Cabo de São Vicente Lighthouse (Farol do Cabo de São Vicente, EN 268, Sagres) – built in 1846 and located on the southwest tip of Portugal, this lighthouse was constructed over the ruins of a 16th century Franciscan convent. This lighthouse happens to preside over one of the busiest shipping lanes in Europe. The area’s […]
Lisbon – Strategically located in the geographic centre of the country, Lisbon (with a population of over half a million residents), acts as a monument of its past as Europe’s first seafaring and colonizing power (from the 1400s onward). Lisbon (the second oldest European capital after Athens) was home to explorers such as Vasco da […]
Museu Nacional de Arqueologia (Praça do Império, Belém, Lisbon) – founded in 1893, this museum (located within a former dormitory for monks) houses archaeological findings from all regions of Portugal. Artifacts shown here range from the Palaeolithic era to the Middle Ages. Admission: Adult (€5), Seniors (€2.50), children (under 14) – free. Free admission for […]
Museu Municipal de Arqueologia de Silves (Rua das Portas de Loulé 14, Silves) — this museum, oponed in 1990, was built on the site of a 19th century residence where the water reservoir was discovered and which became the centrepiece of the museum. In an excellent state of preservation, it dates back to the Almohade […]
Museu Regional de Lagos (Rua General Alberto da Silveira, Lagos) — Inside is a vast collection of pieces divided into various sections: Archaeology, with pieces from the Neolithic, Luso-Iberian, Roman and Arab periods; Sacred Art, which occupies the sacristy of the church with paintings from the 18th century; the History of Lagos, whose exhibits include […]
Museu Municipal de Faro (Largo Afonso III, No. 14, Faro) — is mostly made up of local archaeological finds dating from the pre-historic through to the medieval with a major emphasis on the Roman. The Roman collection features pieces from the Milreu Ruins: the Ocean mosaic, two tombstones with inscriptions referring to Ossonoba and busts […]
Museu Municipal de Arqueologia de Loulé (Rua D. Paio Peres Correira 17, Loulé) – located about 20 km northwest of Faro (via Route N125), this museum is housed in two rooms of the former governor’s residence, dating back to the 14th century which abut onto the city wall. It displays a collection of archaeological finds […]
Museu e Centro Arqueológico do Cerro da Vila (Vilamoura) – this archeological center evolves around the remains of a Roman villa found near the Algarve town of Vilamoura. Archaeological finds have shown that the villa was inhabited during the Roman, Visigoth and Arab periods (1st century B.C. until the 11th century A.D.). Key features include […]
Museu Municipal de Arqueologia de Albufeira (Praça da República 1, Albufeira) – this museum displays artifacts found in the Albufeira area from various historic periods (ranging from the pre-historic times, to Roman Period, Islamic Period, and Modern Age. Significant artifacts include objects from the Villa Romana da Retorta, necropolis of Morgado da Lameira and the […]
Museu Calouste Gulbenkian (Avenida Berna 45A, Lisbon) – this museum, established by Armenian businessman and philanthropist Calouste Sarkis Gulbenkian (who passed away in 1955) has a collection of both ancient and modern art. Works there ranged from Ancient Egyptian, Greco-Roman, Mesopotamian, Persian, Armenian, and Far Eastern art, to paintings from famed artists like Rubens, Rembrandt, […]