Algarve
The Algarve is for some the best part of Portugal. The region has hundreds of beaches. All this region has incredibly beautiful beaches, splendid golf courses, and great condominiums and resorts.
Algarve is a region with the warmest yearly temperature in Portugal. Some of the cities are: Lagos, Portimão, Albufeira, Faro, Tavira and Vila Real de Santo António. If you prefer to live in larger towns, you might chose to live near Portimão or Faro, the capital.
Here are some of the main attractions on the Algarve
Lagos
One of the most popular tourist destinations on the Algarve, Lagos is a bustling town full of activity, nightlife and modern attractions. However, it is also a town full of history and the monuments and architecture which take us back to the many different peoples who have settled here and the many maritime adventure which have started in Lagos' impressive natural harbour.
Portimão
Located in the estuary of the River Arade, Portimão is known for its excellent sandy beaches with plenty of warm, calm waters, which make it a very alluring holiday destination. Portimão has a long fishing tradition that developed particularly between the 19th and 20th centuries with the advent of the canning industry and tourism. Most of the buildings that you see in the streets and squares of the historic centre are from this period. Most of the restaurants, where you will find grilled sardines the favourite local dish, are on the waterfront, next to the docks. Praia da Rocha, about 3 kilometers from the centre, is perhaps the best known beach in the Algarve, with the picture postcard scene of its huge swathe of sand being widespread internationally. It’s been a busy seaside resort since the beginning of the 20th century, and it has a casino and offers an endless number of leisure activities.
Albufeira
The progress has turned Albufeira into a city with tourism and leisure as its vocation but the streets in the hold Cerro da Vila (medieval area) still preserve the picturesque appeal of whitewashed houses and steeply narrow streets. On the beach, the bright colours of the fishing boats contrast with the blue of the sea. Indifferent to the tourists sunbathing nearby, the fishermen carry on the task of mending and preparing the nets, as they have done for hundreds of years. A walk by the sea will offer you a magnificent view over the city, the beaches and the cliffs which are part of the charm of Albufeira.
Faro
Surrounded by fertile fields of trees bearing fruit, olives and the almonds for which the Algarve is famous, Faro is a large town that lies at the heart of the Formosa Estuary. Although many rush straight through en route to holiday resorts elsewhere in the region, Faro itself is well worth a visit or even an extended stay as it retains much of its past charm, boasts excellent beaches and provides the amenities and attractions typical of a larger town. On the outskirts of the city, in addition to the architectural heritage already mentioned, it is worth highlighting the beauty of the Ria Formosa Natural Park (Parque Natural da Ria Formosa).
Tavira
Tavira is one of the gems of the eastern Algarve with its gentle charm and predominantly low-rise architecture that set it aside from other resorts in the region. You will find fine examples of medieval houses complete with Gothic windows and doorways. However, it is also a lively trading town with a vibrant fruit and vegetable market just beyond the riverside park where many stop to drink a coffee and catch up on the local gossip. In the surroundings, don't miss a visit to the small village of Cacela Velha or to the small island of Tavira, a white sand beach, 11 Km long, which is integrated in the Ria Formosa Natural Park.
Vila Real de Santo António
This former fish canning centre sits on the Guadiana river, which separates Portugal from Spain. When walking in the town, you can actually see the Spanish town of Ayamonte on the other side of the river. Vila Real de Santo António is a picturesque small town. It is not a big resort town, but it still attracts quite a lot of people, especially from Spain. The town is quite unique in the sense that its streets are designed in a grid pattern. This is the only town in the Algarve where this is the case.
