Santa Catarina Fortress Tours

Standing watch over Portimão at the mouth of the Arade River, the once-mighty Santa Catarina Fortress now lies in ruins, but retains much of its former grandeur, with its stone-brick curtain walls still largely intact.

Portimão’s maritime fortress was built by Alexandre Massai in the 17th-century to protect the port from pirates and invaders, but today it serves as the photogenic backdrop to the sandy Praia da Rocha beach. Explore the chapel inside, dedicated to St. Catherine of Alexandria, or head there at sunset for a dazzling view along the coast.