Algarve

Sunlight, heat and the vibrant colours of the landscape. Everything in the Algarve is a source of energy. Offering you the chance to recharge your batteries.

All year round, the region's beaches, nature reserves, picturesque villages, golf courses, castles and fortresses can be enjoyed in all their splendour.

Day or night, you can do almost everything, or, if you prefer, do absolutely nothing. History, culture, and the popular local cuisine are readily available to all those who are interested.

The people of the Algarve have mixed freely with other cultures for many centuries and have long been used to welcoming visitors. Perhaps this is why people always have fond memories of the Algarve.

The region is an extensive and pleasant one, with a Mediterranean climate, marked by the smell of the sea at low tide and the scent of wild flowers.

A stroll through the tangled web of narrow streets, alleys and steps to be found away from the coast is the best way of getting to know this part of the region. But you can also easily lose yourself in the vastness of the coastal strip.

Here the backdrop is composed of some of Europe's most beautiful beaches, from where you can admire the rocky coastline and the playful shadows they cast on the sand.

After the enchantment of the landscape, you can discover the aromas and flavours of the traditional Algarve cuisine.

As you travel across the Algarve, amidst its hills and plains filled with places of great ecological interest, rich in biodiversity and ecosystems, you will feel as though you are passing through an area full of different traditions, unchanged for many centuries.

Life in the Algarve

Some of the best and most beautiful beaches in the entire world are to be found in the Algarve. Hardly surprising then that the region is a favourite for sun-seekers from all over. They come in search of the natural heritage that is now managed in a sustainable fashion, in order to provide quality recreational facilities able to meet all kinds of requirements.

There are beaches to suit every taste with the majority having gained due recognition in the form of the EU "Blue Flag" for quality standards. Along its 200-kilometre coastline, the Algarve features all types of coves, cliffs and caves, its rocky beaches contrasting with broad expanses of sand. Different types of beach, but all bathed in the calm, warm seawaters of this coastline.

Equally attractive is the Algarve's mild climate all year round. From Odeceixe all the way to Vila Real de Santo António, the entire coast enjoys a Mediterranean-style microclimate with temperatures that vary from 15º C in winter through to 30º C in summer.

The beaches of the Algarve thus represent the ideal choice for some truly invigorating holidays!

Golf

One of the finest golfing destinations in Europe, the Algarve is regarded today as an elite venue by top professionals.

The plans for the courses, mostly designed by internationally recognised golf-course architects, together with the superb landscapes in which they are located, satisfy the requirements of the most demanding enthusiasts, marking out the region as first-rate destination for golf.

The favourable climate with more than 300 days of sun per year, allows the golf season to be extended over several months, bringing players from all over the world to the Algarve.

The excellence on offer in the Algarve is only enriched by its great variety of trees, vegetation, its greens, tees and silence of its surrounds, only to be broken by the ‘crack’ of the perfect shot. Irresistible!

Sport and Adventure

You do not have to wait until summer to come to the Algarve to take part in sports or other outdoor activities. Throughout the region, and all year long, you can interact with the natural environment by playing sport in the healthy and intoxicating atmosphere of the Algarve.

Be it at the ocean shore, in the Barrocal, or in the picturesque mountains, the Algarve brings together the perfect conditions that enable a huge range of marine, land and aerial activities; some just for fun, some more adventurous, others more radical still.

Apart from the fine geography and climate with which it is blessed, the Algarve is also equipped with the most diverse and modern infrastructure to support outdoor activities. As a result, the whole region is now firmly on the map of Portuguese sporting destinations.

Business and Leisure

Far from the clamour of the summer months, there is a peaceful Algarve, conducive to concentration and ideal for staging business meetings and incentive programmes. In an intimate setting with the facilities to provide the necessary comfort for demanding meetings between professionals, the Algarve is a key destination area within the sector of business tourism.

Benefitting from good air and land links with other parts of the world, as well as the vast range of four- and five-star hotels on offer, this area has become the capital of business tourism in the South of Portugal.

The region provides many options for having a good time between meetings. With a series of planned activities, evening entertainment and cultural events, the circle that cleverly combines business with pleasure is complete.

Culture and Tradition

More than just magnificent beaches and a blessed climate, the Algarve offers a rich folk heritage which is worth appreciating along with the pleasures of the sun and the sea.

Devote some time to discovering it because there are old customs, living traditions and heritage buildings which can be enjoyed throughout the year.

Algarvians across the centuries have left such a rich heritage which deserves to be explored: from the unique celebrations of festive occasions (such as Easter, Christmas or spring); to the historical buildings of ancient and recent times; to the irresistible delicacies making up the regional cuisine.

