Algarve

Algarve Distrito de Faro
Region
Algarve's typical coast (Marinha Beach, near Lagoa)
Location of the Algarve Region in relation to the national borders
Country	Portugal
Region	Algarve
Capital	Faro
Area
• Total	4,996.80 km2 (1,929.28 sq mi)
Population  (2011)
• Total	451,006 ()
Time zone	UTC+0 (WET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+1 (WEST)
HDI (2018)	0.847[1] very high · 4th
GDP (PPP)	2019 estimate
– Total	€9,274 billion[2]
– Per capita	€24,900[3]
GDP (nominal)	2019 estimate
Website	www.visitalgarve.pt/en/
Statistics from INE (2005); geographic detail from Instituto Geográfico Português (2010)

The Algarve (UK: /ælˈɡɑːrv, ˈælɡ-/, US: /ɑːlˈɡɑːrvə, ælˈ-/,^{[4][5][6][7][8][9]} Portuguese: [alˈɡaɾvɨ] (listen), Arabic: الغرب‎, romanized: al-gharb (Algarbe), lit. 'the west') is the southernmost NUTS II region of continental Portugal. It has an area of 4,997 km² (1,929 sq mi)^[10] with 451,006^[11] permanent inhabitants, and incorporates 16 municipalities (concelhos or municípios in Portuguese).^[12]

The region has its administrative centre in the city of Faro, where both the region's international airport (IATA: FAO) and public university, the University of Algarve, are located. The region coincides with Faro District and is subdivided into two zones, one to the West (Barlavento) and another to the East (Sotavento). Tourism and related activities are extensive and make up the bulk of the Algarve's summer economy. Production of food, which includes fish and other seafood as well as different types of fruit and vegetables such as oranges, figs, plums, carob pods, almonds, avocados, tomatoes, cauliflowers, strawberries and raspberries, are also economically important in the region.

Although Lisbon surpasses the Algarve in terms of tourism revenue,^[13] the Algarve is still, overall, considered to be the biggest and most important Portuguese tourist region, having received an estimated total of 7.1 million tourists in 2017.^[14] Its population triples in the peak holiday season due to seasonal residents.^[15] Due to the high standards of quality of life, mainly regarding safety and access to public health services, as well as due to cultural factors and considerably good weather conditions, the Algarve is becoming increasingly sought after, mostly by central and northern Europeans, as a permanent place to settle.^[16] A 2016 American-based study concluded that the Algarve was the world's best place to retire.^[17]

The Algarve is one of the most developed regions of Portugal and, with a GDP per capita at 85.2% of the European Union average, it has the second highest purchasing power in the country, standing only behind Lisbon.^[3]

History[]

Pre Roman times[]

Conii script, 8th century BC.

Human presence in southern Portugal dates back to the Paleolithic and Neolithic periods. The presence of megalithic stones in the area of Vila do Bispo, Lagos, Alcoutim and elsewhere in the region attests to this presence.^[18]

At around the year 1000 BC, the Phoenicians founded the city of Cádiz,^[19] and, subsequently, coastal ports along the Algarve coast. Olissipo (Lisbon) is believed to be of Phoenician origin.^[19] By the time of the Carthaginians, Portus Hannibalis – located in what is today either Portimão or Alvor - is named after Hannibal Barca.^[19] The Cynetes, as they were known in Greek, Conii, in Latin,^[20] were established by the sixth century BC in the region of the Algarve (called Cyneticum). Their ethnic and linguistic origins remain widely disputed, although, due to geographical proximity, it is possible that they were related both to Tartessos^[21] and the Celtici, seeing that Conii, the likely designation they used to describe themselves,^[20] is derived of the Proto-Celtic kwon ('dog').^[22] These Indo-European tribes, Celtic or pre-Celtic, created a settlement in Lacóbriga (today's Lagos) in the year 1899 BC.^[23]

Roman period[]

The Roman temple of Milreu in Estói

The Algarve region came under Roman control after Fabius Maximus Servilianus defeated the Lusitanians and the Turduli in the context of the Lusitanian War, as was the case of much of the Iberian Peninsula, which was absorbed into the Roman Republic in the second century BC. Cyneticum (in reference to the Cynetes who inhabited the region), as it was then called, became integrated into Hispania Ulterior and into Lusitania afterwards, being under Roman influence for around 600 years (from 200 BC till 410 AD), having thus adopted Latin as the official language, as well as Roman cultural, political, architectonic, religious and economic tenets.

