According to AHETA, the region’s tourism potential and the air transport business should be seen as two sides of the same coin and as such they should not only be viewed together but also walk hand-in-hand. However, in recent years the two sides of the coin have been going their separate ways and this has to be brought to a point of balance as soon as possible so as to better support the Algarve economy.

We have to mention that some measures have been taken which are meant to attract tourists to the Algarve with air companies such as Ryanair and EasyJet offering low-cost flights to Faro Airport, it has become apparent that one has to maximize the hotel and resort occupation throughout the entire year in order to keep the local economies from dipping too much during the off-season.

It is quite clear – at least to the AHETA members – that the Algarve needs to regain its level of competitiveness and profitability from a few years ago, and the focus on air flight accessibility is vital to reach this goal.

It is apparent that the Faro Airport needs to be connected to several more airport hubs in Europe, and this fundamental step must be made in order to develop and raise the profits in business tourism, golf tourism and obviously all the other related industries and activities that find it hard to keep running during the low and medium seasons. In the past couple of years, many Algarve businesses – especially hotels – have been closing their doors during the winter months due to a lack of tourists.

Albufeira city

The town of Albufeira is one of the Algarve’s most well known resort towns. Like many other destinations in this sun drenched and sea kissed part of the coast, Albufeira started its life as nothing more but a small fishing village, only developing into a major tourist destination relatively recently.

Many holidaymakers return to Albufeira city Portugal when they’re looking for a specific type of atmosphere which mixes great climate, lovely beaches and a plethora of eating establishments.

There are some who call Albufeira the St. Tropez of Portugal, while one must maintain the proportions in mind when making such a comparison, one also has to acknowledge that there are some similarities between the two. Our Albufeira city guide won’t talk about all of them however we will focus on a general outlook of the city.

The ex-fishing village is situated in the central part of the Algarve region, at about a thirty minute drive from Faro Airport, thankfully there are many Albufeira city transfer from Faro Airport available for those interested in getting there quickly and in safe comfort.

Albufeira Beach

For those who have visited a bit of North Africa, coming here will offer a very interesting experience seeing as how Albufeira looks quite a bit like a village from that region. The city is home to one of the greatest beach-side tourist developments in the entire country, not only the region, however you don’t have to stay here if you don’t want to, the nearby locations of Quarteira and Almancilalso offer some great accommodation options.

On the other hand you could have a wonderful vacation and never leave the town or its surroundings, in such a case considering some Albufeira city car hire services might prove to be a great idea, especially if you’re planning on cooking your own meals and if you wish to have the same flexibility of movement that you have at home.

Being the largest resort in the Algarve, Albufeira didn’t get that reputation for nothing, the wide variety of attractions, sights and activities that the place offers is appealing to a wide range of travellers, of all ages.

The city is split into two entities, the ‘old’ and the ‘new’, the first offering history and tranquillity while the other a constantly humming nightlife. Add to this some of the finest beaches on the continent, and couple it with the great weather, plus the local culture, one can understand why the atmosphere here is much sought after by travellers and holidaymakers of different ages and backgrounds.

Of course, considering the resort’s size and the plethora of offerings it has, one cannot think that it does not cater to those who love to shop while they’re on vacation. For those looking for some ‘retail therapy’ after a few days of lounging on the beach, rest assured that Albufeira’s main shopping street of Rua 5 de outubro has pretty much anything that you may want or need, from a new outfit that you can wear on a night out in Albufeira to presents for your family and friends back home.

The resort doesn’t only offer great beaches, and wonderful eateries, golfing enthusiasts will also have a chance to play a solid number of holes at the Pine Cliffs or again, can take a ride to one of the top notch courses around Quarteira, like the Vila Sol and Vilamoura Old Course.

Albufeira beach Art

As far as the more traditional idea of an attraction goes, Albufeira has a few interesting places that will be ideal for a large percentage of visitors. For instance those who are traveling with their children will surely have to visit the Zoo Marine and the variety of water parks which can be found in and around the city.

More adventurous adults may want to visit Monchique and Foia, which are the highest points in the region, the views from here amaze every time, without fail. While on this trip make sure to check out a few local specialties, such as Medronho – a traditional alcoholic beverage – and Honey Cake, both of which are worth trying.

This has been just a quick look at what Albufeira has to offer its visitors, rest assured that once you’re there, you will surely find many more things to see and do.

