Aljezur is a small west-coast town inside the Vicentine Coast Natural Park. Visitors come for beaches and waves, but the place has layers: a Moorish castle, a river that shaped trade, and old streets that grew in different centuries. Here is a readable short history for your walk through town.
Why does Aljezur’s castle matter?
The hilltop Castelo de Aljezur is the town’s most visible landmark. The site was fortified in Moorish times (often cited around the 10th century in local and wider Portuguese histories), when this part of the Algarve was under Muslim rule. The castle controlled the valley and the approach from the coast — useful for both defence and oversight of movement along the river.
After the Reconquista, Portuguese forces took the region; the Order of Santiago (Knights of Santiago) played a major role in consolidating Christian control in southern Portugal, including areas like this. The castle you see today is not purely “Moorish” in every stone — like many Portuguese fortifications it was rebuilt and adapted over the centuries. The 1755 earthquake devastated much of the country; Aljezur’s castle was damaged and later rebuilt, which is why visiting it feels part medieval silhouette, part later masonry.
Walking the walls, you look out over the Rio Aljezur plain and, on a clear day, sense how the river connected inland life to the sea. If you are planning time in town between sessions, our non-surf activities in Aljezur guide rounds out museums, walks, and low-key days.
Old town vs new town — what actually happened?
If you hear locals refer to Aljezur Velha (old Aljezur) and the newer centre, they are not being poetic — it is geography and history.
Aljezur Velha sits on the north bank of the river, clustered below the castle. Narrow streets, older houses, the church of Mercês — this is the historic core. “New” Aljezur developed on the south bank, where there was space to grow once people moved away from the cramped medieval pattern (and after events like the earthquake encouraged rebuilding and relocation in many Portuguese towns).
Today, daily life — the Saturday market, supermarkets, many cafés — tends to concentrate on the south side, while the old town rewards a slow wander. Neither side is a theme park; both are lived-in. For a wider lens on the region, the complete guide to surfing in Aljezur ties the coast to how people actually move around.
The river, fishing, and working coast
The Rio Aljezur drains toward Praia da Amoreira, where freshwater meets the Atlantic. For centuries that meant fishing, small-scale agriculture on the floodplain, and movement of goods — not mass tourism. The estuary is still ecologically important; the park protections around the Costa Vicentina exist partly because this coast is not just pretty but habitat (birds, fish, riparian life).
Industrial fishing hubs in Portugal are elsewhere; here the heritage is more family boats, nets, and seasonal catch — the kind of economy that leaves place names and recipes rather than big harbours. If you eat fish in town, you are often eating something that still makes sense in that story.
When did surf culture show up?
Surfing in Aljezur is recent compared with castles and reconquest. From the 1980s onward, and more visibly from the 1990s–2000s, international visitors and Portuguese surfers began treating the west Algarve as a serious cold-water destination: consistent Atlantic swell, reef and beach breaks, and far less concrete than the south coast.
Surf schools, small guesthouses, and word of mouth did the rest. The surf community did not replace fishing or farming; it layered on — seasonal jobs, rentals, repairs, and a new reason for young people to stay or return. That is why today you can stand on the castle walls and see a landscape where storks nest, otters are still talked about along the river, and the car park at Arrifana fills on a good swell.
Visiting the castle and town today
The castle is usually a short, steep walk from the old town. Wear decent shoes; cobbles and slopes are slippery when wet. Combine it with the old town loop and maybe a coffee on the south side before you head to the coast.
If you are here to surf and want gear brought to your accommodation, we deliver soft-top boards and wetsuits with free delivery to Aljezur, Arrifana, Vale da Telha, and Monte Clérigo (broader Costa Vicentina — ask case-by-case) — see pricing — or get in touch if you are unsure which beach matches your level.
Is Aljezur in the Natural Park?
Yes. Aljezur lies within the Southwest Alentejo and Vicentine Coast Natural Park (Parque Natural do Sudoeste Alentejano e Costa Vicentina). Rules protect trails, wildlife, and coastal use — worth reading before you camp or drive off-road.
How old is Aljezur’s castle?
The hill has been fortified since Moorish rule, with the 10th century often referenced for the origins of the fortification. What you visit today includes later rebuilds, especially after damage such as the 1755 earthquake.
Do I need a car to explore history and surf?
Practically, yes for combining castle, river mouth, and beaches in one trip. Buses exist for some routes, but the surf beaches are spread along the coast. Our getting to Aljezur post covers transport honestly.
Was Aljezur always part of the Algarve?
Administratively it is western Algarve today. Historically, borders and county names shifted; the important bit for visitors is that culturally and geographically it feels Atlantic and Vicentina — wind, swell, and park landscapes — more than classic “south Algarve resort” Algarve.