Location

The Algarve is located at the extreme west of Europe on Portugal’s south coast, bordering both Spain and the Atlantic Ocean. The region covers 5,000 km2, including 200km of coastline, and has a population of 400,000. The Algarve is one of the most visited regions in the country with its spectacular golden beaches, dramatic coastline and rugged cliff faces. There are scattered remains of Roman palaces and also many Moorish influences as well as little white-washed fishing villages, which are dotted along the coastline. The sunny climate makes it a popularl holiday destination and with its high quality golf courses and sandy beaches, tourism has become a flourishing industry.

 Weather

The Algarve has a generally mild climate throughout the year. During the summer months the temperatures often reaches 30 degrees with a seawater temperature of around 21-22 degrees.

 Places to visit

• Faro is the regional capital of the Algarve. A busy town, Faro is popular for its excellent beaches, good nightlife and shopping. Roman walls encircle the old town, which is home to the Faro’s impressive thirteenth century Cathedral, eighteenth century Episcopal palace and archaeological museum housed in converted convent. Just outside Faro, the Rio Formosa lagoon is a 17000 hectare nature reserve recognized for its natural beauty and vast numbers of migratory birds in spring and autumn.
• The Senhora da Rocha chapel, near Armacao de Pera, stands on a promontory of rock, with views over the sea, and has good beaches close by.
• Lagos is one of the Algarve’s most historic towns, with the Mercado dos Escravos, a slave market dating from the fifteenth century, many interesting statues and the churches of Santo Antonio and Santa Maria. The town has as large harbour and marina and was the starting point of Vasco da Gama’s voyage of discovery to the new world in 1499. Nearby towns and villages offer a number of attraction including Roman ruins which can be found at Salema, a short distance away.
• Alvor and Portimao are renowned for their traditional fishing harbours. Alvor is a smaller town with narrow streets filled with restaurants, whereas Portimao is larger and offers large, well-organised cultural events throughout the year. Portimao is also popular for Praia da Rocha, the nearby beach with steep sided cliffs behind, which offers excellent views of the coastline.
• Vilamoura is tourist destination close to Faro and renowned for its huge marina, excellent golfing facilities and numerous restaurants and boutiques. However, the old town has a surprisingly good museum which documents the history of the remains of a nearby Roman town and harbour.
• Silves is a historical town and formerly the capital of the Algarve. The landscape is dominated by the eighth century sandstone castle on a hilltop overlooking the town, which is built on fourth century Roman fortifications. Silves is also the largest orange growing area in Portugal, and is set in a traditional agricultural landscape with many good restaurants in the town.