Vila Real de Santo António

Vila Real de Santo Antonio, Portugal is located on the Guadiana River which is the natural border between Portugal and Spain. From the extreme eastern part of Vila Real one can plainly see the Spanish coastline as well as the river that connects to Ayamonte in Spain.

Those who will be heading here will notice how easy it is to get around the town thanks to it having been built on a grid system, which is something that not many other Algarve settlements can boast. With the help of our small Vila Real de Santo Antonio guide you should get a better idea of what it is that the town can offer you and whether or not you should seriously consider vacationing here.

The town’s grid system was designed by the Marques de Pombal who was rather keen on testing this new type of town planning after all the original settlements in the area were eroded by the beginning of the 17^th century. The Royal charter founding the town was signed on the 30^th of December 1773 and by August 6^th of next year, the Town Hall, Customs House and the barracks were already completed.

Towards the end of the 19^th century, the town was a major player in the canning industry, especially for sardines and tuna, and the port was constantly busy with the ships that sailed the river. As a sign of this very industrial focus of the town, Vila Real de Santo Antonio was the first town in the Algarve to be lit with gas, back in 1886. Nowadays the town thrives on a combination of fishing, agriculture and of course, tourism.

The main road of the town and of the region pretty much, runs straight from Monte Gordo to Vila Real and the Avenida da Republica runs along the front of the town, parallel with the Guadiana River. The river-front is very well developed featuring well laid out trees and water features as well as a marina which is great for watching boats.

The town’s grid system was designed to feature a large town square and the Praca marques de Pombal is truly a sight to see, being surrounded by orange trees and populated with low buildings, shops, cafes and outdoor restaurants. Behind the square you will find the Centro Cultural Antonio Aleixo – this used to be the old market, but the space is now used for temporary exhibits and various events. Nearby there’s a museum dedicated to Manuel Cabanas a local painter and wood engraver.

What it all comes down to is that Vila Real de Santo Antonio is a very relaxed and quiet town, an ideal holiday destination for those looking for a relaxing and peaceful type of vacation. Just like Monte Gordo the town is very flat, and this makes it idea for walking and cycling around it, however getting here can be arranged with the help of some Vila Real de Santo Antonio transfer from Faro Airport if you’re planning to spend your entire holiday around these parts. Otherwise you may want to consider some Vila Real de Santo Antonio car hire services.

The town features an absolutely lovely open sandy beach which is a couple of kilometers long, actually stretching close to Tavira.

Vila Real de Santo Antonio is part of a larger region, the Baixo Guadiana region, a place characterized by wonderful environment where the sun, sea, river, mountains and friendly inhabitants create a wonderful atmosphere to live and thrive in.

Related to this very laid-back approach to life, you can enjoy a boat trip along the Guadiana to Alcoutim for a special way of seeing the surroundings because it passes through some beautiful countryside and you’ll get to see the change in geography from very flat plains to rolling hills and lush vegetation.

Obviously this has been just a very short description of only some of the characteristics of Vila Real de Santo Antonio and its surroundings, rest assured that simple words and images can’t really do it any justice, once you’re there you’ll know that you’ll never be bored while on your trip here so you might as well focus on taking in as much of the place as possible.

Tavira

The town of Tavira, Portugal is a beautiful and elegant settlement, some consider it almost surreal in some aspects of it. Tavira is still an Algarvian fishing town, that much stays the same, however visitors might find what they see at odds with that particular notion seeing how unique this town is from most of the surrounding resorts.

Just like the rest of the region, Tavira spent quite a few centuries under Arab rule, in this case it was between the 8^th and 13^th centuries, after which it was conquered by the Knights of the Order of Santiago in 1242. Then between the 16^th and 18^th centuries, Tavira was the main trading port in the region. As you can plainly see, a very rich history, and we’ll try to give you a general overview on the place with this short Tavira guide.

What makes the town of Tavira stand out from most of the other Algarve towns is that it managed to somehow stave off the influence of mass tourism and preserve its unique traditions and handsome character. Part of this character is the seven arch bridge which spans the Gilao river; while its current appearance dates from the 17^th century, the bridge itself is believed to have been built by the Romans. Severe floods affected the bridge back in 1989 and ever since it has only been open to pedestrian traffic, so you can still get to cross it, only you’ll be doing it on foot and some might argue that this is a much better way.

