São Brás de Alportel

The Portugese town of São Brás de Alportel was a settlement in Roman times and later inhabited by the Moors.

It was also a popular retreat for the bishops of the Algarve – somewhere for them to escape from the heat of the city during the hot summer months and during the 17th century an Episcopal palace was built for their use.

Originally the wealth of the town was from cork production – it was the biggest cork producing centre in Portugal – today the local economy is more reliant on tourism and crafts.