Castro Marim
castle, salt marsh and golf
Castro Marim

Castro Marim © Lux Blue
– stock.adobe.com
Castro Marim is one of the oldest towns in the Algarve, with its distinctive castle sitting high on one of its hills and the Fort of São Sebastião on another.
It lies just a few kilometres from the Spanish border, separated by the River Guadiana.
If you still haven't decided where to stay, you can see our pick of hotels in Castro Marim here.
Castro Marim and Vila Real de Santo António Marshland Nature Reserve
This municipality, together with Vila Real de Santo António, is home to the Reserva Natural do Sapal de Castro Marim e Vila Real de Santo António, which in English would be the Castro Marim and Vila Real de Santo António Marshland Nature Reserve created to protect an exceptional wetland around the mouth of the River Guadiana.
The Reserva Natural do Sapalis home to many migratory birds, to more than 300 species of plants, along with reptiles, amphibians and various mammals, and it is made up of numerous marshes, salt pans and grazing meadows.
Traditions
In this part of the Algarve there are still plenty of women working as craftspeople, selling beautiful basketwork, fine textiles and colourful rugs.

Dias Medievais festival, Castro Marim © Fernando Cortés
– stock.adobe.com
To honour these old traditions, every August the council puts on the Dias Medievais festival in the ruins of Castro Marim Castle, with period banquets, medieval tournaments and activities such as archery.
Castro Marim Golf and Country Club
Castro Marim is also home to this well-known golf venue, very popular with fans of the sport: Check availability and book Castro Marim Golf and Country Club.
Beaches in Castro Marim
A small part of the town stretches down to the coast, where you'll find some of the beaches quietest and warmest in the eastern Algarve:
- Praia de Alagoa / Altura (lifeguards – easy access – some facilities)
- Praia Verde (lifeguards – easy access – some facilities)
- Praia do Cabeço (lifeguards – easy access – some facilities)
Hotels in Castro Marim
If you fancy somewhere quiet and more grown-up in the Algarve, looking for a hotel in Castro Marim could be a good option. You won't find towns with a historic centre here, though, or many places to eat or go out. It's more a spot for staying in a resort with everything on site.
Right in the last corner of the Algarve before you cross the border into Spain you'll find Castro Marim. It has few beaches, but they're lovely.
Castro Marim is forty-two minutes by car from Faro Airport and three hours from the capital, Lisbon.
Reasons to choose a hotel in Castro Marim:
- Three lovely beaches with long stretches of sand and warmer water
- Visiting the nature reserve
- Golf
Best area in Castro Marim to stay:
Castro Marim has an odd shape, and the bottom right of the map actually belongs to the municipality of Vila Real de Santo António.
Recommended hotels in Castro Marim
See all the Hotels in Castro Marim here.
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