Overview of Past Trips and Travels

16 Jan 2010 - Trip to Paderne castle  guided by Rui Parreira

13-17 October 2009 – Four night Visit to the North of Portugal by coach
Visiting Coimbra, Conimbriga, Guimarães, and Citânia de Briteiros. See page with Reports of recent Travel

Saturday, 30 May 2009 10:30- São Bras. Visit to São Bras museum guided by Sr. Emanuel followed by a walk round the historic town and the Roman road that led to Faro.  See page with Reports of recent Travel

Saturday, 18 Apr 2009 10:30 - Visit to Palácio da Galeria in Tavira to the exhibition "Patrimonio do Mar". See page with Reports of recent Travel

20 - 28 Feb 2009: AAA Trip to Morocco with Chris Pollard.                                                                           See page with Reports of recent Travel.                                                                                                                  Photographs of the trip can be viewed in the Photo Album.

Saturday, 15 Nov 2008 - Visit to the new museum in Portimão:
See page with Reports of recent Travel.

15 – 18 Oct 2008 - 4 day visit to Andalucía: ‘The White Villages of the Sierra de Cadiz’.
See page with Reports of recent Travel.

August 2008 - Visit of Cerro da Vila with Felix Teichner




    Artefact just found during

               the visit

Saturday, 10 May 2008 - Visit to Alzejur: The Presidente do Património, Sr. José Morreiros led us to the Bronze Age necropolis in Vale de Telha which was only identified last year and dated from 1800 -1200BC. The forward looking Câmara purchased the site to save it from developers and although graves and artifacts have already been found a lot of excavation has yet to be done. Next we went to the promontory of Atalia where extensive excavation has already taken place. This was the Ribat (convent-fortress) of Arrifana high on the cliffs containing the remains of 3 mosques each with their mihrabs oriented to the East and the principal one had a muezzin tower. It would have been abandoned in about 1151 after the murder of their spiritual leader and the persecution of his followers. Artefacts found here are housed in the Alzejur museum. After lunch we continued to Carrapateira. Located on another perilously steep promontory are the remains of the Muslim Povoado dos Pescadores, the site where the fishermen lived, probably fishing during the season and also farming the surrounding area. Artefacts have been found here including a whale bone, probably used as a bench! There are plans to construct an information centre and museum.

08-10 April 2008 - Visit to Tomar/ Obidos area: In Tomar visits were made to the fascinating Hebrew synagogue (the oldest and best preserved in Portugal) and to a museum dedicated to a huge collection of over 48.000 match boxes. On a site high above town we visited the magnificent 12th century Convento de Cristo which is surrounded by high defensive walls and contains the impressive octagonal chapel once used by the Knights Templar (now undergoing restoration). In the Serra de Aire National Park twe saw the dinosaur tracksite made by sauropods (quadruped herbivorous dinosaurs with small heads and long necks and tails) dating from the middle Jurassic (175 mill. years ago). At another Jurassic park further along the coast we saw how the shells, sponges and fishes had been laid down on the ancient seabed, now incorporated in the solid rock. Geological studies suggest that during the Jurassic times this section of the European landmass may have been linked with the present day Eastern coast of the USA. In the museum in town twe saw the impressive collection of dinosaur remains.

Saturday 24 Nov 2007 - Visit to Albufeira: The group had a guided tour though the charming small museum in the old village bordering the former castle parade ground. Above the doorway to the 18th century museum building is incorporated a stone Azevedo coat of arms believed to have once adorned the castle gateway. Inside we were led along the exhibits displayed in chronological order. Significant were the Retorta Vase, several items of later periods discovered by Estácio da Viega at Retorta on the old road linking Albufeira to Quateira, and finds from near Paderne and the Visigoth necropolis at Poço dos Mouros. The Al-Buayre (castle by the sea) Islamic occupiers built the first fortifications in Albufeira and in the foundations of the museum is an Islamic grain silo, large enough to supply a household of eight and suggesting evidence of a time of trade with North Africa. Through the castle’s north gateway and ramparts we were led to the beach through the town’s famous tunnel built by the renowned engineer Duarte Pacheco in the early 20th century. From there it was on to the Neo Classical Parish Church of Nossa Senora Conceição and the Parish museum housed in São Sebastião church, with a beautiful reredos, tile fragments, and a model of the original castle fortifications.

16–20 Oct 2007 - AAA trip to the south eastern area of Spain, Andalucia: On our way over we stopped in Marchena for lunch and a stroll in the village. In Antequera we visited the Municipal Museum, the old Palace of Najera, a walk through the old town, and the Gothic Renaissance Church of Santa Maria los Mayor. In the afternoon two of the megalithic dolmens of Antequera (2500 -2200 BC) were visited. The dolmen of Menga was meant to serve as a collective tomb, but a 19m.deep well has been found inside and stones worn down by the movement of animals suggest that the tomb was used for other purposes, animals – people- shelter. At Castellon Alto the Late Bronze Age (1900 – 1600 BC) settlement of the el Algar was visited as well as the Galera museum. Thereafter the Tutugi Necropolis was visited. In Los Millares, 17km north of Almeria, a Chalcolithic (Copper Age) site with 4 defensive walls and advance forts for protection was visited. It was the copper collected from the nearby Serra de Gadar that propelled the development of this village as they were able to make arms, utensils, ornaments and had a successful export trade as well. In the afternoon we went to Almeria to the excellent and very modern Archaeological Museum. On our return to the Algarve we stopped at Osuna for a walk round the town and lunch.