Going back to the beginning of time

From the earliest times, the Algarve has been a place of settlement for various groups of people, which has yielded distinctive and representative examples of its architectural heritage, meriting a visit by those wanting to know more about the cultural legacy of the region.

From prehistory to the Pombaline era, and including the Roman, Arabic and mediaeval periods, there is a variety of evidence passed down to our times.  

Spread throughout the region, monoliths (menhirs) and megalithic monuments prove the existence of the early man.  

Later, the Romans discovered the pleasures of living in these parts, and have left behind evidence of their presence and culture.  

The Milreu Ruins in Estói, the Roman villa of the Cerro da Vila in Vilamoura, or the Alcalar Settlement are examples of their legacy, all of which are equipped with interpretive centres where you can learn more about daily life of these peoples of different eras.  

However, it is from the Islamic occupation that we have the greatest legacy which is present in different aspects of Algarvian culture, including castles, forts and churches (which were formerly mosques), apart from the strong influences seen in popular architecture.

In its turn, Vila Real de Santo António is the best example in the Algarve of a strong legacy left by the Marquis of Pompal in urban planning and architecture.

Testimonies from the past

Going back to the beginning of time

From the earliest times, the Algarve has been a place of settlement for various groups of people, which has yielded distinctive and representative examples of its architectural heritage, meriting a visit by those wanting to know more about the cultural legacy of the region.

From prehistory to the Pombaline era, and including the Roman, Arabic and mediaeval periods, there is a variety of evidence passed down to our times.  Spread throughout the region, monoliths (menhirs) and megalithic monuments prove the existence of the early man.  

Later, the Romans discovered the pleasures of living in these parts, and have left behind evidence of their presence and culture.  

The Milreu Ruins in Estói, the Roman villa of the Cerro da Vila in Vilamoura, or the Alcalar Settlement are examples of their legacy, all of which are equipped with interpretive centres where you can learn more about daily life of these peoples of different eras.  

However, it is from the Islamic occupation that we have the greatest legacy which is present in different aspects of Algarvian culture, including castles, forts and churches (which were formerly mosques), apart from the strong influences seen in popular architecture.

In its turn, Vila Real de Santo António is the best example in the Algarve of a strong legacy left by the Marquis of Pompal in urban planning and architecture.

In all the architecture of this sunny region, there are a multitude of historical references enabling the visitor to savour the different qualities of sun and sea.

Suggestions

• Milreu and Cerro da Vila Ruins

As important historical legacies proving the presence of the Romans in the Algarve, the Milreu Ruins...

• Churches

The Algarve possesses a significant religious heritage.  Among the many churches spread across the region...

• Dolmen and menhirs (Monoliths)

The wealth of prehistoric evidence, dotted across the Algarve, is worthy of attention...

• Museums

Filled with ancient artefacts exploring the history and way of life of past generations...

• Military Architecture in Eastern Algarve (Sotavento)

The 1755 earthquake severely affected the Algarve....

• Military Architecture in Western Algarve

Castles and forts, symbols of defence and conquests, are peppered throughout the Algarve...

• Chapels and Hermitages

Places of pilgrimage and veneration, chapels and hermitages in the Algarve attract the attention of the faithful and lovers of religious architecture....

• Castelo de Silves (Silves Castle)

Built by the Almoravid Arabs in the 11th Century, the Silves Castle is a reflection of the splendour attained by the Moors in the Algarve...

In all the architecture of this sunny region, there are a multitude of historical references enabling the visitor to savour the different qualities of sun and sea.

Heritage of buildings revealing traditions

With distinctive features that set it apart from the rest of the country, traditional Algarvian architecture, strongly influenced by its Moorish heritage over many centuries, reflects the combination of history, popular taste and practical necessity in this warm and sunny region.

Apart from being beautiful and picturesque, these houses display architectural features such as ornate chimneys, colourful mouldings, cool roof terraces, and whitewashed walls, which all hark back to the practical needs of daily life in former times.

While whitewashed square houses are common throughout the region, there are some exceptions, also adapted to the area’s climatic conditions, which add to the wealth of the region’s architectural heritage.

These include four-sided or hipped roofs, common in Tavira and Faro, windmills and tide mills, and water irrigation devices which together form part of Algarve’s historical legacy.

Algarvian Chimneys Cylindrical or prismatic, square or rectangular, simple or elaborate, Algarvian chimneys are a typical feature...

Water irrigation devices Used for thousands of years to take up water and channel it to the fields, water scoops or norias, “cegonhas” and sluices...

Tide Mills and Windmills :Machines of the past such as tide and water mills, and windmills, fuelled by the forces of nature...