Seeing that during this time traveling through the land was dangerous, its geography meant that Cyneticum was of crucial importance as a passageway between the Mediterranean and the Atlantic Ocean, connecting countless Roman ports to several provinces, mainly in other parts of Hispania, Gaul and Britannia. This meant that the region experienced a great level of prosperity accrued through an expansion of its trading and commercial capabilities, mainly from the production and commercialization of olive oil and garum, products very much sought after throughout the Roman Empire.^[24]

Mosaic of Roman God Oceanus, found in Ossonoba, modern day Faro

As Christianity rose in popularity, becoming the official religion of the Roman Empire under Constantine the Great, Cyneticum, following the same tendency of the rest of the Roman provinces, made the transition from a polytheistic society into a monotheistic one. The region made a gradual changeover into Christianity, as Pagan and Animistic religions became obsolete under this new cultural influence. Roman Emperor Theodosius I, himself a native of the Iberian Peninsula, would come to prohibit Paganism in 381. The Roman Temple of Milreu, originally dedicated to Venus, transformed later on into a Paleochristian temple, is an example of the religious changes that took place in this period.^[25]

Many Roman ruins, both in the form of temples, countryside villas (of which more than 30 were found in the Algarve), public baths, bridges, salting and fish-processing facilities and mosaics are widespread all over the region, notably in Vila do Bispo, Lagos, Portimão, Quarteira, Faro, Olhão, Tavira and in other areas, illustrating the strong contributions that Roman culture as a whole made to the Algarve.^[26][27][28]

Medieval period[]

A Visigothic capital found in Silves

After the fall of the Western Roman Empire, the Visigoths, a Germanic tribe originally from Scandinavia but who had spread into Eastern Europe, occupied the Iberian Peninsula around the year 500. With the death of Amalaric in 531, the original dynastic shape of the Visigoths came to an end, and out of the fusion of the Roman and Germanic components a new Iberian identity came into being. The Visigothic Kingdom was thus founded in 542, with Toledo as its capital. Practicing Arianism at first, a big portion of the Visigoths eventually adopted Catholicism to secure their position in the region.^[29] In 552, the Algarve was conquered by the Byzantine Empire and, in 571, Liuvigild managed to secure the region for the Visigothic Kingdom once again, which lasted until the year 711, and comprised most of the Iberian Peninsula and parts of modern France.

The city of Silves, the first capital of the Algarve and an example of the noticeable Moorish influence in the region

When the Moors conquered Lagos in 716, it was renamed Zawaia. Faro, which the Christian residents had called Santa Maria, was renamed Faraon, which means "settlement of the knights". Due to the conquest of the Iberian Peninsula, the region was called Gharb Al-Andalus: Gharb means "the west", while al-Andalus is the Arabic name for the Iberian Peninsula. As the westernmost region to be conquered by the Moors, the coveted lands of Algarve, in this corner of Europe, became for a while the end goal of the Muslim Empire’s expansionist policy. For several years, the town of Silves was the capital of the region. In the mid-13th century, during the Reconquista, the Kingdom of Portugal took over the region in a series of successful military campaigns against the Moors. Al-Gharb became the Kingdom of the Algarve, and the Moors were expelled in 1294. As the southernmost region to be conquered by the Portuguese, the coveted territory became for a while the end goal of the Kingdom of Portugal’s expansionist policy known as Reconquista and by itself one of the reasons behind the foundation of Portugal. There were subsequent Moorish attempts to recapture the region, without success. King Afonso III of Portugal started calling himself King of Portugal and the Algarve. After 1471, with the conquest of several territories in the Maghreb – the area considered an extension of the Algarve – Afonso V of Portugal began fashioning himself "King of Portugal and the Algarves", referring to the European and African possessions. The over five centuries-long Moorish rule over the Algarve (and Alentejo), left their mark and added to a unique blend of architectonic,^[30][31] gastronomical^[32] and artistic features^[33] like the traditional Algarve corridinho,^[34] a folk dance found in this southernmost region of Portugal.

Modern times[]

Prior to the independence of Brazil, "United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil, and the Algarves" (1815–1822) was an official designation for Portugal which also alluded to the Algarve. After the independence of Brazil, Portuguese monarchs continued to use the title of "King of Portugal and the Algarves" until the proclamation of the First Portuguese Republic in 1910. Between 1595 and 1808, the Algarve was a semiautonomous area of Portugal with its own governor, as well as a separate taxation system.^{[citation needed]}

The walls of the ancient town of Lagos, which were severely destroyed during the 1755 earthquake

In the 15th century, Prince Henry the Navigator based himself near Lagos and conducted various maritime expeditions which established the colonies that comprised the Portuguese Empire. Also from Lagos, Gil Eanes set sail in 1434 to become the first seafarer to round Cape Bojador in West Africa. The voyages of discovery brought Lagos fame and fortune. Trade flourished and Lagos became the capital of the historical province of Algarve in 1577 and remained so until the fabled 1755 Lisbon earthquake. After the destructive effects of an earlier major earthquake in 1722, the 1755 earthquake damaged many areas in Algarve and an accompanying tsunami destroyed or damaged coastal fortresses, while coastal towns and villages were heavily damaged except Faro, which was protected by the sandy banks of Ria Formosa lagoon. In Lagos, the waves reached the top of the city walls. For many Portuguese coastal regions, including the Algarve, the destructive effects of the tsunami were more disastrous than those of the earthquake itself.

