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2006 www.algarvehire.com
PORTIMÃO -
[ Mexilhoeira Grande, Alvor, Portimão ]
Portimão Besides Faro, Portimão is another essential commercial centre of the Algarve. It is far busier as a town rather than a holiday resort, although it is still geared towards tourism, but commercial orientation is important. The old harbour and parks alongside the river are welcoming and pleasant. The fisherman's port restaurants serve grilled sardines and other fresh fish. The fish served is the morning catch from the fishing boats that dock next to the restaurants. Leisure cruises, as in other marinas are available in abundance and a worthwhile trip to see the coastline from the sea. There are full-day cruises, half-day cruises or 3-hour cruises available from the very same docks. For Big Game fishing, this is also the best place to organise an excursion. Portimão is also ideal for shopping with a large variety of traditional and interesting artefacts, as well as for shoes and clothes, especially leatherwear and embroided linen. There is an abundance of restaurants available for all tastes.
FARO -
[ Sta Bárbara de Nexe, Estói, Conceição, Faro (S.Pedro e Sé), Montenegro ]
This Roman town called Ossonoba became a Bishop's seat in the 4th century and kept it even after the Visigoth occupation in the 5th century. The Arabs occupied Faro in the 8th century and rebuilt the city wall. Later Faro became the capital of an independent Arabian kingdom, ruled by the family Harun. The Portuguese King Afonso III conquered faro in 1249 and integrated in Portuguese territory. In this time the most important part of the town was still the Inner town, surrounded by the wall, where the church of Santa Maria, now a Cathedral was built. Faro became once more bishop's seat in 1577. From the 16th Century, we have the Convent of Nossa Senhora da Assunção and the Bishop´s palace. In the 17th century Faro continued to grow as several religious buildings were built as well as a new defensive wall known as "Cerca Seisentista". In the 18th Century two beautiful baroque churches were built: the church of São Francisco and the Carmo church. Unfortunately, the earthquake of 1755 destroyed many buildings, which were rebuilt afterwards. Faro is the capital of the Algarve since 1756. Some of the most important infrastructures of Faro are the International Airport, University of the Algarve - 8000 students and the District Hospital.
- TAVIRA -
[ Cachopo, Sta. Catarina da Fonte do Bispo, Tavira Sta. Maria, Sto. Estevão, Luz, Tavira Santiago, Sta. Luzia, Conceição, Cabanas de Tavira ]
Tavira is a charming town, which lies 20km northeast of Olhão. Tavira was developed during the Moorish occupation and became one of the largest and most important ports in the Algarve during the 15th century. Due to the gradual silting of the Gião River, trading dropped and tuna fishing became the main commercial activity. Towards the 1970's there was also a decline in this industry due to the depletion of tuna in the area and fishermen had to move further south and westward along the Moroccan coast. Tavira boasts of 27 churches, but many of them are only open for services.
The Church of Santa Maria do Castelo contains the tomb of Dom Paio Peres Correia, who took Tavira from the Moors in 1224. The Igreja do Carmo is worthwhile visiting for it's interior. As in many towns in the Algarve, many of the historic buildings were destroyed in the Great Earthquake and so many of the old buildings found in Tavira date back to the late 18th century.
- ALBUFEIRA -
[ Guia, Albufeira, Ferreiras, Paderne, Olhos de Água ]
In Roman times Albufeira was called Baltum. There are Roman bridges in Paderne and Guia. Arabs occupied the town in the 8th century and renamed it Al- Buhera, which means, "Castle on the Sea". During 5 centuries of Arabian rule, Al-Buhera had an intensive trade with North Africa. Together with Faro it was one of the last Arabian strongholds to be conquered by the Portuguese in 1250. King Manuel gave Albufeira a new charter in 1404, granting it the status of town. The earthquake of 1755 damaged a great part of Albufeira. A second disaster happened in 1833 during a civil war between liberals and absolutists.
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