Aljezur
- Written by Come to Portugal
When you approach Ajezur from the East on the N120, the first thing you notice is the long high street, which follows over the bridge to the other half of the town. Aljezur is in two parts, separated by the river; this came about in the mid-18th century due to the Bishop who was convinced that moving the town across the river would end the malaria which plagued the town and caused many deaths. The people who stayed in the old part of town more than likely could not afford the move to the new part.
At the point of the bridge on the left hand side is a small, fresh daily undercover market where fresh fish is plentiful (open till 1 pm and closed on Sunday). There is a tourist office that looks like a shop in the high street, with a free map of the town and literature about the castle. Before you dismiss the old part of the town and venture to the new, you will find just before the bridge is a Hostel that is popular with young back packers. Just past this are many cobble stone streets all leading up the hill.
For the true hikers, you can even walk up to the castle ruin, which is free admission. If you prefer to drive up to the ruin, you can do so quite easily.
There are a good number of bars and restaurants in the old part so you can have coffee or lunch before venturing across to the new part of the town across the river.
After the short walk across the bridge to the second half of the town, you have the view of the main church ahead, with the green hills that surround the town. Due to the fact that this is very much farming country, and small strips of land are often shared by different families, it is well worth making your way to the main church as you are rewarded with spectacular views and an overview of the local agriculture. The church square has a life of its own with locals sitting and chatting as the trees offer good shade in the hot summer months. And a couple of bars along the way give the opportunity for a well-deserved break.
