Silves
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The town of Silves raises above a fertile valley of orange groves and is dominated by its castle which dates mainly from Moorish times. Silves prospered under the Arabs and became their capital in Algarve under the name of Chelb, until it was taken by the Knights of Santiago, in 1242. From the castle there are spectacular views of the town and surrounding countryside. Inside the walls, the huge and vaulted Cisterna da Moura Encantada (Cistern of the Enchanted Moorish Girl) supplied the town with water. Besides the castle, it is worth visiting Sé, the 13th-century cathedral, and the small Miserichord Church, with a Manueline side door and a Renaissance altarpiece. On the coast, Armação de Pêra, originally a fishing village, has become a popular holiday resort cluttered with hotels, tourist complexes and restaurants and surrounded by pleasant beaches. Nearby, Porches is known for its artistic potteries, which try to preserve ancient Iberian and Moorish patterns.
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