Popularly known as the Ferragudo Castle, the Fort of São João do Arade stands strategically at the river mouth. A striking 17th-century private military structure offering dramatic coastal views.
Located in Ferragudo within the municipality of Lagoa, the Fort of São João do Arade was built in the 17th century—and later rebuilt following the 1755 earthquake—to defend the Arade river mouth from pirate attacks.
Although originally a purely defensive military fort, a 20th-century private restoration gave it battlements and towers, earning it the popular name "Ferragudo Castle". As a private property with no interior public access, its magnificent clifftop silhouette overlooking Angrinha Beach remains an iconic landmark and a visual highlight for visitors.
