Paderne
An inland village north of Albufeira, near the ruins of a Moorish castle above the Quarteira river valley.
Paderne is a village in the inland part of the Albufeira municipality, in rural country away from the busy coast. Its main draw is the Castle of Paderne, a twelfth-century fortress built in rammed earth by the Almohads on a hilltop above a bend in the Quarteira river.
Inside the walls are the ruins of a medieval chapel, and below, an old bridge crosses the stream. The valley is a protected natural area of Mediterranean scrub, and paths link the village, castle and riverbanks. It suits those looking for history and countryside close to the resorts.