The river is a major part of the town, Tavira’s river front being populated with a plethora of shopping, dining and other types of opportunities. For instance the market hall present here was re-vamped a few years ago and now plays host to many shops, cafes and restaurants with its central area being reserved for exhibitions and other special events.

The entire river front is a great place for a walk or for a sit at one of the cafes and enjoy the incredibly quiet and picturesque setting. The gardens located near the bridge are a particularly great place to sit down and relax in the shade and usually you’ll see quite a few groups of older men chatting away the day or playing some dominoes.

Before we go any further we should mention that the town isn’t very far away from Faro and in fact you can quickly reach it by using some Tavira transfer from Faro Airport services.

Back to what sets the town apart, the place has some of the finest churches that you’ll see in the entire region of the Algarve and that’s saying something. Not only are they very beautiful, but there’s also quite a few of them, more than twenty in fact, which can be found in and around the town.

The church that is usually mentioned to be the finest in town is the 16^th century Igreja da Misericordia; this might be largely due to its blue and white azuejos, and wonderful carvings and scenes from the life of Christ. Close-by you can find the older Igreja da Santa Maria do Castelo which dates back from the 13^th century; this is where you’ll find the tombs of seven Christian knights of the Order of St. James who were killed by the Moors during the many battles that raged in the region in medieval times. This church is called ‘do Castelo’ because it is located near the 13^th century castle which was rebuilt by King Dinis from what were Moorish fortifications. Nowadays it is used for tourist visits and to offer fantastic views across Tavira.

The churches, while there’s quite a few of them, are only a part of the architectural heritage of Tavira, the town showing signs of defensive structures dating from the Phoenician, Islamic and Portuguese eras of leadership and you can find out where yo look for these things in a booklet printed by the Tavira Municipal Council.

The have been only a couple of the major sights to keep in mind when visiting the town of Tavira, rest assured that there are many more than these, of a much greater variety as well. The best way of seeing the town and enjoying your vacation at the same time will be with the help of some Tavira car hire services, so make sure to keep those in mind when you budget for your trip to the Algarve.

The majority of the town is made up of late 19^th and early 20^th century buildings, when we’re talking about the older part of town, while the rest of Portimao is made up of modern apartment blocks in a variety of colors, hues and shades. It is interesting to note however that most settlements in the region have much longer histories, Portimao is a rather young place that managed to develop despite being surrounded by older towns. You can quickly get here by using some Portimao transfers from Faro Airport.

Because of its age, Portimao offers a special type of holiday experience, a more modern take on it. The shopping opportunities abound, especially in the centre, which is jam-packed with shops offering everything from clothes, gifts, souvenirs and electrical goods to general household items and whatever else you might expect to find in any town on the globe.

Of course entertainment is never far from the spectrum of shopping so there are also a lot of bars, restaurants and cafes where you can have yourself a sit and a rest while enjoying a snack or a nice refreshing beverage, be it hot or cold. The town is not exactly a resort town, so it can get rather busy in the center and the residential areas, however if you’re interested in seeing the more relaxed side of Portimao all you have to do is to head down to the river front.

Alongside the river front you’ll find the ‘Manuel Bivar’ gardens as well as some very famous regional fish restaurants situated near the end of the waterfront – all you have to do to get there is to follow the wonderful smell of barbecuing sardines.

Those who have employed some Portimao car hire services will quickly notice that the roads in and around Portimao can be a bit confusing, and more than just a bit congested because on some of the narrow streets you’ll find cars parked on both sides of the road. This happens even though car parking spots exist all around the town and there’s a very large free car park on the waterfront.

Portimao - Praia da rocha

While in Portimao you will simply have to visit the Portimao Marina, the colors that you’ll see there are quite unexpected to say the least. This is possibly the only place where you can see ochre and terracotta together; you can find the marina at the eastern end of the Praia da Rocha, this is also where you’ll find the Tivoli Arade and Nikki beach resorts.

As far as Portimao activities go, there are a plethora of things that one can get involved with, for instance boat trips. Not only boat trips but actually pirate ship trips which take you visiting the caves in old boats.

There are a couple of museums and art galleries to keep the culture vultures occupied and interested and a port built in the 17 century to protect the mouth of the river Arade. Located at the end of Tomas Cabreira avenue, this makes a great observation point to see across Ferragudo, Praia da Rocha and the marina.

