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The Algarve is Portugal’s main tourist destination, renowned for its mild climate, the beauty of its landscape and beaches, the friendliness of its people, its quaint old world charm and its laid back lifestyle.
It is also famed for its magnificent championship golf courses, high quality leisure resorts and sophisticated hotels. Served by Faro International Airport, the region is within comfortable flying time from most major European cities.
The Algarve is blessed by an average of no fewer than 3000 hours of sunshine each year (more than any other European holiday destination) so is ideal for all-the-year round sports such as tennis, horse-riding, deep-sea fishing, sailing, windsurfing, snorkeling, microlite flying. And when the sun a vibrant night life awaits the visitor. It is therefore the perfect venue for short or long breaks or conferences.
The province, which takes its name from the Arabic ‘al gharb’ meaning ‘the west’ or ‘the land beyond’, has always been a place apart and was a separate kingdom until Portugal beame a Republic in 1910.

It differs sharply from the rest of Portugal in its climate, vegetation, character of its people, and its relaxed way of life. In villages of squat lime-washed cottages topped by ornamental latticed chimneys old women wearing felt hats hide from the sun under black umbrellas. Fishermen paint their boats in colours as bright as the spring flowers on the cliffs. Two donkey carts cause a ‘traffic jam’. At this pace of life even the most frazzled businessman soon unwinds.
The countryside, with almond blossom and orange orchards, undulating vineyards and fields of grain show the continuing importance of agriculture. The beauty of it all is merely a bonus as is the taste of freshly-picked oranges, figs, melons, strawberries, and grapes.
For centuries fishing has been intimately linked with life in the Algarve. Wherever you go on the coast you’ll be alongside fishermen, either the crews of small boats that work just offshore or trawlermen who go far out into the ocean in pursuit of the big schools.
The 150kms coastline, stretching from Cape St. Vincent in the west to the River Guadiana which forms the eastern frontier with Spain and abundant in unspoiled sandy beaches and idyllic coves, is neatly divided. It is separated to the north by the picturesque Monchique mountain range and to the south and west by the Atlantic seaboard. The western half, its unspoiled beaches, thinly populated even in summer and framed by dramatic cliffs and surrealistic rock formations, is known as the Barlavento. The eastern half, the Sotavento, is a harmonious marriage of coast and ocean, embracing the nature reserve of the famous Ria Formosa Natural Park, an intimate co-existence of gentle sands and shoreline sloping up through pines, mimosa, eucalyptus and heather. Both the western and eastern regions are predominantly environmentally protected areas in which new development is tightly controlled.

Although the ocean is Atlantic the feel is Mediterranean. Modern technology and European Union membership has brought many improvements to the infrastructures and amenities of Portugal and its southern coastline: Yet much of the old fashioned charm and customs of Algarvean life still prevails from the early morning fish auctions to the colourful weekly street markets. Eating out is also one of the great pleasures of visiting the Algarve from the ubiquitous sardines or grilled chicken ‘piri piri’ to fresh lobster, crab, clams and other shellfish and an abundance of fish, all so freshly caught they wink at you off the plate! Good shopping is also available from regional craftwork to designer label clothes.
The region has a rich tapestry of history, from the time of the Phoenicians 3000 years ago to the Golden Era of Portuguese Discoveries in the 15th century when the famous mariners such as Prince Henry the Navigator and Vasco da Gama pioneered the epic voyages through uncharted waters to the orient and the New World. Antique churches with beautifully tiled interiors are to be seen in many of the major towns and interesting Roman ruins in Milreu and Vilamoura.

Under Roman rule the Latin language was introduced, grapes and olive crops increased and spas constructed such as Caldas de Monchique a wonderful, refreshing mountain retreat where the curative waters are still taken today. But it was the Moors who left an indelible imprint on the culture of the Algarve during their 500 year occupation starting in the 8th century and the Islamic heritage is visible in many spheres including architecture, language, agriculture and food.
The ornamental latticed chimneys have strong Arab overtones while the decorative glazed tiles (azulejos) so beloved by the Portuguese owe their origins to the Moors in the medieval period. The Moors also perfected the technique for extracting olive oil and sugar and among other vegetables and fruit introduced the orange and the almond to Portugal.
It is the almond tree that gives rise to the Algarve’s most enchanting legend. The bride of a Moorish king was pining for her homeland in the snowy north and when the king learned the reason for her sadness he ordered a forest of almond trees to be planted around his castle as far as the eye could see. When they blossomed he awakened his wife from a long melancholy sleep, showed her the snow-white fields, and she was cured.