Mértola

Mertola is a wonderful place with vestiges of the late Roman, Visigothic, Muslim, and Reconquest eras. The castle, church, and archaeological site form the main historical focus and can be explored in an hour or two. All three are closed on Sundays and Mondays.

The castle was built as the headquarters for the Portuguese branch of the Order of Santiago in 1292, on top of earlier Muslim fortifications. The 27-meter-high keep contains a small museum and is the most impressive part. In the altar of the church, the mihrab from the building's previous incarnation as a mosque is the only known surviving remnant of a medieval mosque in Portugal. The museum underneath contains fragments of a paleo-Christian church that predates the mosque. The archaeological site consists of ruins from early medieval and Muslim residential areas, with 5th-6th century mosaics of Byzantine inspiration as the most notable finds.

Casa do Funil is a good budget accommodation option in the center of Mertola, with a rooftop terrace and good views. If you're lucky, one of the owners, Rui, will use his urban-sketching skills to fashion a unique stamp in your pilgrim passport.

Mertola has basic services — supermarkets, cafes, a pharmacy, and accommodation.