Other activities that you can partake in are visiting the Zoo Lagos, located on the outskirts of Lagos however, so you’ll need a ride there, or go to the the Zoomarine at Guia, a vehicle of sorts will also be ideal for this destination.

This has only been a very short and quick description of what you should expect from Portimao, once there you’ll obviously find more things to see and do, even if it’s just strolling around the place taking in the atmosphere, rest assured that you won’t get bored, how could you with the beach in such close proximity.

Olhao fish market

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 19^th century, however it was sufficiently important in the 17^th 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.

The waterfront is extremely important to Olhao, as such there are actually two market building situated side by side which you simply have to visit, even if you’re not interested in purchasing anything, the atmosphere and the vibe of the markets will mesmerize you. If you do want to purchase something well then there will be no shortage of fresh fish and sea food, alongside locally grown fresh fruit and vegetables.

Of course this is the Algarve so you can’t have any large gathering of human beings without the specter of cafes and restaurants being somewhere close-by. The market halls are surrounded by many pavement cafes where you can sit down, relax, have yourself a wonderfully refreshing beverage and enjoy the view of the boats moored along the water. If you’re so inclined you can find a nice jazz cafe from which you can just watch people mill around the place and the boats in the immediate distance.

Much as it is with the rest of the cities and town of the Algarve, Olhao too has an old, historic heart. The Old Town is mad eup of old buildings which used to be merchants’ homes featuring wrought iron balconies as well as carved stonework and tile decorations as is customary around these parts. This offers an interesting contrast to the modern, industrial look of the port area.

The Praca da Restauraca is home to the church of Nossas Senhora do Rosario which was built in 1689 with contributions from the local fishermen, it’s interesting to note that at that time, this was the only stone building in the city. It is still a very graceful building featuring a Baroque facade.

The building located behind the church is the Compromisso Maritimo – the fishermen’s mutual society, founded back in the 18^th century – nowadays is also the home of the local Olhao city museum.

There’s yet another church located at the back of the Compromisso Maritimo, this time it’s a 17^th century one, the Nossa Senhora da Soledade. The entire area around these buildings feature narrow, cobbled streets and a wide variety of shops and of course the ever-present pavement cafes which are perfectly located to get a nice break from the sightseeing.

While we are talking here about a fishing town, Olhao doesn’t actually have a beach because it is located on the Ria Formosa system of lagoons, however the ferry services can take you to wherever you’ll want to reach nearby. Another option would be to employ some Olhao car hire services and just drive for yourself to wherever you want to go.

There are obviously many things to see and do here, and let’s not forget that you will be on the Algarve coast, the weather will most likely be wonderful and the people welcoming, also the surrounding countryside can offer a lot of interesting places to see and adventure in.

Loule Market Building

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.

While the city is relatively big, when compared to most other Algarve destinations, the part of town that will offer interesting places to visit will be rather small, however it would be a good idea to get a map if you’re on your your first visit, the street layout makes it rather easy to turn down the wrong street and walk much further than you’d want.

The main church of the city, Igreja de S. Clemente can be found in a small town square, alongside a small but peaceful garden, the Garden of Sulks – Jardim dos Amuados – which is an ancient Arab cemetery.

From the back of the church you can follow Rua Martic where once you turn left you’ll arrive at the market building which is great to visit in the mornings as the produce selection is quite excellent, especially for those who are into fresh fruit and vegetables.

The Loulé castle can be found just a bit of distance down the road from the market. It was built sometime between the 13th and 14th centuries, and uses as foundation the old Roman settlement. The castle itself doesn’t exist per se, there are three remaining grey stone towers that are well preserved as well as the archway and the living quarters of the castle garrison.

Going past the castle you will eventually find the Convent of Espirito Santo which also houses the municipal art gallery.

These are the major historical sights that you may want to visit while in Loulé, however there are obviously other things to see and do while in the city. The winding network of cobbled streets and alleys is populated with a plethora of cafes and shops all of which want to attract your business.

Those who employ some Loulé car hire services, but also pedestrians, will notice that the main street, Jose da Costa Mealha Avenida is usually busy with cars as well as people going about their daily lives while on either side of the central gardens you can take a while to rest on benches under trees and kiosk which can help refresh you after walking the street’s length.

