as well as a carved retable on the main altar.
Also to be seen are a statue of Nossa Senhora do Rosário, (Our Lady of the Rosary) (15th century?) and two panels depicting Santo Antonio (St. Anthony) and São Pedro (St. Peter), probably from the 16th century. The baptismal font is in the Manueline style (16th century).

Odeceixe
Seen from a distance Odeceixe is a charming jumble of houses scattered over hills with the sea in the background. On one of its streets is a curious Cellar Museum, which reconstructs the atmosphere of a traditional winery and cellar.
The main church has some fine 17th century statues and there is an interesting seven-sided font in the Manueline style (16th century).

Rogil
A picturesque village. Perched on the top of a hill the Arregata windmill shows how for centuries the wind was harnessed to mill cereals.
Peanut Growing
The Algarve's pleasant climate is well suited to the cultivation of exotic species, as demonstrated by the tasty peanuts dug from the fields at Rogil and other villages in Aljezur municipality.
For the delectation of peanut-lovers everywhere!

The Pleasures of Sun and Sea
The sea has carved tall cliffs from the schist hills along the coast where birds nest and wild flowers grow. Here and there, in bays that face the sun and the ocean, are long beaches of dark sand.

Odeceixe
Odeceixe has a long beach, cut in two by the mouth of the Seixe creek. The resort is calm and family-oriented with facilities for visitors. There are impressive views of the sea from the Miradouro da Ponta Branca.

Quebrada
Quebrada is a narrow beach squeezed between the sea and the cliffs. Little visited.

Samouqueira, Vale dos Homens e Carriagem
Quiet, little frequented beaches.

Amoreira e Monte Clérigo
These two beaches lie next to each other, separated by rocks. There are facilities for visitors. The coast is punctuated by fascinating rock formations, ending at Ponta da Atalaia, which means Lookout Point.

Arrifana
Along stretch of sand sheltered by cliffs with a picturesque fishing port, Arrifana is linked to the historical figure of the Moorish prince and poet Ibn Caci (12th century) who lived here as a recluse.
There are ruins of an old fort (17th century) built to defend the tuna fishermen and their gear. At the end of the cliffs Pedra da Agulha (literally Needle Rock) rises majestically from the sea.

Penedo, Vale Figueiras and Canal
Beaches of great beauty that see few visitors.

Bordeira and Amado
Long beaches. In Bordeira stand the ruins of a former defensive fort built to repel pirate attacks (17th century).

Near to Amado the so-called Pedra do Cavaleiro (Knight's Rock) stands amid the waves. Between the two beaches lies the rock formation of Pontal, surrounded by bays and high cliffs. Angling and Surfing - Typical Sports in Aljezur

The whole of the coast of Aljezur municipality is a paradise for sports anglers who dream of landing big fish. The waters here teem with sea bass, dory, conger, eels, snook, sea bream and many other species of fish, all waiting to provide subject matter for tall tales told at nightfall, among friends, over a glass or two of local wine. Bata dos Tiros, Samouqueira, Esteveira, Vale dos Homens, Carriagem, Pipa, Fonte Santa, Atalaia, Canal, Vale Figueiras, Bordeira, Pontal and Amado are among the most famous fishing grounds. The perfectly-formed waves that break off Aljezur's beaches are among the best in Europe and ideal for surfers and body-boarders alike.

Food and Wine
With the sea so close at hand, there is no shortage of fresh fish, to be enjoyed grilled over an open fire or cooked in tasty stews called "caldeiradas". Seafood of various kinds is also to be had. One interesting local speciality are "perceves", a kind of barnacle which grows on the rocks along the shoreline. Sweet potato, grown in the fertile valleys where water is plentiful, is a recurring ingredient in the region's typical dishes and cakes which can be accompanied by the full-bodied wine grown on the terraced slopes or by aguardente de medronho, the arbutus-berry liqueur distilled in copper stills in the hills of the interior.

The Art of the People
Aljezur and the surrounding municipality are home to craftsmen and women who still make typical basketware and pretty wooden spoons reminiscent of the rural life in days gone by.
Of the old tradition of reedmace chairs, once found in every home, all that remains are the exquisite miniatures made by two local artisans.
The women of Aljezur continue to make lace coverlets and cloths to age-old patterns. Pottery is a craft that is enjoying a strong revival and some local ceramicists produce work of a very high standard.

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