Getting to Know

São Brás de Alportel

No. of inhabitants: 10,032
Area 150,1 (Km2)

A Walk in the Barrocal Villages nestling between hills.

Walls of whitewashed stone flashing in the sun. The lush foliage of almond, fig, carob and pomegranate trees. The bright colours of windows and doors standing out from plain facades.

From Mesquita, with its typical water mill, through the picturesque villages of Desbarato, Mealhas, Gralheira and Vilarinhos, this route offers a fascinating insight into the Barrocal, the intermediate country that lies between the coast and the hills of the interior.

In the Hills
Vast open spaces, pure air, fresh vistas around every corner. Then hamlets of just four or five houses perched on a hilltop. A feeling that time has stopped, a sense of penetrating the secret heart of the Algarve.
These are among the attractions of an itinerary that takes in Cova da Muda, Javali, Cabeça do Velho and its windmill and, on the way back down. Corches, Pero de Amigos and Ribeira de Alportel.

Traditional Crafts
Many of the region's traditional arts and crafts can still be found, thriveing in São Brás de Alportel, as can be seen from the brooms and brushes made with palm leaves in Soalheira, the objects woven from coarse esparto grass in Peral, Alfarrobeira da Tumba, the stonemasonry of Chibeira and Corotelo and the panniers and baskets of Desbarato.
Tiles and bricks are still produced by hand in Vale de Mealhas, wrought iron work in Vilarinhos and Gralheira.
Craftsmen in Vilarinhos also make wooden spoons, miniature copies of typical local carts and children's toys, while Campìna is known for its chairs, and Gralheira for its brasseware.

The mill in Cabeça do Velho still uses nothing but the wind and millstones to grind corn and wheat into flour that tastes as it did centuries ago.

Cooking that Tastes of the Hills
In São Brás de Alportel the local cooking is marked be the perfume of fresh herbs picked in the hills, whether it be the oregano used in gazpacho or the pennyroyal in the thick bread soup known as "açorda".
In the hunting season the rich, game flavours of wild rabbit in wine are not to be missed.
Kid with peas, chicken fried with garlic, eggs with tomato and chickpeas with eggs are all a familiar sight on dinner tables in country kitchens.

São Brás de Alportel is known for its almond confectionery which is especially popular at Easter time.
Also much appreciated is the spirit slowly distilled from the fruit of the arbutus-berry trees that grow in the hills, which is also used to make excellent herbal liqueurs.