Odeleite Dam
Local tips
In 2026 the beach opened on 26 June and stayed open for bathing until 30 September, but lifeguard cover ended in early September. Dates change every year, so check with Castro Marim council (+351 281 510 740). For a view of the reservoir from above, the PR9 'Mina e Albufeira' walk leaves Furnazinhas and climbs Cerro Pelado (7.7 km).
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Azinhal
Azinhal is a village close to Castro Marim and the seat of a hill parish of 68.7 square kilometres, the third largest in the municipality, with 479 residents in 2021. It is known for two things: its bread and pastries, good enough to draw people from elsewhere, and bobbin lace, still made by a handful of lacemakers who show their work at fairs and markets. Local tradition ties the origin of the lace to the Legend of Azinhal, a love story. The village has the church of Espírito Santo. To the east, on high ground, a windmill gives a sweeping view over the Guadiana. The Espaço Multiusos houses the Queijaria Experimental, which sells and offers tastings of fresh cheese and yogurt made from Algarve goat's milk. The GR15 Rota do Guadiana trail climbs to Azinhal on its stretch between Junqueira and Odeleite and meets the PR3 'Janelas do Guadiana' walk here. The village holds a monthly market.
Castro Marim
Foz de Odeleite
Foz de Odeleite is a small village on the bank of the Guadiana, at the point where the Odeleite stream flows into the river. A little upstream the Odeleite has already merged with the Foupana, and the two arrive here as one. The village faces the water. It has a floating pier, first installed in the early 1990s and replaced in 2019, where the tour boats that work the Guadiana tie up. Arriving by land you will find a cheese dairy and a restaurant known for its lamprey and eel dishes. It is also a stop on the GR15 Rota do Guadiana trail: the stretch from Odeleite passes the Pernadas watermill, reaches Foz and carries on north through Corte das Donas to Álamo, in the municipality of Alcoutim.
Castro Marim
Furnazinhas
Furnazinhas is a hill village in the parish of Odeleite, with narrow streets and whitewashed houses, and very well kept. It is where the second sector of the Via Algarviana ends: it leaves Balurcos, crosses the Foupana stream, one of the best preserved in the Algarve, and reaches the village after 14.3 km. Around it are ruined windmills and the remains of an old copper mine, the Caieiras mine. You can still see the shaft and the spoil heaps, flecked with green malachite; the gallery entrance is sealed. The PR9 'Mina e Albufeira' is a 7.7 km loop from the village centre that passes the mine, climbs Cerro Pelado at 231 metres for a view over the Odeleite reservoir, and drops down to the stream. There is also the PR10 'Barrancos Furnazinhas', which links to the Via Algarviana. In April the village hosts the Feira do Campo, a country fair with basketry, lace, woven palm work, honey, dried fruit and traditional sweets.
Castro Marim
Pernadas Watermill
The Moinho das Pernadas is an old watermill on the Odeleite stream, 2 km from the village on the road to Foz de Odeleite. It used the stream to grind the region's grain and kept working until around 1980, when the last miller left. The site has been restored and includes the mill, a landing stage, the miller's house, a lookout and a bread oven. Beside it are a weir, built in the mid-20th century, and a small museum with a picnic area. Two walking routes pass here: the circular PR4 'Odeleite de Perto e de Longe', and Sector 3 of the GR15, which follows the stream down to Foz de Odeleite.
Castro Marim