Portugal magical coast

It is a region that cannot be understood without the Guadiana river. In this area it is navigable and you can rent a boat to sail the river. On the shore we can find remains of Roman civilization, such as graves and groups of buildings, as well as Arab villas. The old castle of Alcoutim was a Muslim fortress built to control the navigation and the mineral trade that took place through the Guadiana. But perhaps the greatest historical treasure of this municipality is its route through its prehistoric heritage. There are menhirs, villages and remains of copper and iron mining operations. The Lavajo menhir is from the Neolithic era. It was built 5500 years ago. It is the largest in Portugal and one of the most important in the entire south of the Iberian Peninsula. You can still see its decorations with circular figures and other elements. The love for decoration is still present today in the traditional crafts of this land. Miniature figurines, colored blankets and bedspreads, and reed baskets from the Guadiana are very popular. When it comes to eating, the most typical dish is fried eel, the specialty is game dishes. Rabbits, hares, partridges and wild boars are the most precious meats.

In ancient times, for thousands of years, Castro Marim was a river port near the sea where ships that came to collect metals, especially copper, took refuge in the nearby mines of Alcoutim and Mértola. In the center of town you can see the fortified structure around the castle. The streets that surround it have the typical simplicity of the urban architecture of the Algarve area. Strolling through them is an experience: the white and bright blue colors and the floral decoration on the cornices are unique to this place. In addition to the beautiful beaches of Cabeço, Alagoa and Praia Verde that are hidden among pine forests, the salt flats are also a must visit. Authentic mountains of salt, pyramids that reflect the sunlight like mirrors. Without a doubt the souvenirs to take from here are the hand-made brooms or brushes that women traditionally make with the leaves of a local palm tree. You cannot leave Castro Marim without trying their Azinhal cake, made of cinnamon and anise.
The Companhia das Culturas hotel is the ideal place to enjoy a perfect agritourism experience. If you are more into sports, the Castro Marim country club has excellent facilities to play golf.

The town is located in the middle of a nature reserve and has beaches that allow you to enjoy solitude and calm waters where children can play safely. In the 60s, in this place there were only a few small fishermen's cottages and that spirit is still well preserved. The Vila Real de Santo António cannot be understood without the sardine and tuna trade that made it one of the most important places on the coast. The local cuisine offer includes excellent fresh fish, such as bream, snook and horse mackerel, as well as its classic clams and coquinas or the most precious treasure, lobsters.
Using raw materials of such quality, at The Prime Energize Hotel the chef specializes in merging the flavors of the Algarve to those of the whole world. For a total relaxation experience next to a golf course, there is the Monte Rei resort with immense facilities and all kinds of services.

The beaches of the region are surrounded by citrus trees. The gold of the oranges shines throughout the area. The houses are covered in lime and have beautiful arabesque chimneys. In this environment, in the natural park of the Ria Formosa, the island of Tavira stands out. Its white sand beaches are considered the most beautiful in the Algarve. It is an ideal place to rest outdoors in its campsites and move from one place to another in its small traditional boats. In the Pedras d’El Rei tourist complex there is a tuna warehouse from 1842. Everything indicates that the fish in the area is sensational. The estuary is rich in seafood. The razor clams, prawns and tuna with onion are the most characteristic dishes, as well as its famous rice with octopus from Santa Lucía.

For those in search of total privacy, the small bungalows of Pedras da Rainha offer all the tranquility that the visitor who seeks relaxation and silence could need. For hiking, cycling or bird watching, the ideal starting point is the rural tourism hotel Herdade da Corte.

Between almond and fig trees, Sao Bras de Alportel is one of the most typical and characteristic towns in the Algarve. Its exceptional natural environment is ideal for mountain bike routes. In fact, the town hall has several signposted routes. But cultural tourism is also very common. The most famous place to visit is the Algarve costume museum, which is housed in a beautiful 19th century building. Just a walk through the urban center of the town is enough to appreciate details such as the flowers in the windows, something unique to this region, or the baroque details of the Passo da Paixão and the luxurious Episcopal Palace. They are proof of the wealth and prosperity left in the region by the cork industry, derived from its most abundant tree, the cork oak. Wooden crafts are also very popular, especially toys, an extraordinary souvenir. As for its food, both hot and cold soups, such as gazpacho, are the local specialty. Desserts, made of honey and nuts, are the most precious delicacies.

Olhao is a beautiful town with traditional architecture, white painted houses and extraordinary fish grill restaurants. However, the surprise is in the sea. The beaches of Olhão are islands of immeasurable extension in the middle of the sea. A place where one can feel like a castaway, with no one around for hundreds of meters. The port from which the boats leave for these beaches is also the place where all the region's fishing arrives. The boats here unload their lobsters and octopus in traditional baskets called covos. Besides food and sunbathing, water sports are very popular here. The strong wind allows for windsurfing, but also motorized water activities and canoeing.