                               
At the quarries of Osuna

Saturday, 06 Oct 2007 - Visit to the olive farm of Detlev von Rosen near Moncarapacho: On this most interesting and enjoyable visit made to the olive farm we were welcomed by the owner and self-appointed guide. On this farm is a walkway with pillars dating from Roman times and a section of the Roman road that led to Balsa. In addition to a host of interesting facts, we learned that olive trees can live to a great age (some thought to be 200 years old) although harvesting usually starts at 7 years. The modern production plant was visited where oil is extracted to produce ‘extra virgin’, ‘virgin’ and plain olive oil depending on its acidity.
04–11 June 2007 – AAA visit to Roman Provence with Chris Pollard.
May 2007 - Laccobriga (Roman Lagos) with Rui Parreira: The exhibition in the Lagos Cultural Centre was about Laccobriga and had pulled together finds and information that had been collected over the years. Rui guided us through the exhibition and explained the artifacts on display. After the visit we went to Monte Molião where he showed us the archaeological excavations that were taking place. New discoveries included evidence of defensive ditches and also a small section of fish salting tanks down near the modern road.

27 Apr 2007 – AAA day out to Castro Verde: Guided visit to the Basilica Real, the Tesouro da Basilica, the Moinho da Largo da Feira, the Museu da Lucerna and Monte das Oliveiras.
April 2007 - AAA visit to Miróbriga with Felix Teichner : Miróbriga is the supposed name for the site that Pliny refers to as Merobrica being a Roman settlement on the coast between the Tagus and the Algarve but there is no certainty that this is it. The site of Miróbriga is near the prosperous town of Santiago do Cacem, 20 km from the modern port of Sines. Earlier it was an Iron Age fortified settlement (oppidum) in an area not only of fertile agricultural land, but of extensive mineral deposits (copper and iron). The Roman town – dating from the 2nd. century BC – was no doubt an important trading centre, probably a municipium with a local senate and was still occupied in the 5th century. Within the walls the site is hilly but the Forum sits on the highest point, levelled out and dominating the countryside; and itself splendidly overlooked by the podium and columns of a central Temple dedicated to the Emperor. Most of the urban area was buried but a commercial zone and a number of insulae have now been cleared. An unusually interesting double public bath complex is especially well preserved. An exceptional feature is the hippodrome, large enough to have held a possible 5.000 spectators - the only one to have been found in Portugal – and measuring 360 x 77 m. (larger than that in Tarragona, but comparable to those at Mérida and Toledo). There is much still to do and the comparative remoteness of Miróbriga continues to result in low funding and intermittent excavation. A large visitors’ centre has been built and it is expected that this will contain a site museum.

27-28 Mar 2007 – overnight visit to Evora: Our guide took us to 3 megalithic sites where she explained the functions of these granite structures and the rituals that may have been held there when they were created around 7,000 years ago. In Evora we had free time to visit the old centre. This year the town is celebrating its 20 years of being a World Heritage Site and walking back after dinner in the evening we took in the grandeur of the facades of the buildings along the clean, narrow streets. The next morning we drove through vast plains to reach Alvito. where we had a ‘church fresco tour’. Then on to Cucuafate where we walked around the newly renovated site and saw the 2 storey Roman villa and in the granary, possibly the oldest fresco yet to have been discovered. The last stop after lunch was Portel where we climbed the castle walls in the late afternoon.
Friday, 23 Feb 2007– AAA evening visit to the Tavira Observatory: Having first learned the constellation names in a ‘children’s’ chart of the night sky projected on a large dome, we then saw a projection of the full February sky. The map of the universe in the past was compared with that of the possible future. We were also told how primitive people may have read the heavens. It was a partially cloudy evening to begin with but our guide was able to point out the large halo of ice particles around the moon. But finally as the sky cleared we were able to see the craters of the moon through his telescope. We could also see Saturn with it’s rings and Sirius, the brightest star. It was an exciting and informative evening.

Saturday, 27 Jan 2007 – AAA day visit to the Western Algarve with Dr Rui Parreira as our guide: Near Raposeira we visited the medieval chapel which is dedicated to the Black Virgin of Guadalupe, whose cult is linked not only to navigators and mariners, but also to the ransoming of captives. Henry the Navigator is known to have visited the chapel (having a rural palace in the area). At Boca do Rio (Budens) we visited the Roman ruins that are under considerable threat not only from sea erosion but also through unscrupulous treasure hunters. However we were able to see some of the remains of what had been a large fishing settlement in Roman times having baths and fish salting tanks dating back to the 1st – 5th centuries AD. After lunch we carried on to Praia da Luz to see remains of the Roman baths once part of a small fishing settlement (3rd – 5th century AD). These were originally located and excavated by Estaçio da Viega during the 19th century. Later, the area was used to grow vegetables, but when building work was planned rescue excavations were carried out. This work supported by the AAA revealed fish salting tanks and an aqueduct as well as the baths. Part of the bath complex is now open and we could see the remains of some of the original mosaics, most of which are now sadly destroyed. Finally we visited Monte Molião, a prominent hill facing the city of Lagos.. This is the site of an ancient Roman settlement known in classical times as Laccobriga and dating back to the 4th century BC. Rui described the interesting history of the settlement and explained that in the 1st century AD the settlement was moved and is now covered by the town of Lagos

March 2006 - Trip to Foz Côa

Picture taken at Evora Monte on last day of the trip