Vila Nova de Milfontes

This small resort town is at the broad mouth of the Mira River, which is lined on both sides by sandy beaches. Overlooking the sea is an ivy-covered, late-16th-century fortress that protected Milfontes from the Algerian pirates who regularly terrorized the Portuguese coast. It was built on ancient Moorish foundations, because it was believed that the spirits there would ward off the pirates. One of the main draws is the coastal Rota Vicentina hiking trail, which passes nearby.