Everybody knows that Portugal in its southern region is the ultimate seaside destination, with fun in the sun and sand and seashells, the numerous resorts and holiday facilities ensuring great family holidays and enjoyable stays by the shore of the Atlantic Ocean.

But the Algarve is so much more: it is an interesting realm, dipped in history and boasting with a rich culture. Apart from the great centers of Faro, Portimao or Lagos, there are countless cities and villages, sites and parks that deserve our attention in the Algarve. Here are a few:

If you hire a car in the Algarve, you can go exploring beyond the borders of Albufeira into Guia, a very old and peaceful settlement just off the coast. It is the best place to escape crowds and heat, where you can admire agriculture, picturesque sites or lie in the sand on secluded beaches.

The Monchique hills are filled with flowers, cool and fresh, so if you like hiking, this is the place for you.

As for Carrapateira, Aljezur, this is the best surfing destination. But it is also suitable for a day’s trip if you want to visit the old fort or the local church.

Olhao is also probably one of the most underrated cities in the Algarve. A medieval fishing town, Olhao is located just 20 kilometers away from Faro (you can book a Faro transfer to get there). The city has it all: great architecture, local colour, shops and markets, restaurants, hotels and gorgeous, less visited beaches.

We hope you find these ideas useful in planning your Algarve trip!

First, let’s see what Easter is and what its origins are. In the Christian world, Easter is one of the most important moments in the religious calendar, celebrating the resurrection of the Son of God. But the origins of the feast lie in ancient Jewish times, when the Hebrews celebrated Pesah, the crossing of the Red Sea by the people led by Moses out of Egyptian bondage.

Easter is a very colorful celebration in Portugal. Food is an important element, and it is customary to eat lamb for the Easter meal. Goatling is another option, a less popular alternative to the sweet lamb meat.

There is a traditional Portuguese cake, the Folar, a dry pastry flavored with fennel and cinnamon. The Easter Cake is usually decorated with a boiled colored egg. Colored eggs also symbolize fertility and life. Boiled eggs, as well as chocolate eggs, are popular worldwide symbols of the traditions associated with Easter

In Portugal, it is customary for godparents to offer small gifts or at least almonds to their godchildren.

Our celebrations today are a mixture of tradition and cult, modern consumerism entwined with the old ways. There are also pagan – inspired traditions that define Easter today. One of them is a symbol of spring: the Easter bunny. In ancient times, the rabbit symbolized fertility.

There are also a few regional celebrations in the Algarve we can name. In Loule, for instance, the Easter Sunday begins with the Small Feast (in Portuguese, Festa Pequena), a procession with a Pieta statue, and ends with the Festa Grande, when the statue is brought back.

You can rent a car in the Algarve to make the best of your Portuguese trip!

On February 1st, the Olhao Parish Council invites us all to join them and several organizations in the event called “Olhao Saudavel” (“Healthy Olhao”).

The Portuguese are striving to live a safer and healthier life. To do this, the administration had the initiative to invite everyone to take a ride on the bike or to simply take a walk around town in order to celebrate the 10 new bicycle stations in Freguesia.The walk begins in front of the Parish around 11 o’clock on Feb 1st.

Olhao is not the only place in Portugal where one can live a healthy life. This year, Loule has been selected to be the European Sports City. The election of the city was made at the end of May 2014 and made official in November last, in Bruxelles.

On January 31st, Loule finally and officially becomes Europe’s Sports Center (or one of them, at any rate) in a ceremony held at the municipal sports pavilion at 9 PM.

Loule is “home” to almost 8000 athletes who come to practice their respective sports in 57 clubs and associations. Guimaraes and Maia have also been European Sports Cities in the past. Let’s keep our fingers crossed for the city of Loule and its sports success! If you are in the Algarve, you can rent a car and get the best of your experience. Another transport option is to book a Faro airport taxi online. The choice is up to you!

The Algarve region of Portugal is one of the most famous holiday destinations in Europe and in the world. It’s well-known for its award winning sandy beaches, plenty of sunshine, great food and just being a great place for many types of tourists, whether you’re into water sports, a nature lover, or you’re going there with your family, the Algarve has something to offer.

Regardless of your interest, the Algarve supplies it

Algarve - Faro - Portugal

The region’s main attractions lie in its beautiful sandy beaches, these are actually some of the best in the world and they have the Blue Flag awards to prove it, however anyone who has been there will know that there is so much more to the Algarve than great beaches.

The weather for one should definitely be mentioned, as you can have great beaches but if the weather isn’t supporting that you will be losing out. This doesn’t happen in the Algarve however, this region of the world sees around three hundred days of sunlight each years, and even during the winter temperatures are rather mild when you compare them to the rest of Europe.

As far as the possible activities that you can engage in while in the Algarve take your prick from any of the following: walking, sightseeing, cycling, surfing, golf, tennis, horse riding, kayaking, rock climbing, kite-surfing and we’ll stop there since there is basically no limit to what you can do there. Even better, considering the size of the region, it caters to all sorts of visitors, so if you’re going there with your family and you’re looking for a quiet relaxing time there are numerous water parks, theme parks and zoos to take in, as well as resort towns which are focused on offering family-oriented services and entertainment.

Those looking for a nice relaxing vacation should stay between Quarteira and Lagos, basically in central and western Algarve, while those who want to party and sample the region’s nightlife should go towards Albufeira, Praia da Rocha and Lagos.

The region is also very rich in history and those who are interested in learning more about is culture and history should try Silves, Tavira and Sagres while those who want to experience the wonderful countryside should go for Alte, Monchique, Sao Bras de Alportel and Alcoutim.

This is the great thing about the region, there are plenty of resorts, each of them with its own character offering different experiences, ranging from the scenery to the activities to the food, but you can be sure of is that pretty much regardless where you go, you’ll have the beach and great weather on your side.

As you might expect it, the types of Algarve accommodations range a lot, from cheaper options such as campsites and rooms in guesthouses and hostels, to five star hotels, luxury resorts and villas you can rent, it all depends on your budget and requirements.

There are also many types of Algarve events all throughout the year, so depending on when you visit the region you can see either the Algarve Motor Park near Portimao, or the Mardi Gras or any other of the many celebrations and festivals that take place there, you won’t be bored.

The Algarve – travel guide – Video