Loulé is also very well-known in the region for being the host of one of the biggest events in the region, definitely one of the biggest in Loulé. The Loulé Carnival takes place in the month of February and lasts for three days, the third one being Shrove Tuesday.
The carnival is a colorful affair made up of music, dancing and just a general partying atmosphere which is very reminiscent of Brazilian carnivals. Just as it is with the carnivals in Brazil people from all across the region to see the processions and join in with the party in the streets.

As we mentioned earlier this couldn’t be a total guide of the city, but hopefully it did offer you enough of a general idea about the place, so that you can decide whether or not you’ll want to visit there.

Poches - Lagoa municipality

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 13^th 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 19^th century when the parish church was inaugurated, however there’s an older church, the Igreja de Misericordia which dates to the middle of the 18^th 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.

One other interesting building in the city is the Convento do Sao Jose which was built in 1713 and managed to survive the 1755 earthquake. Nowadays the building is used as a place to exhibit various art collections as well as house a small theater for cultural events. The building has an intriguing little feature in the style of a turn-box door, which was used to pass unwanted babies to the nuns in the convent. The mother would place the baby and any other small possessions on a shelf in the box and talk through a small aperture with the nun on the other side. The revolving door meant that the baby would reach the nuns without the mother having to show her face. Just a little piece of the curious history around this building and town.

During the month of August, the town plays host to a major commercial and rural produce fair named Fatacil. The fair exhibits products from all across the country, not just the region. This turns into a more major event because it offered something of an excuse for national bands and singers to do what they do best.

We mentioned earlier something about wine. During the months of September and October, the country lanes are packed to bursting with trucks and carts which shuttle freshly-picked grapes to the various wine-makers from the fields. The majority of the wine produced here is red and high in alcohol content, usually aged in a solera under a film of flor yeast which imparts a nutty character to the wine, making it taste something like a fine sherry.

The surroundings of the town are very interesting to explore as well, for instance the nearby town of Estombar is an even older settlement. This is where the famous 11^th century Arab poet “Ibn Ammar” lived and is a place of many legends related to subterranean passages stretching for up to twelve kilometers.

The nearby beach of Carvoeiro is located just a few kilometers south of Lagoa and its claim to fame being that it is amongst the most photographed and painted scenes in the entire region of the Algarve. This place too, used to be a simple and small fishing village, but thanks to investment from tourism development in recent years, it has grown into a fully-fledged holiday resort. It now features two golf courses, a tennis complex and even a riding centre nearby. Also close-by is Porches, a small town well-known for its very high-quality potteries and other hand-painted ceramics.

It should be noted that both these destinations can be relatively easily accessed from Lagoa with the help of some Lagoa car hire services.

Whether you’re planning to spend your entire trip here, or you’re just interested in visiting the place, our Lagoa transfers from Faro Airport can be employed to bring you here and back again, whether it’s to the airport or some other of our available locations, nothing could be easier.

Faro, Portugal

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 transfers from Faro Airport 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.

While the city definitely has an industrial feel to it, keep in mind this is a working city, not an Algarve resort, there are definitely sightseeing opportunities to be had here, especially in the Old Town or Cidade Velha.

One enters this part of Faro through an 18^th century gate, which sets the mood for the area which is still enclosed by the remnants of the medieval walls which protected it in centuries past from attackers and raiders. Within the Old Town you will find possible the city’s most famous and by far its most macabre attraction, the Chapel of Bones, which can be found at the Igreja do Carmo. The chapel here decorated with the bones of more than 1,200 monks who lived here throughout the centuries, it is macabre and intriguing at the same time.

One other major sight that you must not miss if you stay in Faro for a few days, is the Ria Formosa Natural Park, which is near the city and also located a short distance away you can find the peaceful village of Estoi which features a strikingly pink Roccoco palace and Roman ruins which date from the 1^st century.

Of course considering the fact that this is the Algarve, a wonderful beach won’t be far away, in fact only a few miles away a long sandy spit of beach awaits for you, across the bridge close to the airport. Reaching all of these places will be considerably easier if you choose to employ some Faro car hire services.

Faro Shopping

The city’s main shopping area is located right in the heart of town, better said it is located along the Rua Santo Antonia and the Rua Francisco Gomes. If you’re interested in mingling with the locals and trying out some of the local fresh produce, there’s a produce market on the Largo do Mercado open every day. Faro is also the place where you can get plenty of holiday buys such a traditional clothing, various handcrafts and local wines.

