Alcoutim

Alcoutim is the northeastern municipality of the Algarve, with 2 523 inhabitants across 575 km², on the Rio Guadiana, the border with Spain.

The town faces the Spanish village of Sanlúcar de Guadiana across the river. Spain is one hour ahead of Portugal. Alcoutim is also the starting point of the Via Algarviana, the walking trail that crosses the Algarve interior to Cabo de São Vicente.

Monuments in Alcoutim

• Castelo de Alcoutim: medieval castle above the town, with walls open to visitors, views over the Guadiana and Sanlúcar, and an archaeological exhibition.
• Igreja Matriz de Alcoutim: parish church built in the 14th century.
• Ermida de Santo António: chapel near the river, probably once the private chapel of the counts of Alcoutim.
• Castelo Velho: ruins of an Islamic settlement from the 8th or 9th century, with walls and square towers, across the Ribeira de Cadavais.

Events in Alcoutim

• Festival do Contrabando: festival that recreates the smuggling history of the border, with a temporary floating footbridge across the Guadiana to Sanlúcar.

Nature and leisure in Alcoutim

• Praia Fluvial do Pego Fundo: river beach near the town, among schist slopes.
• Cross-border zip line: line of 720 metres from Sanlúcar de Guadiana, in Spain, to Alcoutim, over the river.
• Guadiana riverside road: road along the river from Alcoutim to the villages of Montinho das Laranjeiras, Álamo and Guerreiros do Rio.

Parishes of Alcoutim

• Martim Longo (928 inhabitants · 128 km²): inland parish of the serra.
• Vaqueiros (333 inhabitants · 144 km²): inland parish of the serra.
• Giões (152 inhabitants · 72 km²): inland parish of the serra.

Places to visit in the Algarve