Any
description of Algarve, Portugal could vary from one year to another.
Algarve is the southern most region, to the east limited by the Guadiana
River and its neighbouring Spain and to the west, on the coast, by
a steep mountain range. Fishing and agriculture were the main economical
support of this humble and meek community, which as a result left very
few monuments of interest. The majority were destroyed by the strong
seismic movement in 1755, including the Gothic Cathedral in Silves,
the old city centre of Faro and the medieval village of Tavira.
The most attractive part resides in the Algarve beaches, long fine sandy ones
are enclosed in coves at the beginning where the silhouette of the coast is
extremely flat, following the city of Albufeira where it turns into cliffs.
When travelling along the southern coast, it is best to use the highway N125
for connecting one inland city to another. If you want to escape from the noisy
beaches and the crowds at the hotels, then drive to the cities around the Algarve.
Algarve portugal and what it shows us
Let´s start
our journey on the eastern most point of Algarve Portugal, in the
town of Vila Real de Santo Antonio. In 1744, Pombal, a powerful
aristocrat, who created a neoclassic geometrically squared suburban community.
In many aspects, this town resembles Lisbon which was also reconstructed
by Pombal. The new international bridge not far away, which communicates
Portugal to Spain has brought more commercial prosperity. Heading
north on the N122 road to visit more cities around Algarve, we
come across the walled city of Castro Marim. Here, there is a Natural
Park , a castle 13th c., and a fortress 17th c. This city has seen
all the cultures starting from the Lusitanians, Celtics, Romans
and Arabs to the times of Philip II and the new Portuguese era.
Still going north, always running parallel to the Guadiana River,
you pass through simple towns on canyons or gorges, very distinctive
from the rest of the ones in the east Algarve. On the bank of the
Guadiana is Alcoutim, right on the border between Portugal and
Spain. With the warm weather at Easter, hotter in summer and at
Christmastime, there is an organised boat service. If you take
the N124, you will have a leisurely drive through the central part
of this region, coming out at Porto de Lagos, almost on the west coast.
The ever changing algarve region
Taking another route along the coast, Tavira would be our next stop. Although
Tavira has the warmest waters, it is still not ready for so many tourists.
Its city centre brims with medieval and Moorish architecture. Continuing on,
Faro, the capital of Algarve offers us one of the main entrance gates by air
with its international airport. There is an important estuary called Ria Formosa
running more than 60 kilometres, with an incalculable value for the ecosystem
in this area. Flora hardly seen anywhere else and constant fauna visitors from
other continents are a special attraction. Albufeira is a must for a day visit
at least to change the pace with a little nightlife and staying at one of the
many hotels facing the Atlantic. And finally, on the other side of Portimao
is Lagos. For a complete holiday stay, take a spin around the Algarve Portugal
region.
|
|
