PORTUGAL : Algarve

 

The Algarve 's 200 kilometre stretch of southern shoreline is one of Europe 's most popular holiday destinations. The region has attracted visitors since the time of the Phoenicians, but today it caters for millions of tourists a year with its stunning coastline, excellent golf courses and pleasant year round climate.Algarve is the Portuguese pronunciation of al-gharb, an Arab name meaning "land beyond" that the Moors gave to this sunny region of Portugal after conquering the Iberian Peninsula in 711. Situated on the extreme South of Portugal, this part of the territory was the last to be conquered from the Moors by the Portuguese king Dom Afonso III, in 1292. Traces of the Moorish presence are still seen in its unique terraces, chimneys and whitewashed houses.

 

The Algarve is at its most pleasant during spring and fall, when resorts are uncrowded but the waters of the Atlantic are warm enough for swimming. Winter can also be pleasant, with average daily January highs of 59° F (15° C). Water temperatures tend to be cooler in the west and warmer in the east, with an average thermometer reading of 57° F (14°) in January and 70° F (21° C) in July.

 

Faro is the capital city of the region, with a medieval wall and a large number of monuments: Cathedral (Romanesque-Gothic origin), Nossa Senhora da Assunção Convent (Renaissance), São Francisco Church (16th-18th centuries). Museums to visit: Infante Dom Henrique, Regional Ethnographic, Ramalho Ortigão and Antoniano (next to Santo António do Alto Chapel). Also worthwhile visiting are the beautiful churches of São Pedro da Misericórdia and Nossa Senhora do Carmo. Roman ruins of Milreu in the suburbs.

 

Albufeira is the most famous spot in this area of beach resorts, golf courses, and other tourist developments. The town is a favorite of package tourists from Britain , France , and Germany who come for sunshine and nightlife. Faro, the modern capital of the Algarve , is primarily an airline gateway and regional business center. A newer and more upscale private development, Vilamoura, is geared toward the condo crowd.

 

The quieter Algarve begins at Lagos , home to a modern marina, a clutch of ancient churches and a long, sandy beach. Enclosed within 15th century walls, with its Manueline window, are the magnificent churches of São Sebastião (Renaissance portals and 17th and 18th century tiles), Santa Maria or Misericórdia (16th-19th centuries), Santo António (Baroque) and the very old São João Chapel (8th-9th centuries). Other points of interest: Regional Museum , Governors Palace, Pau da Bandeira Fortress and the old slave market.

 

West of Lagos towards the Atlantic coast are the pretty villages of Luz, Burgau and Salema, with narrow streets, whitewashed houses and an ancient fishing tradition.

 

Stones of different times and cultures overlap in the   town of Silves : the castle and walls are of Arab origin; the Gothic Cathedral (having undergone several restoration work) was built on the site of an ancient mosque; the 12th century bridge was built where formerly stood a Roman bridge. The Cross of Portugal also deserves special mention (16th century religious sculpture), as well as the following examples of Manueline motifs: the Nossa Senhora dos Mártires Chapel and the Misericórdia Church . The Archeology Museum is built around an almost unique Arab water cistern, dating from the Almohad period.