Events in Algarve in November and December
If you are planning to make a great trip in November/December to the wonderful Algarve you will definetely want to know this awesome events that are taking place here. More »
9 perfect tourist attractions to visit in Portugal this summer – Part 3
Dear friends, we are back with the 9 perfect tourist attractions to visit in Portugal this summer – Part 3 sees us going through the last three attractions of choice on our More »
9 perfect tourist attractions to visit in Portugal this summer – Part 2
We have finally come to the essential: Part 2 of the 9 perfect tourist attractions to visit in Portugal this summer brings us to the seaside, the sunny, brilliant, shimmering shores of More »
10 Places not to miss in Portimao – Part 1
Summer is here and it is the very best time to be in Portugal, by the ocean, drinking a cocktail and reading a good book on the rocky beaches. Today we give More »
The golf season in Algarve is on! – Part 2
The golf season in Algarve is on! Spring is probably the best time to practice golf: picture an endless green field surrounded by the blue waters of the Atlantic, the mild More »
The golf season in Algarve is on!
Dear friends in love with 2 things: Algarve, Portugal and golf, we have great news for you. The golf season in Algarve is on! The sunny shores of southern Portugal are More »
Did you know golf…
Did you know golf is one of the most popular sports in Portugal? In fact, the sunny shores of the southern part of the country are the some of the welcoming regions More »
A romantic Valentine’s Day in Portugal – Part 3
From a romantic Valentine’s Day in Portugal we got to explore some of the most wonderful corners of this beautiful country. It might be interesting to remind that February is a pleasant More »
Olhão guide
The city of Olhao is located in the eastern part of the Algarve, not far away from the capital of Faro, and is the largest fishing port on the Algarve coast. Similar to the other Algarve cities and resorts Olhao is rich with Moorish-style houses, however having been a port city for so long, it also shows influences from Africa thanks to its commercial links to the northern African coast.
Although the city was first mentioned in a document in 1378, it only became an important town during the 19th century, however it was sufficiently important in the 17th century to need the building of the fortress of Sao Lorenco in 1679 to protect it from pirate raids. Our short Olhao guide will try to give you a bit of an idea of what to expect from this town of many faces.
We said many faces because depending on where you approach it from, Olhao, Portugal will look different. For instance if you approach it from the side where the fishing port is located, it will look very industrial, and hence not extremely attractive to tourists. However if you’re driving to Olhao along the water front road then you’ll get a different view altogether. You can use Olhao transfers from Faro Airport to get here right from the airport.
Loulé guide
It is still unknown for certain when the city of Loulé, Portugal got its beginnings. Some consider it to start at around 400 BC while others believe that it is Roman in origin. However what is known is that by 715 when the Moors invaded the Algarve, Loulé was already an important town.
This rather interesting town is located at about sixteen kilometers north of Faro and its main feature is the landmark church of Nossa Senhora da Piedare – interesting enough, as opposed to pretty much all other towns in the region, this church is a modern building with a dome shape that makes it look a bit like a space ship. A bit larger than many other Algarve resorts and towns, Loulé offers all the amenities that you may expect including many shops, banks, art galleries and many other, we’ll try to cover as many of them in this short Loulé guide.
Loulé is well-known in the region for hosting each a Saturday morning a gypsy market, located at the end of Rua da nossa Senhora da Piedade, in fact there are special trips that are available from many Algarve resort in order to get here, however you can also employ some Loulé transfer from Faro Airport and get here straight from the airport.
Lagos guide
Even if the city of Lagos Portugal is a small one, it is nonetheless one of the most popular of the Algarve resorts. Pronounced Lagoosh, the city is located at about an hour drive from Faro and can thus easily reached with the help of some Lagos transfer from Faro Airport services. Why you should go there is another matter, one which we’ll talk about starting now.
There are many things to see and do while in Lagos, however one of the main attractions is the ‘Old Town’. You’ll notice that pretty much every one of the Algarve cities, towns and resorts feature some type of ‘old town’ because this region has been inhabited for the longest of times, thanks to its wonderful characteristics having been kept relatively constant for the past two thousand years or so.
Lagoa guide
The small and peaceful town of Lagoa, Portugal is considered by many to be the wine capital of the Algarve.
The history of this once tiny hamlet isn’t very well known till around the middle of the 13th century when the Moors conquered it and placed it under the control of the larger nearby Silves. The hamlet later become an official town, only for it to be mostly destroyed during the earthquake of 1755. however the settlement continued on, becoming an administrative town in the area which lived off agriculture, in the past. This is a very short Lagoa guide, meant to give you a better idea of the place’s history as well as present.
One of the main attractions of modern-day Lagoa comes from the start of the 19th century when the parish church was inaugurated, however there’s an older church, the Igreja de Misericordia which dates to the middle of the 18th century. The parish church features a very pleasant Baroque facade which is enhanced during the months of May and June when the surrounding jacaranda trees blossom. There also a war memorial erected nearby which pays tribute to the Lagoan soldiers who fell during the African colonial wars.
Faro guide
While a relatively provincial city, Faro is the capital of the Algarve, a modern and lively city, featuring many shopping opportunities, great food as well as a vibrant nightlife, all in all it’s a very exciting holiday destination.
A large majority of travelers to the Algarve will pass through Faro because this is where the local airport is situated, and Faro Airport transfers are available to reach a wide number of Algarve locations.
There are however those who choose to stay awhile around Faro and they are rewarded with the discovery of a charmful town, with an interesting history, and the feel of an actual Portuguese fishing port.
Aljezur guide
The municipality of Aljezur is located on the western coast of the Algarve, and features a total population of a bit over five thousand inhabitants. It gets its name from the Arabic word “Aljuzur” which is the plural for island, and is composed of four parishes. Being part of the larger Faro District it is quite possible that you may have contact with the region on your trip to the Algarve.
The aforementioned parishes, are more like very small towns, with very small populations, the parishes are Aljezur, Bordeira, Odoceixe and Rogil.
Due to the size of Aljezur city Portugal, this nice hillside town has not been tremendously affected by the mass tourism developments specific to most of the western coast of the Algarve.
