The Algarve Region

The Algarve

A feast for the soul and the senses, the warm, rich waters of the Atlantic grace the Algarve shoreline. Overhead is clear and blue, birds in leisurely flight break the skyline and the cool, onshore breeze touches the skin. The aroma is a fresh sea air, tinged with the scent of wild flowers and the soundtrack is almost purposeful – Mother Nature in all her guises – at work and at play. Welcome, you are home.

But the Algarve is also home to a unique history and culture much of which resides in its tangled, cobbled streets and walkways, that almost seem preserved, belonging maybe to another time, but brimming with traditional craftsmen and bustling with the activity of large open markets that form the centerpiece of daily life. 

Renowned for its distinctive Portuguese architecture, the Algarve has its own beat, time has its own tempo and café side terraces are a place for hushed gossip, quiet conversation and maybe profound thought.

Restaurants are relaxed.  No standing on ceremony, the atmosphere is hearty and warm, the traditional Algarve cuisine pays tribute to nature’s fresh harvest of fish and shell-fish including such dishes as caldeirada de peixe (fish-stew) or cataplana de amêijoas (clams steamed in a copper pan)

Or you can enjoy the traditional mountain food of stewed chickpeas and cabbage. The range of choices will also include the famous regional delicacies, such as figs, almonds, carobs and the brandy made from the locally grown medronho (arbutus-berry), distilled up in the hills in old copper stills.

Beyond the coast, the Algarve terrain is a mix of plateaux and plains. Locals tend the fields and in many ways town and village life has stood still, untouched by worldly distractions.  Here, tradition dies hard and local craftspeople ply their centuries old trade across a broad canvas in pottery, brass, linen and jute.

Worlds apart, yet only a step away from the tranquil peace of the inland region, the Algarve night comes alive, with the full gambit of nightly entertainment, including bars, discos, marinas and casinos. 

And the morning brings a new day – of promise and pleasure – of sunshine and shade – perfect for enjoying all the facilities that the area has to offer – on the sea or by the shore.

The Algarve – And tomorrow is just another day!