Olhão has a wide range of accommodations, including the Hotel Real Marina, or in the very heart of the town the Casa Fuzetta, which has capacity for 24 people and is ideal for families. Also very traditional, Casa Modesta, has an organic garden and solarium.

The Muslims left their waterwheels in this place to extract the fresh water and they still remain to this day. There are also Roman remains in the villages, located among forests of fruit trees. But the biggest attraction in this region are the endless beaches of the dunes of the Ria de Formosa. A true natural paradise that can only be reached by boat. In these small islands, there is only sand and sea. The only buildings are small fishermen's houses.
The Riberirinho neighborhood in the municipality of Faro is also very popular. It is located in the historic center of the city and is ideal for strolling through its narrow streets. It is essential to see all the palaces, churches and the cathedral that made this town one of the most important points in southern Portugal.
The local cuisine offers fish and its specialty, razor clam rice. The desserts, made with figs and almonds, are very tasty.
Hotel Faro is recommended for its wonderful Beach Club. If tranquility is what you are looking for, Cardeal's apartments are set amongst 18th-century gardens.

No place explains the cultural wealth of the Algarve like Loulé, where on the horizon one can see the silhouette of the castle battlements, the minaret of the old mosque and the immense white dome of the Sanctuary of Our Lord of Mercy. Nearby is the Roca da Pena peak, 479 meters high, overlooking the entire region all the way to the sea.

For beach lovers, Vilamoura beach is next to one of the best tourist developments in Europe. Quarteira beach is in an old fishing village, and Quinta do Lago beach is on the estuary, but it is accessible over a pedestrian bridge.

The most highly valued fish are grilled sardines and horse mackerel in "tomatada".

Loulé offers all types of accommodations. Laguna Vilamoura Apartments are surrounded by a nature reserve. In the town, the Hostel Conii stands out for the traditional decoration of its rooms.

Albufeira offers activities for all tastes, both during the day and at night. During the day you can enjoy its famous beaches, in the afternoon play sports and explore its cliffs and at night enjoy its bars and clubs. Each beach is unique in Albufeira. Galé-Arenal Beach is between cliffs. The rocks of Playa Evaristo or São Rafael and Arrifes are of incredible natural beauty. In its waters, you can practice all kinds of sports, windsurfing, water skiing or diving.
The landscape changes a lot just a few kilometers inland. Almond, fig, pine and orange trees dye the landscape green. The golf courses run down to the seashore, and the tennis courts are right next to the beach so you can take a dip after every game.
Albufeira was one of the areas most affected by the 1755 earthquake. It was not until the middle of the 19th century that it recovered the wealth of its fishing industry. Since the 80's, it has been one of the most famous tourist centers in Portugal. One of Albufeira's unique culinary experiences is that you can eat the fish immediately after it is caught from the sea. Other famous dishes are the coquinas with laurel and coriander, the mackerel cooked with oregano and the xarém with sardines.
The accommodation offer is just as wide. The Nau hotel is a highly recommended resort with a spa by the sea, as are the beautiful apartments at Quinta Pedra dos Bicos or the Hotel da Oura.

As in all the Algarve, the charm of Silves is found in the mix of cultures. The layout of the old Arab city, the Jewish quarter from Rua da Porta de Loulé and the synagogue are still preserved. The castle of Silves is the largest in the Algarve, it has eleven towers, and it is also of Muslim construction. In the interior of the region you will find an explosion of colors. The houses are white with blue doors and contrast with the oranges and pomegranates of the fruit trees. Many tourists flock to this area in order to see birds. There are more than eighty different species. Among them, the famous woodpecker.
Sardines, horse mackerel, bream, snook and many other fish are real delicacies for those who like grilled fish.
The hotels in the area are also closely related to nature. Zitur apartments are traditional and allow access to excellent hiking and cycling routes. The Colina Dos Mouros hotel stands out for its wide views, just like the Kronos apartments, surrounded by 270 hectares of nature and a golf course.

The best Algarve wines are produced in Lagoa. There is so much tradition that the production was maintained even in Arab times. The specialty is white wines, very aromatic and pleasant, and dry and sweet wines for aperitifs. They are worth trying while enjoying the fish from the port of Ferragudo. This small fishing village has lived off the sea for centuries. Right here, the Romans installed tanks to salt fish. On the coast, there are many beaches such as Carvoeiro, Agrinha, Marinha or Albandeira. Some are very extensive and others are so small that they can only be accessed by boats. You can practice all the usual water sports, such as windsurfing, water skiing or diving, but you can also access several caves along the coast.
The Casa Bela Moura offers the perfect accommodations just a few meters from the most romantic beaches. Hotel Carvoeiro Plaza is located just 25 meters away from the beach. If more privacy is preferred, the Hello Villas apartments are in a resort with large swimming pools.

