Places to visit in Mertola, Portugal

Stuart Forster provides an overview of places to visit in Mertola, Portugal.

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Mértola sits on a wedge of rocky land at the confluence of the Guadiana and Oeiras rivers, The Spanish border is less than 15 kilometres away. In Portugal’s Alentejo region, an area known for its distinctive cuisine and heavy red wines, this quiet walled town has a history that many visitors will find fascinating.

Mertola's medieval castle, one of the top places to visit in Mertola.,overlooks white houses in the walled city.
Mertola’s medieval castle overlooks white houses in the walled city. .

The high-level road bridge over the River Guadiana provides you with an opportunity to see why Mértola had clout in bygone times. Its dominant strategic position meant only determined armies would have even a chance of taking the fortress at its centre.

The natural defences provided by the ravine on one side and the river on the other were also barriers to Mértola’s expansion, ensuring it retains a village-like feel. The centre of the Old Town, the home of approximately 3,100 people, has narrow cobbled streets and white-painted houses with wrought iron balconies and colourful borders of blue, yellow or green.

White houses in Mertola with colourful painted borders, typical of regional architecture and decoration in the Alentejo, Portugal.
White houses in Mertola with colourful painted borders are typical of regional architecture and decoration in the Alentejo, Portugal.

Walking in Mértola and the Alentejo

José Pedro Calheiros, of the walking group SAL, leads tours in this area. In his view, Mértola is “the gateway to many civilizations, many cultures and insights into this part of Portugal.”

Mértola was under Islamic rule for more than 500 years and is the site of Portugal’s only surviving medieval mosque. Sancho II, the Commander of the Order of Santiago, led the reconquest of the town in 1238 and the mosque was consecrated as the Igreja Matriz, dedicated to St Mary.

The Igreja Matriz, St Mary's Church was as an Almohad Mosque and is today a Portuguese national monument and one of the key places to visit in Mertola.
The Igreja Matriz, St Mary’s Church was an Almohad Mosque and is today a Portuguese national monument and one of the key places to visit in Mertola.

With a squat bell tower and now painted white, the exterior of the church resembles many others in this region.

Remarkably, the mosque’s mihrab, marking the direction of Mecca, has survived. So too has the minbar, the ornate space in which the imam’s pulpit would have been stored.

The building still has doorways with rounded arches dating from the time of the Almohad dynasty, whose empire straddled the Mediterranean. The building is a national monument and one of the reasons why Mértola has been described as “the most Arabic town in Portugal”. Every two years the Mértola Islamic Festival is held in late springtime.

Equine statue of Ibn Qasi, under whose leadership Mertola experienced a period of independence from 1144 to 1150.
Equine statue of Ibn Qasi, under whose leadership Mertola experienced a period of independence from 1144 to 1150.

Leading Mértola to independence

Under the castle walls, a statue of Ibn Qasi sits on an Arabian horse. Wearing a helmet and ready for battle, Qasi looks out over the town he ruled in the mid-12th century. Influenced by Sufism, he was acknowledged as an inspirational leader and great warrior. Ibn Qasi led Mértola to independence from the Almoravids, governing as the head of an independent state.

Archaeologists have uncovered a wealth of artefacts in the town. Outlines of walls and doorways, known locally as the ‘Muslim village’ are visible on ground between the castle and the Guadiana. Pottery and other finds are displayed in the town’s Islamic Art Collection, arguably the most significant in Portugal. Exhibits include practical pottery, such as jars, and colourful al-Andalus ceramics depicting flora and fauna. Some have geometric patterns.

Ruins of an Islamic village at Mertola in Portugal's Alentejo province.
Ruins of an Islamic village at Mertola in Portugal’s Alentejo province. From 1144 to 1150, under the leadership of Ibn Qasi, Mertola experienced a period of independence.

“The most impressive thing about Mértola, for us Portuguese, is the sheer number of remains of the Muslim settlement. Most other towns of that time developed in the following centuries and therefore remains of Muslim buildings were destroyed or built upon. That was not the case with Mértola,” says Aquiles Gomez, a walker interested in Portuguese heritage.

Places to visit in Mertola include the medieval stone fortress overlooking the River Guadiana in Alentejo, Portugal.
The walled city of Mertola is guarded by a stone fortress and overlooks the River Guadiana in the Alentejo, Portugal.

Roman, Phoenician and Carthaginian history

Older civilisations also interacted with this region; the Phoenicians, Carthaginians and Romans left their marks. They were drawn by the region’s mineral wealth. Gold, silver, tin and later copper were all mined here.

Storks (Ciconia ciconia) nesting on a bell tower Mertola, Portugal, during the breeding season.
Storks (Ciconia ciconia) nesting on a bell tower Mertola, Portugal, during the breeding season.

The Romans knew the town as Myrtilis Iulia and settled the area now occupied by the castle. You can see exposed mosaics, depicting animals and hunting scenes, from raised viewing platforms.

The remains of a villa are displayed in the basement of the town hall, as part of the Roman House museum. One of the most obvious signs of the later period of Roman occupation is the Torre do Rio, the riverside tower that defended the ancient port.

