Day trip Home

Monchique:
The roof of the Algarve

 Getting there
Monchique is well sign posted from the N125 or IC4 main roads. There are many routes, for the more adventurous, there’s a tiny side road almost opposite the gates to Le Meridien Penina Golf & Resort. Or you could head for Aljezur and take the N267, through Marmelete.

Think about the environment

You’ll notice plenty of places to stop on the way up to Monchique. The Portuguese often travel inland and have family picnics and barbeques. You might want to do the same, and check out the fantastic eucalyptus trees, orange or olive groves. There are also many fine examples of terraced farming, which was introduced to the region by the Romans. You will notice some blackened areas of forest – these are areas recovering from fires from the past two years. And on that note, if you’re a smoker make sure you extinguish your cigarette fully and never throw a cigarette end out the car window. Also, remember you are a visitor to the region. Don’t leave your rubbish behind.

One of the most stunningly beautiful parts of the Algarve is Monchique and the surrounding countryside and villages. They offer a contrast to the coast, with its tourist baggage. By hiring a car and taking a trip inland, you can discover a totally different Algarve and a few surprises. Now is a really good time to go – from late February and early March the roadside mimosa bushes are in brilliant yellow bloom. Take your time and enjoy the trip – there is so much to see on the way up the mountain.

Marmalete

Perched on the side of the mountain is the tiny village of Marmalete, easy to miss on your journey up to Monchique. But what a step back in time! The village has no major tourist attractions; it’s just the atmosphere and beauty of the place that appeals. And everything is so small! You’ll notice the small scale of the houses, then the size of the doorways and windows. In the town square you’ll find the town’s his and hers communal bathhouse – most of the tiny houses in the village don’t have bathrooms or toilets.

Caldas de Monchique

On the way up, stop at the village of Caldas de Monchique, which has been visited for its curative spa waters since early Roman times and is now enjoying a mini-Renaissance.
When you turn off the main road, the detour takes you down a slight incline into the square. Caldas de Monchique is situated in a ravine, with some spectacular rock outcrops to capture the eye. It’s a pretty place – I always think of it as “the Village” from the television series the Prisoner.
Caldas de Monchique evolved around four spring sources that were discovered by the Romans. Three of these are piped directly to the water bottling plant. The fourth spring feeds the spa/hotel, where 46 bedrooms are available to those who wish to ‘take the waters’ during a curative stay.
It is claimed that the famous sulphur-smelling waters flow at a constant 32°C and can cure rheumatism and various respiratory problems.
Some might argue that there’s not much to see, but quality, not quantity, is what counts here. Around the main square that precedes the hotel and baths you’ll find an inn, a bar, a post office and shop. The inn boasts an open-air oven, where you can watch some very efficient ladies prepare and bake local delicacies and bread rolls.
Between the square and the new pool is a strange cylindrical building where you can drink the waters. It’s not difficult to while away a few hours at Caldas de Monchique, especially if you stop for a meal while you’re there. The town has a very calming effect and you will leave feeling relaxed.

Monchique

The town of Monchique is saddled between the two hills, Foia and Picota, located 902 metres above sea level. With very few exceptions, Monchique is happily untouched by the invasion of tourism. The town has retained its rustic atmosphere, with steep cobbled streets and small dark doorways containing various artisan trades. If you’re up to the climb, you should try the walk up to the defunct Franciscan convent, which overlooks the town. It’s a beautiful spot, presumably chosen for its tranquillity and meditation-inducing views. Nossa Senhora do Desterro (Our Lady of Exile) is reached through some cobbled zigzag alleys and then a dirt track, ascending all the way. (Just follow the brown turismo signs.) The 16th century parish church has excellent examples of Manueline craftsmanship around its doorway. Agriculture is the mainstay of life up here: cattle, pigs, cork and wood are the biggest sources of income. Medronho, a strong schnapps-type of drink made from distilling the fruit from arbutus bushes, is manufactured in the area.

Foia

At 774 metres, Foia, and its sister mountain Picota, provide dramatic views of the coastal plain to the south and to the western Atlantic coast. Leaving Monchique and climbing up a winding road you’ll get an occasional glimpse of these spectacular views. Along the way, you will find many fine restaurants to tempt you into turning off for a meal.
There’s not a great deal at the top of the mountain, but the breathtaking views make the trip worthwhile. You’ll find local art and coffee for sale at the main building and, apart from the radio and telephone masts, that’s it. Take a decent camera and a jumper – it can be much cooler at altitude, especially when the cloud comes in.
The Algarve suffered a surprise snowfall this past winter. The snow brought delight to the Portuguese, along with some difficulties and frustration.
While children enjoyed sledge rides, snowball fights and building snowmen, many people found the road closures due to the snow frustrating and others struggled to cope with the unusually cold conditions.
The snow settled in Fóia, carpeting the area with just two centimetres. Weather experts stated there hasn’t been this amount of snow on Fóia since 1993.
Cork and cork trees

Portugal is the world’s leading producer of cork, followed by Spain, Algeria, Morocco, Italy, Tunisia, and France.
Cork trees can live up to 500 years. Although the cork can be stripped every nine years, it takes at least 40 for the bark to become commercially viable. So most cork farms are passed down through many generations of the family.
During the summer, the montados resonates with the sound of cork bark being stripped by axe-wielding workers. The long broad strips are then piled up to make a ‘wall of cork’ before being taken to the local factory for processing into wine stoppers, insulation materials, tiles, and shoe soles.
The harvesting techniques have not changed greatly in the past 200 years. It was in the 18th century that the wine and champagne industry began to use cork stoppers, which now account for 70% of Portugal’s cork production.