The Roofs of Tavira and Faro Emblematic of Tavira, an ancient aristocratic city, the four-sided or hipped roof demonstrates a strong Oriental influence in its architecture...

Cubist Olhão:Olhão, a fishing town in the heart of the Algarve, is known as the city of cubes, owing to cube-shaped buildings...

Creativity and centuries of know-how

As a manifestation of traditional arts, as well as a reflection of Algarvian culture, society and economy of former times, the arts and crafts industry today produces work that has become a source of delight for tourists.  

Producing some decorative products but mainly objects of practical use, the arts and crafts industry represents the creativity of people who know how to use the region’s natural resources in practical and creative ways.

Goods produced by the weaving industry, which still continues in the Algarve, are the most commonly sold craft products.  With a wide range of items on offer, which include blankets, floor runners, towels, fine linens, and vivid rugs, you are spoilt for choice.  

Even if the most popular goods, e.g. earthenware objects, may have lost some of their practical purpose they have acquired ornamental value, which makes them desirable and, therefore, much sought after items.

Other objects, such as the attractive dolls which are reproductions of everyday people, wooden pieces, copper and wrought iron, decorative lacework and different types of baskets can be purchased easily in the many specialty shops spread across the region.

A culinary symphony

Trying out the Algarve’s regional cooking is a must for any visitor to the region. Rich in flavour yet simply prepared, its cuisine, like everything in this region, has its origins in distant times and customs and has absorbed various influences.

Fish and shellfish naturally play a starring role in the cookery of a fishing area faced by the Atlantic. For this, the finest recipes come from fishermen who, across the centuries, have perfected the art of preserving the sea’s natural flavours – grilling seafood slowly over charcoal. But there is more.

There are many recipes in which seafood is deliciously combined with aromatic herbs, spices and other ingredients.

The most famous of these is the dish, Amêijoas na Cataplana – clams prepared in a deep copper pan of Arabic origin with a hinged and sealable lid, particularly good at preserving the dish’s flavours and aromas.

However, the sea is not the only strong influence.

All the inland areas have provided the Algarve’s cuisine with marvellous recipes using market-garden produce, wild plants and meat from the mountain pastures as their stock ingredients.

Internationally renowned, its sweets are to die for! No-one can resist the taste or appearance of these heavenly confections of almonds, figs, oranges and carob, all cultivated in the Algarve, blended together with eggs and sugar.

Its famous Medronho brandy – distilled from the arbutus berry – belongs to the same magnificent tradition, as do its fruit liqueurs and regional wines.

It is an immensely rich legacy, increasingly available for your enjoyment in restaurants and traditional bars throughout the region.

Nature and Landscape

The Algarve’s natural diversity is undoubtedly one of its greatest riches. Visitors can easily pass through different environments within the same landscape. From coastal regions to the Algarvian Mountains, there is a whole world of diversity to be explored and just as many different ways to do so.

On the coastline, an ecological system of awe-inspiring biodiversity – from native birds with proudly built nests, to molluscs and crustaceans which are the main source of revenue for seafood producers in the South – invites visitors to observe fauna and flora closely on pleasant trail walks.

Far from the wide beaches and steep cliffs, bright green mixes with shades of brown in the vast plains of the Barrocal region that invites the visitor to experience a different Algarve, one that is covered with orange trees and orchards of fig, carob and almond trees.

Here too, there are nature trails to follow. Miles and miles of landscape with special geological features – schist and granite-like rock – are here to be enjoyed in the tranquillity of the mountains among friends and family.

Natural Areas

Discover an entire world of surprises

Among the many delights that the Algarve has to offer are areas in which Nature remains untouched.

In nature parks, protected sites and areas of ecological interest, there live species of fauna and flora which, beyond these areas, are already at risk of extinction. There are other species that, thanks to the very specific characteristics of the region, have only developed here and are part of the area’s natural heritage.

It is in these protected areas that you can witness flights of migrating birds, and observe otters, tortoises, flamingos, storks, herons or rare purple swamphens.  You can also come across vast stretches of native vegetation and interesting geological features.

All this natural wealth can be enjoyed by walking along already established trails, taking guided tours or making visits to interpretive centres, all of which form part of a sustainable tourism, which allows the visitor to live and learn alongside this Algarvian paradise, in which the dominant theme is the unchanging delight of nature.