Estácio da Veiga's 1878 archeological map of the Algarve

In 1807, while Jean-Andoche Junot led the first Napoleonic invasion in the north of Portugal, the Algarve was occupied by Spanish troops under Manuel Godoy. Beginning in 1808, and after subsequent battles in various towns and villages, the region was the first to drive out the Spanish occupiers. During the Portuguese Civil War (1828–1834), several battles took place in the region, especially the battle of Cape St. Vicente and the battle of Sant’Ana, between liberals and Miguelites (antiliberal absolutists). Remexido was the guerrilla Algarvian leader who stood with the Miguelite absolutists for years, until he was executed in Faro in 1838.^[35] As the first canned fish undertaking in the country, the Vila Real de Santo António plant of the company Conservas Ramirez (founded in 1853) became the cradle of the sector in Portugal. Vila Real de Santo António and other places in coastal Algarve thrived on the growth of the fishing industry, which included the processing of species of tuna and sardine.

The establishment of the First Portuguese Republic in 1910 marked the end of the Kingdom of Portugal and the Algarve. The Algarve remained a somewhat exotic region for the Portuguese, due to its Mediterranean climate, unique foods, architecture and geographical location - in modern times many Portuguese traditionally spend their Summer break or own a holiday home in the Algarve.

Geography[]

Aerial view of Cape St. Vincent, the southwestern edge of the Algarve coast

The Algarve is located in the southernmost area of continental Portugal and the southwesternmost area of the Iberian Peninsula and mainland Europe, covering an area of 4,997 km² (1,929 sq mi).^[10] It borders to the north with the Alentejo region (Alentejo Litoral and Baixo Alentejo), to the south and west with the Atlantic Ocean, and to the east the Guadiana River marks the border with Spain. The highest point is located northwest in the Monchique mountains, with a maximum altitude of 902 m (2,959 ft) on Pico da Fóia.

The western part of the Algarve is known as Barlavento and the east as Sotavento. The name is undoubtedly due to the prevailing wind on the south coast of the Algarve but the historical origin of these divisions is uncertain and quite remote. Barlavento and Sotavento both have eight municipalities and one main city (Faro in Sotavento and Portimão in Barlavento).

Aerial view of Ria Formosa, here seen southeast of the city of Faro and Faro International Airport.

The region is also home to the Ria Formosa Lagoon, a nature reserve of over 170 km² (66 sq mi) and a stopping place for hundreds of different species of birds. This system of barrier islands communicates with the sea through six inlets. The length of the south-facing coastline is roughly 155 km (96 mi). Beyond the westernmost point of Cape St. Vincent it stretches a further 50 km (31 mi) to the north. The coastline is notable for picturesque limestone caves and grottoes by the sea, particularly around Lagos, Portimão, Lagoa and Albufeira, which are accessible by powerboat.

Researchers agree that the Lisbon metropolitan area and the Algarve are the two regions in mainland Portugal most at risk of experiencing earthquakes and tsunamis strong enough to cause catastrophic loss of human life and infrastructure.^[36] Two earthquakes in the 18th century were the last time such catastrophic events occurred in Algarve - the 1722 Algarve earthquake and the 1755 Lisbon earthquake.

Climate[]

In the summer, droughts and very high temperature spells in the interior Algarve often result in wildfires

The Algarve as a whole is one of the warmest places of Southern Europe, with an Atlantic influenced Mediterranean climate, it has mild wet winters and warm to very hot, dry summers. It is overall the sunniest region in Europe, with annual sunshine values ranging from 2600 h in the Monchique Range, to values well above 3100 h on the southern coast.^{[37][38][39][40]}

Generally, winter sees only subtle differences in daily maxima along the coast, mostly between 16 and 17 °C (61 and 63 °F), though temperatures as high as 25 °C (77 °F) have been recorded. Conversely, overnight lows are higher in the west, with Sagres and Vila do Bispo averaging 9–10 °C (48–50 °F), whilst to the east, averages are lower and 7–8 °C (45–46 °F) is more common. Temperatures very rarely fall below freezing (< 0 °C (32 °F)). On the interior, nights are usually cooler, averaging 4–5 °C (39–41 °F).

Summer sees its highest average temperatures in the east, where the maxima ranges from 29–30 °C (84–86 °F) in the coast and 32–35 °C (90–95 °F) in the interior. Daily temperatures in the Vicentine Coast are much cooler, usually 24–25 °C (75–77 °F) maxima, consequence of the strong upwelling western Portugal experiences. The Algarvian interior can get very hot in the summer, temperatures above 40 °C (104 °F) are not uncommon. Overnight lows are often independent on the location, around 16–20 °C (61–68 °F) in most of the Algarve.