Faro Restaurants

There’s a huge variety of restaurants and good food in Faro, the pedestrianized Rua de Santo Antonio which features a large number of eating establishments caters to all tastes and more importantly to all budgets. But you can’t stay in Faro without tasting the local seafood, especially since this is a port town; you should head for the Dois Irmaos, the city’s oldest seafood eatery where they only use the fresh catch of the day for their products.

Faro Nightlife

Considering the fact that we are dealing with a university city, Faro has an extremely frenetic nightlife, fueled by the student population. The place to be at night is along the Rua do Prior and in the narrow alleys around Rua Conselheiro Bivar and Rua Infante Dom Henrique. The dance clubs here start around 11PM or even midnight and they will be open till morning. The bars on the other hand are open from about noon until the early hours.

When talking about visiting Faro it’s impossible to create a complete Faro guide because there are many things to talk about, and many more that will get left out.

In a nut-shell, the main tourist attractions of the town can be found in its old town, where holidaymakers interested in architecture and history can brush up on those notions. On the other hand there are quite a few solid museums in town as well, ideal for the culture vultures. However what has to be taken into consideration is that Faro Portugal isn’t an Algarve resort, it’s a working, bustling city, and thanks to the presence of the airport here, it is the gateway to the Algarve.

While a good beach is accessible, for more specified fun with sea and sand activities you have to travel to the more touristy coastal resorts.

Alcoutim

The city of Alcoutim is located on the Guadiana river, which separates Portugal from Spain. It is hence a border town, but it is also part of the Algarve and this makes it a valid travel destination for many holidaymakers.

Situated in the eastern part of the Algarve and in the south of Portugal, it is one of the relative few inland resorts but despite this it still features a beach, thanks to the river. The city proper offers a lot of interesting features including accommodations, gastronomy and various events. The city’s surroundings are also very rich with opportunities thanks to places like the Vila Real de Santo Antonio and Castro Marim to name a few of the major ones.

This part of the region is great for those holidaymakers who are interested in the region’s history, but not exclusively, as the traditions, sights and outdoor activities can appeal to almost anyone, so this is our little Alcoutim city guide, to give you an idea of what to expect.

Alcoutim city Portugal is located at about forty kilometers distance of Vila Real de Santo Antonio and there has been some type of establishment around these parts for about four thousand years, thanks to its rich deposits of copper, iron and manganese.

The settlement grew in importance during Roman times thanks to these resources and it continued to do so during the Medieval period; the remains of a 14^th century castle which overlooks the city can be visited, they house now a small archaeological museum.

The geography in this region is very hilly, and Alcoutim is itself a hillside town. It retains many of its more Medieval characteristics, in the sense that there are small squares and cobbled streets, but there’s also a paved promenade along the river front which is in turn populated by restaurants and cafes.

The church that you can fin near the river front was initially built in the 16^th century, however it required several reconstructions throughout the intervening centuries. The river is also quite narrow here which allows for a lot of sailing boats and other river craft to float gently.

Even if you will not be staying in Alcoutim you should still consider visiting it, and thankfully there are many Alcoutim city transfer from Faro Airport available if you’re interested. Of course the other option would be to employ some Alcoutim city car hire services and just drive in and around the place at your own leisure.

The town itself is worthy of a visit, but if not for that, then at least to see the unspoilt countryside that you’ll pass through on your way here. The region as a whole is quite different from the general view of what the Algarve is, but yet it is part of the Algarve, and is part of the wide range of diversity that the south of Portugal offers its visitors. It’s a very peaceful place and the green hills make it a wonderful area to walk around. It is interesting to note how completely different it is from the south coast beach resorts, even though it is only at a bout half an hour’s drive away. The rolling, green hills create quite a different type of Algarve experience.

The places around Alcoutim are quite interesting as well, Pereiro and Martinlongo being two of the other destinations, and the picturesque town of Mertola can all prove to be interesting places to visit.

Towards the south of the town you’ll find the historically important town of Castro Marim which features the ruins of a Moorish castle as well as those a 17^th century fort, both of which were built in order to protect the border with Spain as well as to guard the ships which used the river. The castle now offers some great views of the salt pans, the Castro Marim Nature Reserve and of course Spain.

It is clear by now that the north-eastern region of the Algarve is quite different from what the general idea bout the region is, however this doesn’t make it any less interesting or alluring; it’s a wonderful place to visit and roam around the countryside and small towns – keep in mind that a rental car might be a good idea.