Suggestions

• The Classified Sites of Fonte da Benémola and Rocha da Pena
• Fonte da Benémola and Rocha da Pena are protected nature conservation areas which support ecosystems of great ecological interest.
• Sites of Ecological Interest
• Places where you can see different bird species nesting include the Alvor Estuary, Paul de Budens and Leixão da Gaivota...
• Serras de Monchique Espinhaço de Cão and Caldeirão
• Acting as a gigantic amphitheatre, the Monchique, Espinhaço de Cão and Caldeirão hills form a protective barrier...
• South-West Alentejo and Costa Vicentina Natural Park

Here is a natural sanctuary in which the seashore is interrupted by steep cliffs, beaches and sand dunes...

Nature for Enjoyment

The generosity that Nature has bestowed upon the Algarve is a privilege best enjoyed on relaxing walks...

The Wetlands of Sapal de Castro Marim

Next to the mouth of the Guadiana River, the Marshland Nature Reserve of  Castro Marim and Vila Real de Santo António...

Ria Formosa

The Ria Formosa Nature Park is a unique lagoon system that is continually changing because of the movements of winds, currents, and tides...

Scenery

Many landscapes, many charms

The Algarvian landscape has many faces, and is one of the main attractions for visitors to the region.  It is made up of three very distinct areas which include the coast, the mountains and the orchards.

An area much sought after for tourism, the southern and south-eastern coasts are different in aspect. Along the latter, called the Costa Vicentina (Vicentine Coast), the landscape is somewhat rugged with sharp dark-coloured cliffs punctuated at times by small beaches and rough seas.  The south coast, on the other hand, is gentler and made up of colourful cliffs and miles of beaches with calm, warm water.

Inland, the Barrocal region is known as the Orchard of the Algarve, as its limestone soil supports the majority of the almond, fig, orange and carob plantations which, during the spring, bathe the countryside with colour, as do the white country houses with colourful mouldings and decorative chimneys.

To the North, the Algarvian uplands mark the boundary of the region.  A mountain range with gentle contours, it is dominated by vast stretches of land and inhabited only by a diversity of wildlife.  Here you can listen to silence and enjoy the true character of the region’s inhabitants.

An Algarve of many charms to discover and never forget!

Suggestions

• Lighthouses :A link between land and sea, companion to fishermen and mariners, the lighthouse sends out warning: “land approaching!”
• Saltpans :Saltpans paint the landscape white in places which are still used today to carry out a thousand-year old activity...
• Almond trees in blossom :Heralding the arrival of spring, almond blossoms bathe the Algarve in an unforgettable and dazzling show...
• Lookouts :The sheer diversity of the Algarvian countryside is easier to appreciate when seen at distances which allow wide enough views to enjoy...
• Ponta da Piedade :With a magnificent view of the Atlantic and the shapes of cliffs carved by the sea and time...
• Mountain walks :From the Serra do Caldeirão, the Algarve emerges like an amphitheatre which descends gradually to the sea...

Observing the treasures of Nature

The Algarve’s exceptional natural conditions - the amenable climate, abundant sun and gentle rain -, all foster the emergence of animals and plants, many of which are indigenous to the area, bringing sounds, colours and aromas worthy of contemplation.

On the flower-lined tracks of the Algarve, above all in the limestone and rocky soils of the Barrocal region, wild orchids, brightly coloured flowers, cane fields and ancient trees all come into bloom.  

This is an area of wild and natural plant life in which many species of birds find shelter and make their nests.

Throughout the year, but especially during migration times, many species of birds, some of them rare, others at risk of extinction, converge on the Algarvian landscape and can be seen by nature lovers.

In October, when thousands of birds of prey head for warmer climes, the booted eagles, short toed eagles, sparrowhawks, falcons, griffon vultures and even Egyptian vultures all cross the skies in a truly impressive display.

Because many native plants are of culinary and medicinal interest, and because animal watching, and bird watching in particular, is becoming increasingly popular, environmental groups have arranged tours which allow you to make the most of this vast natural heritage.

The Algarve is therefore a key destination for wildlife lovers who will discover here an enviable natural inheritance.

Good Living

At once cosmopolitan and rustic, the Algarve is a region that can be enjoyed either for a quiet or active holiday, according to individual taste.

If you want a fun-filled holiday, you will find the latest musical trends of Algarvian night- life and its hot spots an irresistible draw.

The discotheques, marinas, casinos, bars and restaurants, many with open air seating, all offer a free and easy atmosphere to satisfy the most varied of tastes.

During the day, there is also a lot to do: from theme parks to shopping centres and various cultural events, all guaranteed to leave you with unforgettable memories.

If you are looking for a quieter holiday, you can opt for the refinement of thalassotherapy centres and SPAs, healthy breaks at thermal water centres or the peace of relaxation farms.

For more information : http://www.visitalgarve.pt/