The local area

The local area

Note: IC4 and IP1 are also referred to as the A22.

Albufeira - Once a peaceful fishing village, Albufeira is now one of Portugal's most popular tourist destinations. The old town retains its narrow streets and whitewashed houses perched over a charming beach, where you can walk amidst colourful fishing boats ornamented with eyes, animals and stars. Shops, bars and restaurants fill every corner, but there is also the old castle, the buildings which still preserve Moorish arches and interesting churches, like the one of São Sebastião.

Alcoutim - Away from the crowds and the bustle of the tourist centres along the coastline of Algarve, the lovely town of Alcoutim lies at the border with Spain, formed by the river Guadiana. A winding road that runs alongside the river offers superb views of the countryside, with its orchards and orange groves, and the rural way of life in Alcoutim remains very much unchanged.

Aljezur - Aljezur is a small market town with two parts divided by a fertile river valley. Its 10th century hilltop Moorish Castle, offering nice views to the surrounding countryside, dominates the old town. There are also several cafes and restaurants in this area. Several spectacular, almost unspoiled beaches are located in the vicinity. You can easily reach Amoreira, Monte Clerigo and Arrifana from the village of Odeceixe, 18km north to Aljezur on the N120.

Alvor - This important Roman port was mostly destroyed by the earthquakes of 1532 and 1755. Although this ancient costal village is now a very popular holiday location, the enclosed narrow streets have kept development to a minimum. Many of the streets boast bars with live music and different types of restaurants, but memories of the older fishing village can be found in the back streets. The area also boasts a large sandy beach and a number of secluded coves tucked under the cliffs.

Castro Marim - The first settlements in this area date back to approximately 5000 BC, possibly situated on the hill where the 13th century castle now stands. During this time Castro Marim was closer to the sea and most likely an island. For thousands of years it was a port for the ships sailing up the Guadiana River to the metal mines to the north. Phoenicians and Romans where present here, and a Roman road connected this area with Lisbon, running in parallel to the Guadiana River and passing Alcoutim, Mértola and Beja. During the Moorish occupation a fortified structure existed, that became the core of the present castle. Due to the strategic position of the town on border with the kingdom of Castile, Castro Marim became the headquarters of the Order of Christ after the Christian reconquest. When the order later was transferred to Tomar a long period of decreasing importance and declining population began. The protected wetlands near Castro Marim attract many species of birds and are one of the Algarve's best wildlife sanctuaries.

Carvoeiro - A lively fishing village that has become popular in recent years but retained its local charm. The fishing boats come and go and the local markets stock fresh local produce. There are many sandy beaches in the area, along with plenty of shops, restaurants and spectacular scenery.

Faro - Faro is the administrative centre of the Algarve region with a population exceeding 40000 people. The city has both Roman and Arab ruins. During the 500 years of Moorish occupation the city, then named Ossónoba became an important trading port. With the decline of the former capital Silves, Faro took over the role of the administration for the whole Algarve.

The old part of Faro, still surrounded by Roman walls, attracts tourists from all over the area. You can see the open square that once used to be the Roman Forum. Interesting buildings include the 13th Century Cathedral, the Episcopal palace and the 16th Century Convent, now turned into an archaeological museum. The church of Nosso Senhora do Carmo is an excellent example of gold-leaf woodwork and contains a chapel lined with the bones of more then 1200 monks.

The Naval Museum next to the small boat basin presents the maritime history of the region with an interesting selection of model boats and galleons. Faro hosts many attractive shops and restaurants, and in the old part the visitor can find all kind of Azulejos, the typical hand painted tiles.

At the seaside, Faro is surrounded by the Ria Formosa, a nature reserve of 17,000 hectares and stopping place for migrating birds. Faro airport connects the Algarve with most European capitals by direct flights and handles several million passengers a year. The city was also host to matches during the 2004 European Football Championships. Also near Faro is the Almancil Karting track, a 760 metre recreation of the famous Brazilian Jacarepegua formula one circuit.

Lagoa - Lagoa is known for its wine, which takes the Algarve to the rest of the country. This wine can be sampled at one of the main factories on the N125. Standing on a small hill, Lagoa is surrounded by vineyards and its white houses gleam in the distance. A very peaceful town in contrast to the tourist centers on the coast. Nearby Carvoeiro, with its charming sandy cove, is an old fishing village which has become a popular holiday resort. In August of every year an important commercial and rural produce Fair named Fatacil is held in the town, exhibiting products from all over Portugal. The occasion provides an excuse for enjoyment whilst national bands and singers entertain the visitors late into the night.

