Excellence Luxury Villas · Silves
Luxury Villa Rentals in Silves
Villas around the old Moorish capital and its orange groves, with the beach at Armação de Pêra a short drive away
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The Algarve's old capital, among the orange groves
Most visitors see Silves in an afternoon. They come up the Arade by boat from Portimão, climb to the castle and leave before dinner, and they miss the best of it. A thousand years ago this was Xelb, capital of the Moorish Algarve. The town still feels like a place that once mattered a great deal and sees no need to mention it.
The municipality reaches well beyond the town walls. It runs from the foothills of the Serra do Caldeirão, down through citrus groves and vineyards, to the sea at Armação de Pêra. We have 46 properties across it: country villas with private pools around Silves and São Bartolomeu de Messines, family houses near Alcantarilha and apartments a short stroll from the sand.
This guide covers how the area divides and when to come.
Silves at a glance
- Villas
- 46 villas and apartments, with up to 9 bedrooms
- Guide prices
- Typically £1,200 to £2,500 a week, from around £1,000
- Best areas
- Silves and its hills, Alcantarilha, São Bartolomeu de Messines and Armação de Pêra
- Highlights
- The red sandstone castle, the Gothic cathedral and the Medieval Fair each August
- Getting there
- Faro airport, around 45 minutes to an hour by road
Browse all 46 villas in Silvesor see them on the map
Villa numbers and guide prices are updated daily from our live collection.
Moradia Silves | 6-Bedroom Villa with Private Pool in Lagoa Silves6 bedrooms
Rent Ivory Majesty Villa Portugal5 bedrooms
Santana Views | 5-Bedroom Villa – Sao Bartolomeu de Messines5 bedrooms
Rent Moradia Zabel Portugal6 bedroomsWhere to stay in Silves
Silves itself for history and countryside, Armação de Pêra for the beach, Alcantarilha for a base between the two, and São Bartolomeu de Messines for space and the hills.
Red sandstone, a cathedral and a river
Under the Moors, Silves was Xelb. In the twelfth century it was said to rival Lisbon for trade, poetry and learning. Its castle of red sandstone is the largest in the Algarve and still sits on top of the hill. You can walk the ramparts, with the Serra de Monchique on one side and the orange groves on the other.
In 1189 Sancho I took the town with the help of English crusaders, and lost it again two years later. Just below the castle are the Gothic cathedral and an archaeological museum built around a medieval cistern. Further down, the old bridge crosses the Arade. Villas in the hills around town suit people who would rather wake to birdsong than to beach traffic.
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Fishing boats on the sand, and a chapel of bones
Silves reaches the sea at Armação de Pêra, where fishermen still launch their boats from the main beach. The headland to the west shelters these beaches, so they are among the calmest in the central Algarve. To the east, Praia Grande de Pêra is quieter and wider, and it runs on towards the Salgados lagoon and its birdlife.
Alcantarilha is a small hill village a few kilometres inland. Behind its parish church is a sixteenth-century chapel whose walls are lined with human bones. You can see it in ten minutes, but you will remember it much longer. Villas here sit between the beach and the countryside, and Albufeira and Carvoeiro are both close.
Browse villas in Alcantarilha
A poet's town on the edge of the serra
North of Silves the land climbs through the barrocal, the band of rolling hills between the coast and the mountains, towards the Serra do Caldeirão. São Bartolomeu de Messines is the local market town. Its sixteenth-century church is trimmed in the local red sandstone. The town also has the house-museum of João de Deus, the nineteenth-century poet whose primer taught generations of Portuguese children to read.
The Arade and Funcho reservoirs are nearby, good for walking, cycling and riding. Choose Messines if you want room and quiet with the motorway close at hand, so the coast is still within easy reach.
Browse villas in São Bartolomeu de Messines
Orange blossom, jousting and a river trip
Silves is known as the orange capital of the Algarve. Fruit from the groves along the Arade turns up at every market, and the blossom scents the valley in spring. Every August the Medieval Fair takes over the old town for around ten days, with jousting, costumed parades and food cooked over open fires. Book early if you want to be here for it.
