Alcalar

5 Kms west of Portimão and 4 Kms north of The Championship Golf Course of Penina, Alcalar is now little more than a well spread hamlet having the benefit of a mini-market, a café and some local restaurants. Despite its proximity to Portimão the area has managed to remain rural and enjoys spectacular views to the Monchique hills to the north and from some locations, a view of the sea. However, around five thousand years ago there was a huge settlement standing on a hillock next to what is now Alcalar. The settlement stood at the end of the River Torre which was then navigable and enabled the population to take full advantage of the coastal fishing riches. Besides the Torre, the Arão and the Farelo rivers also provided limited transportation and access to the coast which allowed the inhabitants to exploit fully the fishing and shellfish. However, during the third millennium BC the whole of the plain in that area, from the sea to the hills, offered a near perfect range of natural resources to support human habitation. A wide range of various rocks and stones as well as wood provided raw material for building purposes, a small amount of copper for artefacts and it was even possible to obtain alluvial gold from the river beds. Springs of drinking water together with the many streams provided a fertile soil for growing cereals and vegetables as well as providing excellent grazing land for animals. In those years the richness of the land would have supported much more vegetation than is seen today and as a result it is likely that there was also abundant game. Based upon the richness of area other settlements grew up around this central location and as a result megalithic funeral temples were built on the low slopes. A broad range of architectural examples were constructed and despite mans “progress” over the centuries the positions and remains of many of the buildings can still be seen today. This is perhaps due to the fact that Alcalar’s exceptional pre-historic monuments have been the subject of archaeological research from 1880 and were declared a National Monument in 1910. Excavation continues under the auspices of Instituto Português do Patrimonio Arquitectonico to this day and the site is open to visitors for a nominal entry fee.

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