The Algarve gets between 450 to 1,200 mm (18 to 47 in) of precipitation per year on average. December is the wettest month and July is the driest. The overall precipitation is determined mostly by the precipitation received in the winter (summers are very dry in most of the region). It has its highest values in the mountainous interior, and its lowest on the far east (in the Guadiana Valley) and the southwest (Sagres Point).

Portuguese waters, including the Algarve, experience a great level of seasonal lag, particularly the west coast, this means the lowest water temperatures are recorded in March and the highest in September–October. This applies to the Vicentine Coast, where ocean temperatures average 16 °C (61 °F) in February–March and 21 °C (70 °F) in August–October.^[41] The southeast coast usually doesn't experience this effect as much, water temperatures average 15.5–16 °C (59.9–60.8 °F) in February–March and 22 °C (72 °F) in July–September,^[42] though in the summer, outflow of warm Mediterranean water can sometimes bathe the Algarve with warmer ocean temperatures.

Human geography[]

About 450,000 permanent inhabitants (90 residents per km²) live in the area, although this figure increases to over a million people at the height of summer, due to an influx of tourists. The Algarve has several cities, towns, and villages; the region's capital is the city of Faro, while other cities include Albufeira, Lagoa, Lagos, Loulé, Olhão, Portimão, Quarteira, Silves, Tavira, and Vila Real de Santo António, in addition to various summer retreats such as Vilamoura, Praia da Rocha, Armação de Pêra, Alvor, Monte Gordo, Alcoutim, and Sagres.

Before 2004, the Faro District was the administrative unit governing the Algarve. In 2004, the Greater Metropolitan Area of the Algarve was formed, which was converted into an intermunicipal community in 2008.^[47] Algarve is also a NUTS II and NUTS III statistical region.^[48] The intermunicipal community of Algarve is subdivided into 16 municipalities:^[12]

Between 2001 and 2020, Algarve was the only Portuguese region where an increase in the number of newborns was reported (4,164 babies in 2001; 4,323 babies in 2020; a rise of 3.8%). 25% of those newborns had a foreign mother. Mostly Brazilian mothers, but also a rising number of Indian, Nepalese and Pakistani mothers together with a sizable, already established former trend of Romanian, Ukrainian and Moldovan mothers.^[49]

A view of Odeceixe, in northwestern Algarve

The interior of the Algarve consists of small villages and is sparsely inhabited.

Economy[]

A complex of apartments overlooking the beach in Praia da Rocha, Portimão. The Algarve relies heavily on the tourism industry.

The Algarve is one of the most developed regions of Portugal and, with a GDP per capita at 85.2% of the European Union average, it has the second highest purchasing power in the country, standing only behind Lisbon.^[3] Agricultural products of the region include fig, almond, orange, carob, olive, avocado^[50] and cork oak. Horticulture is important and the region's landscape is known for the large areas of land covered with greenhouses which are used to that end. Several types of fruit and veggies such as tomatoes, cauliflowers, strawberry and raspberry, are commercially grown and exported. Fishing and aquaculture are important activities in the coastal area of the Algarve, with sardines, squids, soles, cyprinids, gilt-head bream, and various seafood, including oysters^[51] and the grooved carpet shell, being the major products. The Algarve's wines are also renowned. Four wines in the region have Protected Designation of Origin (Denominação de Origem Controlada – DOC): Lagoa DOC, Lagos DOC, Portimão DOC, and Tavira DOC. Food processing, cement (CIMPOR has a major cement plant in Loulé^[52]) and construction are the main industries.

Faro International Airport.

Tourism-related activities are extensive and make up the bulk of the Algarve's economy during summer. The Algarve's economy has always been closely linked to the sea, and fishing has been an important activity since ancient times. Long-established fish canning factories persist like those of Conservas Ramirez and Conserveira do Sul. Only since the 1960s has the region embraced tourism, which has become its most important economic activity. Faro International Airport located 4 km from downtown Faro, the administrative center of the region of Algarve in Portugal, was constructed during the 1960s and inaugurated in 1965. In 2019, the airport reached a record-breaking 9 million passengers handled a year.^[53]

With the increase in life quality and purchasing power of Algarve's population, many shopping malls have been constructed since the 1990s and 2000s. An Ikea, the first in the Algarve, opened in Loulé, at the time one of the only five in Portugal. In 2017, the Algarve was the Portuguese region that experienced the biggest economic growth, an increase of 4.6% of its GDP.^[54]

Development[]

