Castro Marim is a monumental town watching over the border between land, river, and sea. Dominated by its medieval castle and surrounded by shimmering salt flats, it is the ideal destination for those seeking history, heritage, and pure nature.
Situated in the far eastern Algarve, the town of Castro Marim is an authentic history book open to the landscape. Strategically built on a hill facing the Guadiana River and neighboring Spain, the town was, for centuries, one of the kingdom's most important strongholds, even serving as the first headquarters of the prestigious Order of Christ. Its horizon is dramatically marked by the imposing Castro Marim Castle and the neighboring São Sebastião Fort, two stone sentinels that today transport visitors back in time, especially during the famous Medieval Days, which fill the town with animation.
At the foot of the walls stretches a stunning natural setting: the Castro Marim and Vila Real de Santo António Marshland Nature Reserve. This unique ecosystem of marshes and channels shelters dozens of waterbird species, making it a paradise for spotting flamingos and herons. It is also here that the traditional salt flats are found, where seawater and the sun give rise to an international-quality flor de sal.
Combining the mysticism of its Templar past with the serenity of its protected landscapes and the warmth of the beaches in the south of the municipality, such as Alagoa or Altura, Castro Marim perfectly rounds off the region's diversity.