Loulé - Loulé is situated 18 km (11miles) north east of Faro. The Saturday morning gypsy market is famous amongst the locals and holidaymakers. The municipal market has an excellent selection of fruit and vegetables, and fresh fish every day. Leatherwear such as bags, belts and shoes, or embroidered linen and tableware, are also to found in abundance.

Loulé is a town where craftsmanship is still very active. You will often see artisans working brass, copper or clay in and about the streets of Loulé. Within the walls of the castle, originally from Moorish times, you may find the local tourist office. The parish church, São Clemente, has a mixture of styles, ranging from the Gothic 13th century to the later Manueline era. Opposite the church is a garden called - "Garden of the Sulky ones".

Loulé has the advantage of hosting and supporting the biggest and most flamboyant celebrations at Carnival time. Carnival, is 5 days of celebration before Lent, (the 40-day fast before Easter) is derived from carne vale - farewell to meat. This is the party of the year, and you can expect dancing in the streets, floats, flower battles, and fancy dress. Water and flour bombs are often aimed at friends, but seldom get their targets. Loulé also hosts an international jazz festival every July.

Monchique - With a few exceptions, Monchique has been happily untouched by the invasion of tourism in the last decades. It is located in a saddle formed by the two highest hills of the Algarve, Picota (774 m) and Foia (902 m). The inhabitants of this town have maintained the rustic atmosphere, and the small dark doorways contain various artisan trades.

The 17th Century Franciscan monastery overlooking the town offers a panoramic view over the peaceful countryside. The surrounding area produces cattle, pigs, cork and wood. It is also the place where the famous Medronho , an excellent strong schnapps is distilled from the fruit of arbutus bushes.

The two hills dominating the landscape offer dramatic views to the southern and western coast of the Algarve. Hidden in the valley south of Picota there is a hot spring site named Fonte Santa that is rumoured to have special healing effects. Already the Romans estimated the sulphuric warm spring water emerging at a constant temperature of 32°C and developed the village of Caldas de Monchique as a Spa.

Olhão - The history of Olhão is linked to the local fishing industry since the 17th Century when the town grew into existence. In 1882 the first canning factory for sardines and tuna was founded there, and similar factories spread along the Algarve coast. The status of a town was granted to Olhão in 1808 when 17 fishermen crossed the Atlantic Ocean without charts to announce to the exiled king of Portugal that the French invading armies had been defeated. The architecture of the older quarter of Olhão shows a Moorish flavour. Every morning the fish market at the waterfront offers an impressive variety of fresh fish and seafood in a lively and noisy atmosphere. It is no surprise that Olhão possesses many fine seafood restaurants. A ferry service takes the visitors to the nearby small islands of Ilha da Culatra and Ilha da Armona, where unspoilt sandy beaches invite to a pleasant dip in the sea.

Portimão - Portimao is a commercially orientated town with 35,000 inhabitants. It was one of the most important canning and fishing centres in the Algarve until the early 1980s when the factories closed during the recession . It is also one of the main shopping and big game fishing areas for the whole of the Algarve. Located at the mouth of the River Arade it provides a natural harbour and has been associated with many famous smugglers and pirates in the past. Its origins date back to a Phoenician, Greek and Carthaginian trading port, with some historians believing it was originally the notorious Portus Hannibalis named after the Roman general, Hannibal Barca. The Arade provides the sea access to the ancient city of Silves which was the capital of the Algarve during the Moorish occupation. It was called Porcimunt during this period but was recognised as a town in 1504 and renamed Vila Nova de Portimao and ruled by the Castelo Branco family until the seventeenth century.The town church of Our Lady of Conception sits on a hilltop and dates from 1476 but underwent many changes from 1717 onwards. It has three naves and an impressive altar with carved and gilded baroque decoration. The municipal museum is housed in an old sardine canning factory where different art, history and general culture exhibitions are held on a regular basis.

A new marina has just been built adjoining the popular tourist area of Praia da Rocha and with this has come a plethora of new bars and restaurants to while away the hours watching the yachts and what seems like the rest of the world go by. The nearby town of Ferragudo hosts the finest sea fortress in the Algarve.