A panoramic view of Faro, the capital of the Algarve

The Algarve has been experiencing a strong development since the beginning of the 1960s, initially due to the need to accommodate its foreign visitors. The region started the construction of better infrastructure, mainly roads, sanitation, power grids, telecommunications, hospitals, and housing. Private investors, with the support of municipalities, also began the construction of a variety of hotels, resorts, golf courses (which are considered to be some of the best in Europe), and villas. All this led to a large development in the region, especially for the locals, who had previously lived in harsher circumstances. Today, the Algarve is amongst the regions in Portugal with the best quality of life.^[55] Due to the austerity measures introduced in 2011, tolls were placed on the main motorway that crosses the region to offset the expense of its maintenance. The University of Algarve, a state-run university founded in 1979, has been an important source of innovation and entrepreneurship for the whole region and plays a role as a major driving force of economic growth and development in Algarve.

Tourism and attractiveness for expats[]

Praia da Rocha, Portimão, one of many sites that attract tourists

In the 1960s, the Algarve became a popular destination for tourists, mainly from the United Kingdom which still is the origin of the largest group of foreigners in Algarve. It has since become a common destination for people from Germany, the Netherlands, Ireland, France, Sweden and Italy, not only as tourists who visit Algarve but also as residing expats who settle in the region and buy property there. The Algarve's mild climate and hours of sunshine per year have attracted interest from Portuguese and other European people wishing to have a holiday home or residence in the region. Being a region of Portugal, and therefore in the European Union, any EU citizen has the right to freely buy property and reside with little formality in the Algarve.^[56] Algarve-based publications and newspapers are written in English specifically for this community.

The Saffron Indian restaurant in the shopping arcade located in the neighborhood of Cerro Grande, Albufeira, Algarve, Portugal.

The Brazilian community in the Algarve is the second largest expat community in the region after the British, followed by important numbers of Ukrainian, Romanian, Moldovan, Indian, Nepalese, Sinhalese and Pakistani people who arrived there to work in retail, hospitality industry, construction, agriculture and manufacturing. In the late 2010s, the Algarve saw a high increase in Canadian, American and Australian tourists too. In Algarve, the expatriate population from high income economies include a large number of pensioners, namely from countries like the UK, Ireland, Germany, France, Netherlands, Sweden and the US. Portuguese people from other parts of the country also visit the region in large numbers, especially in the peak of the summer (July and August) and a seizable number of Portuguese citizens residing in other Portuguese regions, including retired people, own a holiday home in Algarve. Several international studies have concluded that the Algarve is among the world's best places to retire.^[17]

Aerial view of Monte Gordo, in Algarve, Portugal.

Tourist attractions in the region include its beaches, Mediterranean climate, safety, cuisine, and relatively low prices. Well-known beaches in the Algarve include Praia da Luz, Praia da Rocha, Marinha Beach, Armação de Pêra, Quarteira, Vale do Lobo, Fuzeta, Barril Beach, Manta Rota and Monte Gordo. A well-known spa town is Caldas de Monchique. In addition to its natural features and beaches, the Algarve has invested in the creation of a network of golf courses. The Algarve is also popular for religious tourism, notably pilgrimages to the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Piety (best known as the Sovereign Mother), a Marian shrine dedicated to the patron saint of Loulé, that attract thousands of pilgrims of the Catholic faith to the city, or with the international pilgrimages to the site of the apparitions of Our Lady Mother of Goodness occurred near São Marcos da Serra.

The Algarve features some of Europe's top golf courses.

Tourism plays an important role in the economy of the Algarve. A large number of seasonal job opportunities are tourism-related and are fulfilled by thousands of locals and immigrants. Due to its seasonal nature, most of the economy relies on the good weather available mostly for only about 5–6 months (characterised by a prolonged lack of rain and temperatures above 25 °C throughout the day), meaning that many Algarvians go unemployed during the low season. Nonetheless, due to the very high monetary income that the high season brings, most people in the Algarve are still able to have comfortable lives even while unemployed. In March 2007, the Portuguese economic minister, Manuel Pinho, announced the creation of the "Allgarve" brand, as a part of a strategic promotion of the Algarve as a tourism destination for foreign citizens.^[57] According to World Travel Awards, the Algarve was Europe's leading golf destination in 2013 and 2014.^[58][59] Over 25 top-class courses are located in the Algarve, most of which were designed by legendary names such as Nick Faldo, Seve Ballesteros, Jack Nicklaus, and Christy O'Connor, Jr.

In 2018, the region's income from tourism was over a billion euros; the number of visitors totaled 4.2 million. Tourism contributed €1.08 billion to the economy in that year.^[60]

Accommodation[]

A view of Vilamoura, its marina and hotels.

