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Alcantarilha in Central Algarve Portugal, This Small village has grown in size in the last ten years. with the EN125 running through it. The old part has remained little unchanged, with it narrow streets and the main High street that runs the length of the village, it narrows to just one car wide near the large and impressive church.
Attached to the church at one side is small bone chapel that is opened every day with skulls and bones covering the walls and ceiling ,it is large enough for 2/3 people to stand and gaze in amazement at such a wonder, most of the bones are that of children an teenagers,little history is given about how it exists today . it is well worth walking around the village as you will come across a early dwelling that dates back to the 17th Century. In addition, walking around the rear down an alleyway that brings you back to the main High street you will see the old garden wall which has arrow slits in it to fire upon intruders. The village holds two further important chapels to the village which are mostly used for Funerals, you will often see the locals sitting on the main church steps just to watch the world go by, but more likely to see the motoring skills of the one car wide road that runs past it
The village has much to offer throughout the year it holds a monthly market near the fire station. (see site map for Market dates), also it holds a monthly flea market in the same place, the village holds annual events including a dried fruits fair which goes into live music entertainment well into the evening this is a large event with many locals who attend from neighbouring villages,
The event is well worth a visit as it has much to offer including a living museum that is set up to show how the way of life was in the 19th century, you will also come across an old Nora this is an early well that was driven by a donkey that walked around it to draw up water used for drinking and washing, the village offers a good range of restaurants that are well worth a visit, you may even come across the scouts as they often hold meetings in the village hall and can be heard with their band practice. There is a small museum on one of the back streets that shows different farm implements and other early house hold items used in past . The more newer part of the village can be see by all the new houses that have been built on the other side of the EN125 along with an Adli’s supermarket and a small retail park, if going to the nearby Town of Armacao de Pera then this village is well worth stopping off to explore as these villages are what form the hidden gems of the Algarve.
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Inside the bone Chapel
Main street 1 car wide
Bone chapel entrance