Some places seem to have it all in terms of weather, food, and fun. Algarve in Portugal is one such place and to its beautiful beaches you can also add a lot of history. Located on the southwestern tip of Europe, the place is land’s end for Europe. The next landfall is New York across the Atlantic. It was around these parts that the European age of discoveries first began around 500 years back.
The cliff-top chapel where Henry the Navigator once prayed still exists and overlooking the fort that Francis Drake sacked are the waters where Lord Nelson battled the Spanish Armada. The Algarve region has a 60-mile coastline and offers a wide range of beaches that cover peaceful translucent lagoons at the Ria de Alvor to the bustling surf of places like Bordeira and Arrifana.
European tourists discovered Algarve in the 70s’ and since then over-commercialization because of lucrative tourist money has taken the charm away from the central beach area. However; the Algarve has a hidden “wild west†that has escaped the trials of excessive tourist traffic. The beach at Martinhal is a favorite with windsurfers; the south westerlies make surfing quite a challenge. You can also go hiking up the Sagres and Saint Vincent. There is also a beautiful stretch of pale sand sheltered from the south westerlies; this triangular patch is protected by the rising capes of the two hills. Apart from some of the best surfing in Europe, the north coast of Portugal offers a getaway to those who wish for some seclusion.
The Ria de Alvor is a beautiful blue lagoon situated on the edge of the town of Alvor. This once quaint fishing village has some nice eating places and a waterfront where you can enjoy barbecues of a large number of fish such as bream, bass, and cuttlefish. Bathers, shellfish gatherers, boaters, yachtsmen, and a number of seabirds share the beach and the sea. As you move towards the city of Lagos, you begin to get a feel of what it must have been like in the old days when Portuguese sailors ruled the waves. The town still has its river mouth fortress and a network of old narrow cobbled streets that play host to the young and spirited during summertime. The area is filled with bar-hoppers and surfing enthusiasts during summer.
The city is brimming with examples of culture and Portugal’s maritime history, both exciting and poignant. The art galleries and open air concerts of the city beckon tourists and well as locals. There is also the church of Santo Antonio, adorned with intricate woodwork and coated with gold leaf looted from Brazil. There is also a 15th century building that is supposedly the site of the first slave market in Europe, a place where Africans were traded as slaves. South from Lagos is the Costa d’Oiro which has several cozy coves hidden amongst sandstone cliffs; a great place for a romantic twosome.