MERTOLA

Arrived in Mertola without a hitch today on a misty morning at 9.30. The sun soon burnt through resulting in a beautifully sunny windless day. But first I'd like to show a couple of pictures from the bike ride I did from Tavira two days ago. 

coastal track from Faro to Tavira

There is a purpose made hiking or biking path which more or less follows the railway line. Along the way it passes through the picturesque town of Fuzeta. 

Fuzeta mariner

So back to Mertola. When I first planned this trip up through the interior I had intended to simply pass by Mertola and make my first stop Beja. I obviously didn't know what I'd be missing. 

Mertola and Moorish castle

The picture says it all. It's a bite size town on the banks of a river with both a lot of Roman and Mooorish history behind it. Just like Cordoba, the church (right of castle) has a very  Moorish interior from when it was a mosque. 

Moorish pillars inside the church

In tourism, places are promoted with glowing compliments, splattered with rather over the top superlatives and some very deceptive adjectives. But maybe Mertola deserved anything that can be thrown at it as you can see for the pictures. Fantastic place and definitely not to passed over. Judge for yourself.

View from my room in Pension Rita

elegant bridge over the river

river north of Mertola

many photos like this one

Unfortunately the castle isn't open the public on Mondays so maybe tomorrow before I begrudgingly leave this place on a bus at 11am. D