Traditions and Legends

• At the Festa da Aleluia procession, only the men are allowed to lift the torches. This is because at the confraternities, the group in front of the canopy is only composed by men, with the women following behind.
• São Brás de Alportel was the seventeenth century summer residence of the bishops of the Algarve.
• The Sanatorium Vasconcelos Porto, named after founder and main patron, was a health institution for rail workers, located in São Brás, between 1918 and 1991.
• There are several ludic and religious popular festivals highlighting Festa da Páscoa (Easter Feast), Santo António Feast ( June 12 ), Alportel Feast in July and the Feast of Nossa Senhora das Dores ( 15 September ).
• The most important fairs of São Brás are the Annual Fair (February 2), the “Feira da Serra” in late July and the County Fair in mid-September.
• Craftsmanship is one of the main attractions of the village, highlighting pottery, basketry, weaving, cork, tiles and bricks.
• The village also has famous people like the poet Bernardo de Passos and the politician Mr João Rosa Beatriz, responsible for the nomination of Alportel as a council.
• São Brás de Alportel is also the place of birth of the Moorish poet Ibn Amnar in the twelfth Century.

Geographical Aspects

• Characterized by the transition between the barrocal zones and mountains divided by the Mediterranean red soil.
• It is bordered on the west by the municipality of Loulé, on the north and east by Tavira, Faro on the south and Olhão on the south east, with an area of 150.1 km2, consisting of only one parish: São Brás de Alportel.
• Around 9 kilometres away is the charming village of Estoi. In this village are the Roman ruins of Milreu with mosaics and a peristyle dated from the third century, which makes us believe that it was once a luxury home.
• You can also find the Estoi Palace, which was built in rococo style from the inspiration of a nobleman from the region who died before construction started in 1840. It was completed by José Francisco da Silva in 1909. It was recently restored and acquired by Pousadas de Portugal . Definitively a place to visit.
• The Church of Estoi – Igreja Matriz de Estoi-, also known as Igreja de São Martinho de Estoi, is a religious building of medieval origin, characteristic of this parish.

History

• The origins of the council dating back to Palaeolithic and Neolithic periods, where traces were found.
• The first documented reference to São Brás dates back to 1517, when a religious document was produced to list the church’s patrimony.
• S. Brás became a parish headquarter in the mid-sixteenth century and council in June 1, 1914 , with João Rosa Beatriz. In 2014 the council celebrated its 100 years.

Economy

• The extensive areas of cork plantations in São Brás increased the commercial and industrial development making it one of the largest cork production centres in Portugal and worldwide.
• It has a high density of forested land (72.2 % of the utilised agricultural area), corresponding to 2580 hectares of forest , consisting mainly of holm oaks, cork oaks, strawberry trees and round chained hills covered in cistus .
• The agriculture area is about 13.6 % of São Brás, predominating cereals, dried and fresh fruits, citrus, olives and land which has been left to rest.
• In relation to livestock, poultry, sheep and goats stand out as the main species.
• The secondary sector is marked by the mining industry of limestone and breccias, the manufacturing industry and the cork industry. The cork industry emerged in the nineteenth century and continues to be of great importance to the region, producing cork of the highest quality.