 |  |  |
 |
 |
| SPOTLIGHT | | Tropical
beaches and jungle, Wildlife, natural heritage and sun-kissed islands. |
| |  |
 |  |  |
| | | |
|
Portimao beaches are terrific but package hotel territory these days.
In previous lives this port town was fought over by Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans, Christians and Moors. Then in 1755 the monster quake that flattened Lisbon did the same for this area, encouraging its next incarnation as a major fishing port.
Until very recently it remained so - until the developers invaded and established a hundred high-rise hotels all at once onto the coastal strip. Now it's solid gold, pack-man land, an upmarket Albufeira but with even less traditional Portugal style; like, er, zero.
Praia da Rocha, next door, is the best known surfer's beach on the Algarve's south coast.
irst the blue sea and its gently lapping waves. Then fine golden sands framed by cliffs and rocks. The cosmopolitan atmosphere of an international tourist destination. This is the Algarve of beach holidays in the sun.
Portimão and its municipality have more to offer though. A rich heritage of historical monuments. The eternal natural beauty of the Ria de Alvor.
The charm of cultivated fields, of slopes covered with pine trees and wild flowers. The allure of walking up into the hills and looking down on the Algarve from a new perspective.
Alvor - A long beach that extends as far as the eye can see, until it reaches the Ria de Aivor estuary. An international tourism centre.
Tres Irmãos and Prainha - A series of tiny beaches separated by outcrops of ochre rock in which the sea has worn tunnels that offer an unusual means of across.
João de Arens - A small stretch of sand set among cliffs, rocks and islands, it is associated with a fearless shepherd immortalised by the writer Manuel Teixeira Gores, a native of Portimão, in his book "Agosto Azul" (Blue August).
Vau - A charming beach flanked by cliffs. Its calm atmosphere iodine-rich waters and fascinating rock formations make it popular with families.
Praia da Rocha may be the most famous resort in the area, but the beaches that extend all the way to Alvor have their own particular appeal. |
|
|
 |
Top Beaches in Portugal |
 |
|
|
 Vila
Nova De Milfontes beach |
|
Vila Nova
De Milfontes lies on the estuary of the River Mira, whose sandy banks gradually
expand and merge into the coastline. This is generally the most crowded and popular
resort in the Alentejo, with lines of villas and hotels radiating from the centre
of the old village. It's still a pretty place, though, with a handsome little
castle and an ancient port, reputed to have harboured Hannibal and his Carthaginians
during a storm. |
|
|
| Zambujeira
Do Mar Beach |
|
Zambujeira Do Mar, south
of Odemira and 7km west of the main road, a large cliff provides a dramatic backdrop
to the beach, more than compensating for the winds. Lastly, the resort of Porto
Covo , although overdeveloped, has plentiful accommodation and beautiful, almost
untouched beaches to the south. |
|
|
| Alentejo Coast Beach |
Access is straightforward,
with local bus services and the twice-daily Zambujeira Express from Lisbon, which
takes you within easy range of the whole coastline and stops at the beaches of
Vila Nova de Milfontes and Zambujeira do Mar.
|
|
|
| Odemira Beach |
|
Odemira is the main
inland base. A quiet, unspoiled country town, it has an erratic bus service (8
daily) to the beach at Vila Nova de Milfontes and to Zambujeira do Mar (2 daily).
Unless you're camping, you're unlikely to find anywhere to spend the night in
these resorts from June to August, so it's not a bad idea to stay in Odemira and
take day-trips to the seaside. |
|
|
| Costa da Caparica Beach |
Costa da Caparica
from the capital, and it's here that most locals come if they want to swim or
laze around on the sand.
|
|
|
| Faro Beach |
| Faro, a sleepy provincial
town twenty years ago, now has all the facilities of a modern European town, with
an attractive shopping area, some decent restaurants and a "real" Portuguese
feel in contrast to many nearby resorts. |
|
|
| Lagos Beach |
Once a quiet little
town, Lagos is now a thriving fishing port and market centre as well as being
one of the most popular tourist destinations in the Algarve.
|
|
|
| Cove Beach |
| To the east of Lagos is
a splendid sweep of sand - Meia Prais - where there's space even at the height
of summer, while the promontory south is fringed by extravagantly eroded cliff
faces that shelter a series of tiny cove beaches. |
|
|
| Olhao Beach |
Olhao, 8km east of Faro,
is the largest fishing port on the Algarve and an excellent base for visiting
the sandbank islands ( ilhas ). Train and bus stations are near each other off
the Avenida da Republica northeast of town.
|
|
|
| Ilha of Culatra Beach |
| Boats to the
more distant Ilha of Culatra are less frequent (4-7 daily; 35-45min.) and call
first at unattractive Culatra town, then at Farol, an untidy village of holiday
homes edged by beautiful beaches on the ocean side. Note that ferry services are
drastically reduced outside July and August. |
|
|
| Tavira Beach |
| Tavira has some of the
best areas for scuba diving in Portugal, check out the diving school at Pedras
Del Rei. |
|
|
|
|
| | |
