Weekend trip to Mértola, the Minas de São Domingos, and Beja

Date: Friday afternoon to Sunday afternoon, 6^th - 8^th MAY, 2022.

Venue: a two-and-a-half day trip to Mértola, in the Alentejo, with a guided tour to the  Moorish ruins and museum, as well as the vestiges of the São Domingos Mine. The two nights will be spent at the Beira Rio Hotel in Mértola.

Programme: Following the very successful lecture by Dr. Santiago Macias on Daily Life in Islamic Portugal in 2019, the Society has organised a trip to see the sites and excavations that he mentioned in Mértola. We travel by coach and book in to the Beira Rio hotel in the centre of Mértola on the Friday afternoon, in good time before dinner at the hotel. On the Saturday morning we will have a guided visit to the vestiges of the São Domingos Mine, where silver and gold was first mined by the Romans. The British company Mason and Barry mined copper and later pyrites from 1859 to 1966, and the mine became one of Europe´s largest. After lunch we will be guided around the Moorish ruins and museum at Mértola, including a reconstructed Moorish house. Saturday’s dinner will be at a local restaurant. On the Sunday, participants can wander up to the castle and church of Mértola, where one can see remains of the former mosque. Lunch will be in Beja, on the way home, where we have the opportunity to visit the castle and cathedral at leisure.

Time: Meeting point for the coach on the Friday:

• Lisbon 14.00: Museu de Lisboa, 245 Campo Grande, 1700-091 Lisboa (park at the EMEL car park).
• Estoril  14.30: behind the Estoril Casino (parking at the paid car park).
• Return on the Sunday scheduled for 18.00 in Estoril, and 18.30 in Lisbon.

Price: €160 per person double/twin room, €50 single room supplement - all inclusive (€25 surcharge for non-Members).

Booking: By e-mail to library@bhsportugal.org. Payment details will be emailed nearer the date.

1. Deadline for bookings and cancellations –Thursday, 28^th April.
2. Those who have already reserved a place/es do not need to book again.
3. Please indicate for whether you would prefer meat/fish/vegetarian for each of the four main meals (dinner Friday; lunch Saturday; dinner Saturday; lunch Sunday). 

Covid-19: Should any form of restrictions be in force, details will be confirmed to all participants nearer the date of the event.