In Monchique there is a contrast between the warm beaches and the freshness of the mountains. It is a sparsely populated area so it is worth taking long walks through the valley and getting lost in nature. The story goes that the Romans already came to bathe here. Its thermal waters are rich in fluoride and bicarbonate, they are recommended for people who have respiratory, muscle or bone problems. In addition, they have great moisturizing properties, which offers many possibilities for beauty treatments. In Caldas de Monchique, it is also very interesting to see the Chapel of Santa Teresa, whose life is painted on tiles. Local crafts are characterized by their wooden objects, such as chairs or traditional kitchen tools. If one ingredient stands out in its cuisine, that is its famous honey. It has been sold since the 16th century and local desserts are made with it.
The best hotels in the area are in the middle of the mountains. The most highly recommended are the Vinha do Gaio, with a wide range of agritourism, or the Monchique Resort, with a spa and three swimming pools.

There is almost no medieval architecture left in Portimao, just a few remains of the walls. Most of the buildings are from the 19th and 20th centuries, but among them the Palace of the Vizcondes de Bívar stands out, which is now the town hall. Down its river, the Arade, for millennia the Phoenicians, Greeks, Carthaginians, Romans, Arabs and Normans sailed on their way to Silves. Today that tour can be done on a rented boat. It is a peaceful journey that passes through the islet of Nossa Senhora do Rosário, where you can still see the remains of an old hermitage. Gastronomically, everything in Portimao revolves around the sardines, they are the best in Portugal.
In this area, hotels are usually next to the beaches. The Placid Village offers individual apartments and the Pestana Alvor Praia has five tennis courts and eight golf courses.

The white painted streets of Lagos are closely linked to trade with America. In its baroque church you can see murals of ancient combats and allusions to the sailors who arrived in the New Continent in caravels. It is said that off these coasts the galleons with Moctezuma's treasure were shipwrecked in 1522. These are especially transparent waters. In fact, one of the most famous activities that take place here is the visit by boat to its many caverns and sea caves. In the city, the defensive walls are a historical treasure. They were first built by the Carthaginians and the Romans and later continued by the Arabs and the Christians. Unfortunately, within them is the 15th century market for slaves from Africa.
Lovers of good food in Lagos are in luck. The conger or monkfish soup, the feijoada de buzinas, the honey cakes and the tasty local wines are hard to forget.
Some hotels in the area, such as Vila Valverde, are built on old 19th-century estates. It is also possible to stay in the city center, such as at the Lagos Avenida Hotel, or enjoy resorts, such as the Marina Club, with all the luxury of its amenities.

The sea and the mountains seem to collide in Aljezur, but in the middle there are extraordinary orchards where vegetables, sweet potatoes and peanuts are grown. At the top of the mountain are the remains of a castle that saw countless battles between Christians and Muslims. Near the sea, the beaches of Odeceixe and Adegas are cut by the Seixe river, which also separates the family atmosphere from the naturists. At the nearby Amoreira beach the Aljezur river flows, so you can bathe in either fresh or salt water, while Amado Beach, which is in the town of Carrapateira, is a paradise for lovers of surfing and bodyboarding. Many people also come to this part of the coast to fish. You can catch snapper, bream, croaker, sea bream, conger eel, snook and even sea bream. For this reason, the most important dish of the local cuisine is the fish stew with a luxury starter: barnacles collected from nearby beaches.
As in the entire Algarve, the accommodation offer ranges from top quality hotels with swimming pools, such as Casa Fajara, to small individual houses such as Casas do Moinho.

Cape São Vicente and Sagres are the southwesternmost extremes of continental Europe. From the cliffs of this coast, the sea seems infinite at sunset. The many menhirs from prehistoric rites reflect the magic that this place gives off. It is not surprising that the ancients considered that the world ended here. There are also fortresses along the entire coast that protected the population from pirates. Nowadays you can enjoy excellent views from them. There are multiple activities for visitors. From fishing to surfing, from scuba diving to golf. The usual fish dishes of the Algarve are combined here with mountain ingredients, such as cabbages and chickpeas.
The hotel offer is oriented towards rest and tranquility. The Martinhal resorts are ideal for traveling with the family, the Hotel Mira Sagres is integrated into the Natural Park of the Costa Vicentina and the houses of Aldea da Pedralva are ideal to enjoy privacy and feel just like one of the locals.