Algarve Travel Guide

The distance from one part of Algarve to the other was difficult to cover back in the 13th century. This is no longer an obstacle thanks to the modern Lisbon-Albufeira-Castro Marim road (IP1) or Faro international airport.  When you visit this charming region with its idyllic.

Temperatures which are ideal for playing golf and other sports, you will be greeted with its brightly coloured fig trees, orange groves and almond trees in blossom.  The Algarve is also the most verdant and fertile. The southern coastline has long stretches of fabulous sandy beaches interweaved with extraordinary rugged cliffs and fantastic grottos

Algarve resorts

Algarve tourism

Apart from the many available water sports facilities (the marinas of Vilamoura and Lagos deserves special mention), other alternatives, such as tennis courts,  luxury hotels or quaint holiday resorts and an exciting nightlife with many bars, restaurants and clubs to suit all ages and tastes.The expanding tourist industry means that a very high quality, international cuisine is now available, this region also offers delicious regional dishes, with tradional dishes including Seafood soups oregano snails, pork meat and "cataplana" clams, roasted dried octopus on the grill (Lagos style), and grilled squid and cuttlefish.

The fig pastries, to the marzipan pastries, shaped like little animals or fruits, to the famous "D. Rodrigo" and "morgado" from Lagos, to the puff pastry from Olhão, and to the egg yolk, almond paste and caramel pastries from Tavira all deserve a special mention , for there beautiful presentation as well as their mouth watering taste. The internationally famous Lagoa wines, as well as those from Lagos and from Tavira and the various regional liquors are all worth a try. The Portuguese are noted for there fine food and wines, they take all aspects of there food form presentation to taste seriously and as such have many FoodFestivals:

Sausage Festival - Monchique, March. Portuguses Food Week - Lagos, June. Beer Festival - Silves, July. Tuna Itinerary - V.R. de St. António, July. Art of Desert Fair - Lagos, July. Sardine Festival - Portimão/Quarteira, July/August. Seafood Festival - Olhão, August. Algarve Tavern Fair - Lagoa, August. Titbit Festival - Loulé, August. Sweet Potato and Rock Barnacles Festival - Aljezur, October/November.

Things to do in Algarve

Algarve culture

The Moorish influences and the legacy of five centuries of Arab rule are still easily recognizable, just start by looking for the narrow streets and chimneys with the most varied shapes and designs. not to be missed are the local handicrafts ,Wicker and osier objects,Straw hats and baskets, Copper and tin objects, Wooden objects and Ceramics from Porches also the many churches and castles built in previous centuries. The local museums in the major coastal centres and in smaller inland towns preserve the culture and many of its representing works Music and dance are the cultural expressions that best reflect the soul of a people.

The tourist flag in the Algarve is the “Corridinho” a cheerful version of folklore that, according to several testimonies, was born from the dances polka and the mazurka. It was with the introduction of the accordion to the saloon dances at the end of the 19th century that players invented and reinvented the songs until the “corridinho” was born.to show how the Algarve dances the “corridinho”  the tinkle of the triangle and the sound of the accordion give way to the dancers that come on scene with a bright eye under the black felt hat.

Read also about Algarve history