Ruins of the late-Roman River Tower (Rio Torre) by the River Guadiana at Mertola in Portugal. It once guarded access to the port.
Ruins of the late-Roman River Tower (Rio Torre) by the River Guadiana at Mertola in Portugal. It once guarded access to the port.

Geographers may take issue with the description of Mértola as “the most westerly port in the Mediterranean” because the Guadiana actually flows into the Atlantic, at the Gulf of Cadiz. Yet the town did have important connections with the great civilisations of the Mediterranean and benefitted by trading grain and minerals. During the Middle Ages the river silted up and Mértola’s significance declined.

A woman shades herself from the sun while sitting against the wall of a whitewashed wall in the Old Town of Mertola.
A woman shades herself from the sun while sitting against the wall of a whitewashed wall in the Old Town of Mertola.

Mining close to Mértola

A few decades ago, the mining industry was a major employer. Copper ore and pyrite were extracted from the São Domingos Mine until 1960. The region’s population halved over the next decade. Today, bikers and walkers tend to explore the concrete shells of abandoned mine buildings.

Water in the rural Alentejo region, Portugal.
Water in the rural Alentejo region, Portugal.

If you have time venture into the Guadiana Valley Natural Park. Covering 70,000 hectares the park has a variety of habitats, including scrubland, rolling woodland and quartzite uplands. One of the most popular spots is the waterfall at the narrow, swift-flowing area of the river. It is known locally as Pulo do Lobo (Wolf’s Leap).

In summer the temperatures here rise into the high 30s, sometimes beyond. The long hours of sunshine helped make the area a major exporter of grain to Portuguese settlements in North Africa in the 1600s. Windmills still stand in Mértola’s hinterland, their sails once turned to grind the flour used to produce Pão Alentejano, the popular off-white bread that’s often served in a basket when people sit down in restaurants.

A field of orange-red earth, typical of the rural farmland around Mertola in the Alentejo, Portugal.
A field of orange-red earth, typical of the rural farmland around Mertola in the Alentejo, Portugal.

Cuisine of the Alentejo

Nearby Serpa produces one of mainland Portugal’s most distinctive cheeses, a blend of sheep’s and goat’s milk that’s famed for its flavour and creamy texture. It’s common to snack on cheese, bread and olives while choosing the main course.

Tree in a field in the Alentejo, Portugal.
Tree in a field in the Alentejo, Portugal.

From October to February locally hunted game appears on menus. In addition to the succulent prime cuts, often served grilled, game stew is a popular dish. Migas—a filling but inexpensive staple created from bread, garlic and olive oil—is at its most delicious when served with local lamb, soaking in the juices of the meat while on the plate. If you enjoy strong flavours try açorda a alentejana, a traditional garlic-coriander soup.

Exploring Mértola’s heritage is best done at a leisurely pace, yet understanding the Alentejo means ending the day with a hearty meal.

Sunshine bursts between trees near Mertola in the Alentejo, Portugal.
Sunshine bursts between trees near Mertola in the Alentejo, Portugal.

Map of Mértola

You can see where Mértola is on this map:

Google Map showing the location of Mértola in Portugal.

Accommodation in Mertola

Looking for a hotel in Mertola? You can find hotels in the Alentejo via the Booking.com website:



Booking.com

The castle and walled city of Mertola seen at night.
The castle and walled city of Mertola seen at night.

Books about the Alentejo

Considering making a trip to Portugal? You may find the following useful:

The Bradt Guide to the Alentejo:

 

Goncalo Elias has written a guide to Birding Hotspots in the Alentejo: Castro Verde and Mertola:

 

Read about the winemaking heritage of the region in A Tour of Alentejo: A Journey of Wine:

 

Why not read the books while sipping Portuguese wine from the Alentejo:

Wood doors in the city of Mertola, Portugal.
Wood doors in the city of Mertola, Portugal.

Further information

Find out more about the region around Mertola on the Visit Alentejo and Visit Portugal websites.

Photos illustrating this post are by Why Eye Photography.

Thank you for visiting Go Eat Do and reading this article about places to visit in Mertola, Portugal. Looking to learn a new skill while travelling? You could learn to scuba dive in Portugal at Peniche.

Stuart Forster, the author of this post, lived in Lisbon for two years and travelled widely in Portugal. An award-winning travel writer, Stuart has experience of writing for national newspapers, magazines and travel websites. He is available for commissions.

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A version of this post was originally published on Go Eat Do on 13 April 2014.

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4 Comments

  • Elizabeth Varadan

    April 18, 2014 at 09:08 Reply

    This was a fascinating post. I have a growing interest in Portugal and love reading about Portugal’s historic places. Your article made me feel I was there.

    • Stuart

      May 2, 2014 at 14:59 Reply

      Thanks Elizabeth,

      This is certainly a region that warrants an extended visit. I love the way you can still see evidence of so many cultures in the one town.

      Stuart

  • Geoff Moore

    May 12, 2014 at 16:07 Reply

    Always learn such a great deal from your posts, well done again!

    • Go Eat Do

      December 9, 2020 at 12:51 Reply

      Thank you for visiting Go Eat Do and reading this post.

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