Accommodation in the Algarve ranges from high-rise resorts in places such as Albufeira, Vilamoura, Praia da Rocha and Armação de Pêra to apartment rental, bed and breakfast, hostels and traditional guesthouses located in small towns and villages, both inland and alongside the Algarve coast. Over the years, tourists with less acquisitive power started to visit the Algarve in large numbers and steering away from expensive resorts, opting instead for more affordable touristic establishments such as vacation rentals, guesthouses and hostels. Besides affordability, a higher flexibility in rules and conditions, good overall location, as well as a greater hospitality and interaction with guests, are often cited as some of the appealing factors of these accommodations. Throughout the Algarve, local accommodation, as its colloquially known, employs over 20 thousand people in more than 32 thousand legal establishments and generates an estimated 980 million Euros yearly. The vast majority of tourists who seek this type of accommodation are British, Portuguese and French, but an exponential increase in tourists from Germany, Spain and Brazil has also been seen.^[61]

Criticism[]

Although tourism and a generally high receptivity to globalism, economic globalization and foreign direct investment have brought a relatively high level of prosperity and development to the region, many personalities criticize the environmental impacts,^[62] the high cost of living and the eradication of Algarve's cultural and traditional characteristics that such outside influence has brought.^[63][64] Algarve native Fernando Silva Grade, a nationally renowned biologist, architect and activist, in his book O Algarve como o destruímos, vehemently opposed the proliferation of the mass tourism and construction sectors, which, in his opinion, eroded large portions of a world unique coastline, degraded and destroyed Algarve's traditional architecture, along with the peaceful and slow-paced way of life that were once ubiquitous throughout the region. He further went on to criticize the inapt attitudes of politicians and city halls which continuously fail to preserve this legacy.^[65]

Other critics underline the over-dependency on the "sun and beach" modality of tourism, the one mostly advertised by local and national authorities and, thus, most widespread. They accentuate the saturation of beach-side resorts that leave other types of tourist establishments, such as the ones dedicated to nature and health, with little occupancy. These critics also stress that overcrowdedness, filthiness and pollution are the consequences of this lack of diversity in the Algarve's tourism industry.^[66] In addition, due to international mass tourism, some areas of the Algarve are drug dealing and prostitution hotspots, including luxury prostitution and male prostitution performed mostly by foreign sex workers.^[67]

The England-inspired, England-reliant tourist product of Algarve since the 1960s is a source of criticism in Portugal to the point that the Algarve region has been compared to a colony of the English. Portuguese tourists perceive their status as tourists in the Portuguese region of Algarve as being constantly challenged by the extreme Anglophilia of the Algarvian people and its tourist offer.^[68]

Culture[]

Silves Municipality coat of arms: Arab and Berber influences due to Islamic occupation of the territory of Algarve between the 8th and the 13th centuries are seen in language, architecture, food, faces and even the Algarvean municipalities' coats of arms.

The Algarve dialect is a dialect of European Portuguese as spoken in the Algarve. The Algarve dialect is much more than a mere accent; it expresses a way of life, with its traditional sayings, its well-known and highly colorful curses, idioms, proverbs, and expressions.^[69] It bears the influences of Arabic, archaic Portuguese and the southern variant of Castillian. Until the end of the 20th century it was pervasive but afterwards it became less common among younger, highly educated Algarveans who live near the coastal strip and the main urban centers. In any case, a majority of people in some places of Algarve besides the sparsely populated, ageing hilly interior, like areas of Lagos, Olhão and Tavira coastal municipalities, still speak the dialect employing its characteristic, strong accent on a daily basis.

Traditional hand-painted pottery from Porches

Corridinho is the traditional dance of the Algarve bearing some resemblance to the polka and mazurka. The corridinho is a form of Portuguese folk dance whose the origin is unclear and believed older, although it gained popularity in the 1800s. The Algarve is also famous for its pottery and ceramics, particularly hand-painted pottery and azulejos, which are painted, tin-glazed ceramic tiles. Numerous ceramics and pottery outlets are open throughout the Algarve. For working potteries and ceramics workshops, the main (or best-known) pottery centers are located in Almancil, Porches and Loulé, but many other potteries and workshops are in the Algarve region.

Prawns and chouriço cataplana is a dish of prawns, chouriço sausage, cubed pork, onion, red and green peppers and tomatoes, cooked in olive oil, garlic, tarragon, parsley and white wine using a traditional cataplana dish which steams the ingredients during the final part of the cooking process.

Old fig and almond-based sweets and desserts as well as newer carob-based products; a plethora of fish and seafood dishes near the coast; and pork and chicken dishes from inland Algarve, are among the most typical elements of its regional cuisine. Cataplana; frango de churrasco like that famously known as frango de churrasco à la Guia; caldeirada; Portuguese tuna steak 'Algarve style'; a variety of seafood dishes which may contain various shellfish like clams, mussels, crab and shrimp; grilled sardines; Algarve style stuffed and fried squid; marzipan; and xarém are some of the typical regional culinary specialties in Algarve.