Sagres - The village of Sagres in the district of Vila do Bispo is situated on Europe's most south-western corner near Cabo do São Vicente. Due to its position on the southern side of the cape, Sagres is well protected against the rough Atlantic Ocean and strong westerly winds. It was this exposed location that made Sagres the starting point of numerous expeditions during past centuries. The age of the Portuguese Discoveries began back in the 15th century, initiated by Henry the Navigator.

The Fortaleza de Sagres (Fortress of Sagres), located south-west of Sagres on a small headland about 1 km in length, is a monument of national importance. After passing through the thick tunnel entrance, one sees a giant pebble circle , detected only in 1921, of unknown age and purpose. The circle with a diameter of 43m is interpreted as a compass rose (Rosa dos Ventos). Normally compass roses are divided into 32 segments, but strangely this one has 40 segments, so it could also have been a sundial. Most likely it dates back to the time of Henry the Navigator. There is an important fishing port, secured located at the eastside of the village. From Monday to Friday afternoon the catch of the day is auctioned here at the auction hall.

Reserva Biogenética de Sagres: as one of Southern Europe’s last remaining and most important stretches of wild, unspoilt coastline, benefiting from both a low level of human interference and a low population density, the area from Ponta de Sagres to Cape St. Vincent is a protected area filled with a wide biodiversity of different species and natural habitats, many of which are quite unique in the world.

Silves - The origin of this town traces back to some 1.000 BC and it was already a notable place in Roman times. During the Moorish occupation in the early 11th Century it was given the name of Xelb. They constructed lavish palaces and it became the cultural centre of learning for the whole Iberian Peninsula under the mantle of Cordoba in Spain. In 1189 it had already 15.000 inhabitants, when the city was sacked by the Knights of Santiago with support of Anglo-Norman crusaders. The importance of Silves continued under the control of the Portuguese kings until the 15th Century, when its commerce began to shrink due to the sitting-up of the Rio Arcade, Silves access to the sea.

The earthquake of 1755 destroyed most of the town and its historic buildings. The remains of the Moorish castle are still impressive, and the huge underground water reservoir is still used by the city today. An archaeological museum has been constructed above this cistern showing local objects including items from the Stone Age. The Ponte Romana, a stone bridge over the Rio Arcade was rebuilt in the 15th Century from the original erected during the Roman occupation. On the site of a Mosque the Cathedral was built in the 13th Century and suffered significant alteration over the time.

The tumultuous city of yesterday is today a quiet market town surrounded by the largest orange growing area in Portugal. Cork is processed locally. North to the fertile valleys is an area of attractive forest covered hills leading to the mountains of Monchique. The dams of Arade and Foz are well worth visiting for the beauty of their natural setting.

Tavira - Tavira is one of the architecturally most attractive towns in the Algarve. Its origin dates back around 2.000 BC, and during the Moorish occupation the fishing industry of this town was of great importance. With its inviting long beaches, typical roofs and chimneys, this picturesque town offers a beautiful view over the Gilão river and its Roman bridge. Churches to visit: Santa Maria do Castelo (13th-18th centuries), Misericórdia (Renaissance), Nossa Senhora das Ondas (17th century), São José (with Gothic and Manueline elements), São Paulo and Carmo (17th-18th centuries). If you are browsing along the Travessa de Dona Brites, you will see beautiful medieval houses, with Gothic windows and portals. In the suburbs, in the small village of Luz there is a Renaissance church, which has been a pilgrimage place for many centuries.

The surrounding of Tavira is still very rural but slowly changing due to the demands of the tourist industry and three golf courses opened recently nearby. The beach can only be reached by a ferryboat that takes the visitor to the sandy-bar island of Ilha de Tavira.

Vilamoura - Vilamoura is one of the largest single tourist complexes in Europe, covering an area of almost 2,000 ha of land. Parts of that land are covered with pine woods whilst others are open recovered marshland. The company owning the complex is extremely environmentally conscious, undertaking large effort to protect nature in the course of the further development. The sports and leisure facilities include 4 golf courses, a large marina, a lawn bowling club, a tennis centre, a shooting club, a private airstrip and a riding school. The international casino and several night clubs offer manifold distraction.

Within the centre of Vilamoura there is a preserved Roman site and museum of Cerro de Vila providing impressions of the history of this area, when this location was important in producing a fish paste known as "garum“.

Links to some local attractions: