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Portimao, Boat Charters

Visit Silves & Explore the Arade River | Eco-Friendly Solar Powered Boat

4 hr 30 min

Viator

5.0/5

Product code: 64488P4

5.0 · 92 reviews

Price from

$37.87

Live availability on Viator

No request form needed
Live availability and booking handled by Viator

Check availability

About this activity

Discover this wonderful river & the medieval city of Silves, full of history, with a very rich nature and unforgettable landscapes. Enjoy a relaxing trip from Portimão to Silves aboard our sustainable eco-friendly boat on the full of history waters of the Arade River, where the future meets the past. Our ecological boat is quiet and perfect for those who look for a peacefull and quiet boat trip. It has comfortable cushioned seats, shades and tables for placing glasses of drink and personal items. During the trip, the captain will share with you curiosities about the river and its history. At Silves you'll have about 1,5 hour to visit the historical places , monuments, castle, museum or try it's delicious local cuisine. On our return to Portimão, enjoy a different perspective of the city and the Arade River's mouth.

See the boat

What is included

All taxes, fees and handling chargesOther

Availability for shows cannot be checked without making a booking. Credit cards will only be charged upon confirmation of show availabilityOther

BeveragesOther

Children must be accompanied by an adultOther

Covid 19: Due to the pandemic situation, we reduced the boat capacity in 30%Other

Driver/guideOther

Face masks required for guides in public areasSafety face masks required for guides in public ar

Face masks required for travellers in public areasSafety face masks required for travelers in public

Gear/equipment sanitised between useSafety gear equipment sanitized between use

Guides required to regularly wash handsSafety guides required to regularly wash hands

Hand sanitiser available to travellers and staffSafety hand sanitizer available to travelers and s

Hotel pickup and drop-offOther

Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lapInfants must sit on laps

Live commentary on boardOther

May be operated by a multi-lingual guideOther

Minimum numbers apply. There is a possibility of cancellation after confirmation if there are not enough passengers to meet requirements. In the event of this occurring, you will be offered an alternative or full refundOther

Itinerary

1
Algarve SUN BOAT Trips
We will departure from the Pier A, at Marina de Portimão.
2
Stop 2
In Ferragudo, located in a strategic location on the bank of the River Arade, is the fort of São João, whose origin dates back to the 17th century. This fort cooperated with the Fort of Santa Catarina, which was in front of it in Portimão, in defense of the river estuary. Rebuilt after the 1755 earthquake, this military construction continued to be used until the end of the 19th century, when it was sold at public auction, and acquired by the poet Coelho Carvalho who transformed it into a private residence. The fort is well maintained and in addition to a wall that connects Angrinha beach to Praia Grande, it also has several guardhouses and a garden.
3
Museu de Portimao
Portimão Museum is located in the century-old fish canning factory Feu Hermanos, located on the city's riverside area.

Cancellation policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Standard

Weather cancellation available

May cancel if minimum travelers are not met

Refund rules

100% refundable until 1 day before departure

0% refundable from 0 to 1 day before departure

Reviews

5/5

BEST boat tour of theArade River with Sives as an extra treat

What a fun, educational, and enjoyable way to learn about the history of the Arade River, the cities that are along the river, and the current environment. The boat is quiet (remember, solar powered!), moves along at a pleasant speed which allows for great conversation with the captain, Ricardo, and other passengers. Plus the view is specatular the entire time. From the cannaries (mostly what remains are just the chimneys with the stork nests), to the homes nestled along the water or up on the hill, to the fish jumping and birds standing guard, the entire experience is a perfect way to spend half a day. And then you make the bend in the river and Silves appears with a breathtaking view of the castle and church, then it disappears on the next bend, to pop up again with a different perspective at the next bend. The town of Silves is a delight to explore with cute shops, fabulous restaurants, and bakeries (try the bolo de laranga -- orange cake, it is AMAZING!). The 1.5 hours in Silves isn't enough time to really explore, so plan to go another day and spend hours wandering around. A huge thank yo to Ricardo for making our afternoon so relaxing and informative. He is a gem!

Reviewed by kristinek451 - 2022-10-26

5/5

A very nice boattrip to Silves.

It was magnificent. A beautiful landscape with even flamingoes, a quiet boat and a very friendly guide. Silves is nice to visit, even at a rainy day:) Definitely recomended.

Reviewed by Tats69 - 2022-10-17

5/5

If you want to visit Silves don’t drive go on this trip.

We had a wonderful time. Our guide was professional and friendly and told us interesting facts about the river and the port of Portimao. The boat is very quiet so the journey is both tranquil and relaxing. It’s also quite magical to arrive by boat into the centre of Silves. If you’ve not visited the town before there’s plenty of time to explore including a visit to the castle and the cathedral, however, we spent the time eating chicken piri piri in the BBQ restaurant in front of the market. A great day out!

Reviewed by Passenger26832694849 - 2022-09-27

5/5

A great day out!

A lovely quiet and peaceful trip up the river to Silves. We had a great view of a kingfisher, an osprey, flamingoes and glossy ibis. Good lunch in Silves and a glass of chilled rose wine on the way back. A great day out!

Reviewed by Q8894WEjanem - 2022-09-09

5/5

Definitely worth a visit

We had a super time, our party of 8 got mixed up, with some going to the wrong marina which delayed us going as they were having difficulty getting a taxi, Ricardo, our boat guide drove his own car in to pick them up, over and beyond to ensure we had a great day.. Higly recommend this trip to anyone

Reviewed by Marie Q - 2022-08-31

5/5

Fun and Interesting Boat Ride with Ricardo

Ricardo shared much of the rich history of the Algarves and Silves during this pleasant nature filled boat trip up the river to Silves. We saw cormorants, flamingo, and storks and learned much about the fishing and industry history of the area.

Reviewed by JtrippinitSF - 2022-12-21

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