Ayamonte

Vila Real de Santo António (pronounced [ˈvilɐ ʁiˈal d(ɨ) ˈsɐ̃t(u) ɐ̃ˈtɔnju] ) is a city, civil parish, and municipality in the Algarve, Portugal. The population in 2011 was 19,156, in an area of 61.25 km2. It is one of the few municipalities in Portugal without territorial continuity: its territory comprises two parts, with the municipal seat located in the eastern part. Vila Real de Santo António was founded after the 1755 Lisbon earthquake, and largely expanded in 1774 using the same architectural and construction techniques employed in the reconstruction of Lisbon after the disaster. The city is situated next to the Guadiana river. Before the construction of the Guadiana International Bridge (in its neighboring upstream municipality of Castro Marim), it used to be the easiest access to Portugal from Andalusia (via ferry from the Spanish city of Ayamonte across the river). Nevertheless, international movement of people and goods is still intense and quite visible in the city.

Vila Real de Santo António is the parish of Vila Real de Santo António Municipality, Algarve Region, that contains the city of Vila Real de Santo António. The population in 2011 was 11,946, in an area of 10.99 km². The city of Vila Real de Santo António is situated at the southeasternmost tip of Portugal. The city lies on one side of the mouth of the Guadiana River, at the point where it flows into the Atlantic Ocean. Spain lies on the opposite side of the river, and from there are directly facing Vila Real de Santo António the city of Ayamonte and its adjacent Isla Canela.

The Vila Real de Santo António lighthouse is located on the right bank of the river Guadiana, in Vila Real de Santo António, in the Algarve region of Portugal.

The Guadiana ( GWAH-dee-AH-nə, US also gwahd-YAH-nə, Spanish: [ɡwaˈðjana], Portuguese: [ɡwɐˈðjɐnɐ]) is an international river defining a long stretch of the Portugal-Spain border, separating Extremadura and Andalusia (Spain) from Alentejo and Algarve (Portugal). The river's basin extends from la Mancha and the eastern portion of Extremadura to the southern provinces of the Algarve; the river and its tributaries flow from east to west, then south through Portugal to the border towns of Vila Real de Santo António (Portugal) and Ayamonte (Spain), where it flows into the Gulf of Cádiz. With a course that covers a distance of 829 kilometres (515 mi), it is the fourth-longest in the Iberian Peninsula, and its hydrological basin extends over an area around 68,000 square kilometres (26,000 mi2) (the majority of which lies within Spain). In Portuguese, the name Guadiana has replaced Odiana, now an archaic form.

Castro Marim and Vila Real de Santo António Marsh Nature Reserve (Portuguese: Reserva Natural do Sapal de Castro Marim e Vila Real de Santo António) is a nature reserve in Portugal. It is a Ramsar wetland. It attracts visitors due to its diverse fauna, which comprises some 153 species of birds, including storks, avocets, sandpipers and flocks of flamingos, as well as more than 400 plant species and various reptiles, amphibians and mammals. In the spring of 2021, 550 flamingos were born at the natural reserve - a first for Portugal.

Isla Canela is a small island located south of the town of Ayamonte, in Andalusia, Spain, in Province of Huelva. The mouth of the Guadiana River is next to the island, and Portugal can be easily seen from Isla Canela. Isla Canela is set within an area of coastal scenery with beaches, dunes, and salt marshes. Beaches and Activities The 7 kilometre beach is of fine, golden sand. There is an 18-hole golf club, and a marina and commercial centre which provide amenities such as shops, bars and restaurants. Outdoor pursuits such as sailing, canoeing, motor boats, tennis, fishing and diving are available in the area. Cuisine The region is famous for its grilled fish, especially sardines and deep fried calamares (squid). Climate The climate in Isla Canela is mainly Mediterranean, with generally hot and dry summers and mild winters. The area is considered a year-round destination.

The Marismas de Isla Cristina ("Cristina Island marshes") are located at the mouth of the river Carreras in the province of Huelva, Andalusia, in southern Spain. Created in 1989 (Law 2/89 of the inventory of the Protected Natural Spaces of Andalusia), the natural park has a surface area of 21.45 square kilometres (8.28 sq mi), shared between the municipalities of Ayamonte and Isla Cristina.

The Guadiana International Bridge (Spanish: Puente Internacional del Guadiana; Portuguese: Ponte Internacional do Guadiana) is a bridge that crosses the Guadiana River connecting southern Spain (town of Ayamonte) and Portugal (town of Castro Marim). It is the southernmost land crossing on the Portugal–Spain border. It is not split evenly between the two countries, with a greater share of it situated in Portugal. Completed in 1991, its structural type is a cable-stayed bridge, with a deck of prestressed concrete. The bridge was designed by the Portuguese Structural Engineer Professor José Luis Câncio Martins on behalf of Huarte S.A. (now Obrascón Huarte Lain) and Teixeira Duarte. The bridge is open to vehicles only. It is the third longest bridge in Portugal and one of the longest in Spain. The bridge is 666 metres long with the central span between the towers being 324 metres. The deck stands 20 metres above the river, allowing the navigation of ships of deep draft. The two towers of the bridge are 95 and 96 metres tall, respectively. The Spanish side tower rests on an artificial island built on the riverbed, while the pillar on the Portuguese side is on land. The bridge connects the Via do Infante de Sagres A22 motorway (Portugal) to the Autopista del Quinto Centenario A-49 Motorway (Spain), and is part of the European route E1.

The Castle of Castro Marim is a medieval castle on a hilltop overlooking the civil parish of Castro Marim, in the municipality of the same name, in the Portuguese Algarve. The castle was part of the defensive line controlled by the Knights Templar, a stronghold used during the Portuguese Reconquista, and adapted during the Restoration War to defend the frontier. The castle is located in a unique landscape due to the proximity of salt and mouth of the Guadiana River. Within the castle fortification are two epigraphic inscriptions: one, the first to record a settlement established by a Portuguese monarch, while the second carving identifies the alterations occurring under the reign of King Denis.

Castro Marim is a freguesia (parish) in Castro Marim Municipality (Algarve, Portugal). The population in 2011 was 3,267, in an area of 79.35 km².

The Fort São Sebastião of Castro Marim (Forte de São Sebastão de Castro Marim in Portuguese) is located in the village, parish and municipality of Castro Marim, in the District of Faro, in Portugal. The fort is located to the south of Monte do Castelo, in Serra do Cabeço, where there was originally a hermitage under the invocation of Saint Sebastian, demolished during the fortification works. Its importance stems from it being the best preserved example of the extensive process of renovation of the town's defensive system in the mid-17th century. The fort has been classified as a National Monument since 2012.

Castro Marim (Portuguese pronunciation: [ˈkaʃtɾu mɐˈɾĩ] ) is a town and a municipality in the southern region of Algarve, in Portugal. The population in 2011 was 6,747, in an area of 300.84 km2. The current mayor is Francisco Amaral, elected by the Social Democratic Party. The municipal holiday is June 24. In the Roman era, Castro Marim was known as Aesuris. Every year in the end of August there is a Medieval Fair/Festival that reunites many people from across the world to perform, like medieval musicians, archers, swordsmen, dancers, troupes, etc. There are sellers too: blacksmiths, textile crafters (weaving), herbs sellers, etc. In honour to his Portuguese mother, Lucia Gomes, from Castro Marim, Paco de Lucía - the Spanish composer and guitarist - named his thirteenth studio album Castro Marín.