Typical architecture of Algarve.

The most striking symbol of traditional Algarve architecture is undoubtedly the chimney, which reflected the individuality of the owner of the house and showed off his possessions. No two chimneys were alike, and the more intricate the design, the more expensive the work. Beautiful examples of these symbols of popular art and technical skill can be seen in the Algarve's rural hinterland, in the most affluent dwellings. The platibanda (platband) is another characteristic feature of the Algarve's architectural heritage. It is an elegant decorative strip that lines the facades and hides the roof or cladding, ornamented with geometric shapes and colors. It contrasts with the white of the whitewash and matches the colored bars that frame doors and windows. The four-sloped, or scissor truss are typical of aristocratic cities, and denote a strong Eastern aesthetic influence, which traveled along with silks and spices.

A central street in Tavira, Portugal.

They are associated with Tavira, the princess of the Gilão, a well-preserved architectural gem and once a port of great strategic importance. They also exist in Faro, but their presence is residual today. In the western Algarve the winds blow from the Atlantic coast and, in its interior, there is the mountain climate. Here the houses are generally simpler, less sophisticated, built in masonry of mud or stone, and unadorned, only whitewashed. These simple rural houses are also found, in their charming simplicity, in the Caldeirão mountain range. On the coast, it is frequent the construction of açoteias, roof terraces of Arabic inspiration that were used to watch the sea, waiting for the boats returning from their fishing trips. It was also in these private spaces that fruit and fish were dried, and that people rested on hot summer nights. Olhão is the ex-libris of this architecture of pure and clean lines, deserving the nickname of cubist city, with its buildings clustered in cubes in a sinuous plan, direct influence of the architecture of Morocco.

Portuguese Water Dogs are native to the Algarve; they were the fisherman's main companion and often accompanied sailors during the Portuguese discoveries.

The coastal seafaring people of Algarve bred the Portuguese Water Dog. From there the breed expanded to all around Portugal's coast, where they were taught to herd fish into fishermen's nets, retrieve lost tackle or broken nets, and act as couriers from ship to ship, or ship to shore. This dog breed is now a distinctive dog breed of both Portugal and Algarve region in particular.

The Algarve once had the largest population of the Iberian lynx in Portugal. It was reintroduced in the 1st quarter of the 21st century.^[70]

Common dolphin in Algarvian waters.

A wild cat formerly at risk of extinction, the Iberian Lynx (Lynx pardinus) used to populate five distinct areas in Portugal: the Algarve region, Serra da Malcata (Centro Region), Serra de São Mamede (Alentejo Region), Vale do Guadiana (the Portuguese section of Guadiana River) and Vale do Sado (Sado River). The southern strip of Portugal, the Algarve region, was the area with the greatest concentration, occupying an area of about 650 square kilometres between the Monchique, Caldeirão and Espinhaço de Cão mountain ranges. In the early 21st century there was a move to reintroduce them in Portugal by breeding them in captivity, from animals brought from Spain. A paradise for bluefin tuna fishing, the Algarve in Portugal witness each year the migration of bluefin tuna that runs in front of the coasts of Olhão. The sea waters in this region are also populated by various whales, dolphins and porpoises at different times throughout the year. The most common species are the common dolphin (Delphinus delphis) and bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus). On the Ria Formosa Natural Park one can find unique species in Portugal and most of Europe such as the chameleon, a reptile that in Portugal only exists in the Algarve, and one of the largest populations of seahorses in the world.

Education[]

The University of Algarve, headquartered in Faro, with an extension in Portimão, is a public university which awards undergraduate, integrated master, master and doctorate degrees in fields ranging from biomedical sciences, landscape architecture, agronomy or marine biology to economics, psychology, sociology or languages, literatures and cultures.^[71][72] The population of the Algarve is also served by several private higher education institutions (Instituto Piaget in Silves, and others), state-run and private secondary schools, including a number of international schools (examples include Aljezur International School, International School São Lourenço, Nobel International School Algarve, Vale Verde International School and Vilamoura International School), and a wide network of state-run and private kindergartens and primary schools.

Sports[]

The 30,000-seat Algarve Stadium (Estádio Algarve) was built as a venue for UEFA Euro 2004.

Algarve International Circuit.

The Algarve has many sports clubs, including football teams (S.C. Olhanense, Portimonense S.C., S.C. Farense, Imortal de Albufeira, Louletano D.C., etc.) which play in the Portuguese football league system. S.C. Farense and Portimonense S.C. are the most successful and powerful football clubs in the Algarve and usually compete in one of the two main top-tier professional football leagues in Portugal. The Algarve Cup, an invitational tournament for national teams in women's association football hosted by the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) is held annually in the Algarve since 1994.