Inland summers are hot, so a private pool earns its keep. Spring and autumn are better for walking and for the castle. From around April to October, boats run up the river from Portimão, and their times depend on the tide. Our concierge can book the boat, tables in town, a private chef and transfers.
Ask our conciergeFeatured villas in Silves
Villa Luzia Portugal4 bedrooms · sleeps 8From £2,252 a week
Casa Mourita Portugal5 bedrooms · sleeps 10From £2,036 a week
Riad Verde | 4-Bedroom Villa with Private Pool in Silves – Portugal4 bedrooms · sleeps 8From £1,994 a week
Villa Rosana Portugal3 bedrooms · sleeps 6From £1,973 a week
Villa Vale Silves | 6-Bedroom Villa with Private Pool in Silves6 bedrooms · sleeps 12From £1,901 a week
Moradia Messines | 4-Bedroom Villa in Albufeira Sao Bartolomeu de Mess4 bedrooms · sleeps 8From £1,901 a week
Quinta Barrocal Silves: Spectacular 6-Bedroom Modern Villa with Private Pool & Garden in Historic Silves Portugal6 bedrooms · sleeps 12From £1,884 a week
Casa Silves | 5-Bedroom Villa in Silves Sao Bartolomeu de Messines5 bedrooms · sleeps 12From £1,805 a weekWhy book your Silves villa with Excellence Luxury Villas
The right house, not the nearest one
Silves covers everything from beachfront Armação de Pêra to remote hill country above Messines, and we know which villas are a short drive from the sand and which sit deep in the groves. With 46 properties in Silves, we can usually find the house that suits you rather than the one that happens to be free. Search by size, pool, location and price, or tell us what you have in mind and we will put together a shortlist.
Book direct
You book with us directly, with no booking fees. Questions about access, parking, pool heating or how far it really is to the nearest beach go to people who can find out the answer.
A concierge who knows the territory
Arade river boat trips, tickets and tables for the Medieval Fair, a private chef, wine tastings, guided walks in the serra, car hire and transfers from Faro. Our concierge team arranges all of it, leaving you free to decide which terrace to sit on.
A house for every kind of party
Couples, families with small children, three generations together or a crowd of friends celebrating a birthday: we match the house to the group, down to the number of bathrooms and whether the pool is fenced.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is the best place to stay around Silves?
Silves and its surrounding hills suit those who want history, countryside and quiet. Armação de Pêra is the beach option. Alcantarilha sits between the two, and São Bartolomeu de Messines offers the most space, in the foothills further north.
When is the best time to visit Silves?
Spring and autumn are the most comfortable months for exploring the town and walking in the hills. Summer is best for the beach at Armação de Pêra, though inland it can be very hot. August brings the Medieval Fair.
When is the Silves Medieval Fair?
It is held each August, usually for around ten days. Jousting, parades, a craft market and evening shows fill the castle and the old town. It is the busiest time of year in Silves, so book well ahead.
Can you arrange a private chef at a villa in Silves?
Yes. Our concierge can arrange a private chef for a single dinner or your whole stay, along with cookery lessons, guided visits, transfers and restaurant reservations.
How much does a luxury villa in Silves cost?
Across our 46 villas in Silves, weekly rates typically range from £1,200 to £2,500, with the most affordable from around £1,000 a week and the largest estates well above. Prices depend on the size of the property, its location and the season, with July and August the most expensive. These are guide prices based on current listings; each property page shows its own rates for your dates.
How do I get to Silves?
Faro airport is around 45 minutes to an hour away by road. Silves also has a station on the regional line between Lagos and Faro, around two kilometres south of the town. Our concierge can arrange private transfers.
Are there villas in Silves for large groups?
Yes. Our Silves collection includes properties with up to 9 bedrooms. Tell us the size of your party and the occasion, and we will send a shortlist that suits it.
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Find your villa in Silves
46 homes from the castle hills to the beach at Armação de Pêra, each booked direct with our concierge