The Almond Blossom Cross Country (Portuguese: Cross Internacional das Amendoeiras em Flor) is an annual international cross country running competition first organized in 1977 which takes place in Albufeira, in early March. It is one of the IAAF permit meetings which serve as qualifying events for the IAAF World Cross Country Championships.

There are numerous open-water swimming events throughout the year^[73] as well as tennis. The Algarve is also home to some of the world's most renowned golf-courses.^[74]

Algarve International Circuit, a motorsport venue, is located in the region.

Due to the strong Nortada winds blowing through the South coast of Portugal, Algarve is a popular summer holiday destination for the wind sports. Sailing, windsurfing and especially kitesurfing have a large and growing community in the Algarve. The nature of the Algarve coastline offers a mix of flat water lagoons such as those of the famous Ria Formosa Nature Park, or the waves of Sagres and the South-west coast.

There are many kitesurfing spots^[75] dotted all along the Algarve coastline but the most popular are:

• Alvor lagoon (South, Lagos)
• Meia Praia (South, Lagos)
• Martinhal (South-west, Sagres)
• Tonel (South-west, Sagres)
• Praia Da Bordeira (South-west, Carrapateira)
• Amado (South-west, Carrapateira)
• Ilha de Culatra (South, Faro)
• Ilha da Barreta / Ilha Deserta (South, Faro)
• Barrinha (South, Faro)
• Praia de Faro (South, Faro)
• Praia Fuseta (South-east, Fuseta)
• Barril's Beach (South-east, Luz)
• Cabanas de Tavira (South-east, Tavira)

Notable natives and inhabitants[]

• Aníbal Cavaco Silva (former Portuguese president and prime minister)
• Adelino da Palma Carlos (former Portuguese prime minister)
• António Calvário (singer)
• Bartolomeu Dias (navigator)
• Bonnie Tyler (singer)
• Brites de Almeida (legendary baker of Aljubarrota)
• Carlos Brito (politician and writer)
• Cliff Richard (singer)
• Clive Dunn, British film and television actor (Dad's Army), from the 1980s until his death in 2012
• Diogo Rodrigues (explorer of the Indian Ocean)
• Estácio da Veiga (archeologist and writer, known for having discovered several important archaeological sites in the Algarve)
• Francisco Barreto (soldier and explorer; an officer in Morocco, viceroy of Portuguese India, he was tasked with an expedition to southeast Africa in search of legendary gold mines.)
• Gil Eannes (navigator)
• Jill Adams (British actress, hotel owner)
• João de Deus (poet and editor)
• João Moutinho (football player)
• João Vaz Corte-Real (claimed by some accounts to have been a pre-Columbian explorer of a land called New Land of the Codfish, possibly part of North America)
• José Mendes Cabeçadas (former Portuguese president and prime minister)
• Júlio Dantas (writer, doctor)
• Katherine Swift (Irish artist and ceramicist. Worked at Porches Pottery and founded Estudio Destra in Silves.)
• Lídia Jorge (writer)
• Louis van Gaal (Dutch football coach and former player, current manager of the Dutch National Team)
• Manuel Teixeira Gomes (former Portuguese president and writer)
• Maria Barroso (actress, wife of former Portuguese president and prime minister Mário Soares)
• Mário Centeno, (Portuguese Minister of Finance since 2015, president of the Eurogroup and chairman of the Board of Governors of the European Stability Mechanism)
• Maria Keil (artist)
• Nuno Júdice (poet)
• Patrick Swift (Irish artist, lived in Algarve from 1962 until his death in 1983, founded Porches Pottery/Olaria Algarve)
• Remexido, a notorious civil servant, farmer and guerrilla leader of the Algarve in Portugal, defending the rights of king Miguel to the Portuguese throne and the antiliberal absolute monarchy
• Ronald Koeman (Dutch former football player, Coach)
• Manuel Mendes, a businessman originally from Algarve who is the father of Shawn Mendes, a Canadian singer-songwriter of Portuguese descent.

Gallery[]

• 

  The city of Tavira, capital of the Costa do Acantilado

• 

  The historic centre of Lagos

• 

  Portimão at night

• 

  A street in Silves

• 

  Partial view of Carvoeiro

• 

  A beach in Albufeira

• 

  The city of Vila Real de Santo António

• 

  Marina beach in Vilamoura

• 

  Typical view of the Algarve coast

• 

  Beach in Quarteira

• 

  Shepherd and sheep near Lagos

• 

  Desert island near Faro

• 

  Sagres Point, in the extreme of continental Portugal

• 

  Loulé's municipal market

• 

  The bog fountain in Alte

• 

  Silves Cathedral

• 

  The open fields of the Algarve in spring

• 

  The spa resort town of Caldas de Monchique

See also[]

• Kingdom of the Algarve
• Algarve VR

References[]

External links[]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Algarve.

Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Algarve.

• Tourism Region of Algarve