Portimao offers the usual breadth of choice within its immediate
area, from top hotels and luxury villas right down to pitching a
tent. It has a beautiful blue sea, with gently lapping waves, and
fine golden sands framed by cliffs and rocks. The focal point is
its harbour on the estuary of the Arcade River where you can try
the local gastronomy based in fresh fish like sardines and seafood.
Portimao is ideal for those looking for a real Portuguese town with
easy access to excellent beaches. The Algarve's second largest city
(designated a city in 1924) after Faro, manages to combine being
a true Portuguese commercial and industrial base with bustling tourist
attractions and superb local Algarve beaches rather well.
Portimao is one hour from the airport and has an old town area around
Largo da Barca. The region is surrounded by many beautiful places
to visit, but some you might like to consider is Armacao de Pera
with its small 18th century fortress or the small beach village
of Alvor. There are a wide variety of bars and restaurants located
around the town's main square and is near to some excellent beaches
including the very popular Praia da Rocha, which has a casino right
on the beachfront.
The weather in Portimao is amongst the best that there is in Europe
and offers around 300 days of sunshine each year. At the western
end of the Portimao waterfront is the upmarket boat club, which
boasts a fine restaurant offering great harbour views. The Globo
Hotel is Situated in the tourist area and the hotel is just a few
minutes away from the resort centre, with all kinds of shops, bars,
cafes, restaurants and nightlife.
With the excellent motorway connection between Faro Airport and
Portimao, and the ever popular Praia da Rocha resort, this area
is an excellent place to purchase abroad. Inspired by Moorish architecture,
Hotel Oriental enjoys magnificent views overlooking the sea and
Praia da Rocha. Praia da Rocha may be the most famous resort in
the area, but the beaches that extend all the way to Alvor have
their own particular appeal.
Penina The first golf course to be built In the Algarve, Penina
is considered the masterpiece of Sir Henry Cotton. With courses
at Alvor and Vau too, keen golfers arc spoilt for choice. Probably
the most popular Algarve sport, golf is well-served in the Portimao
area, with local courses including Boavista, near Lagos.The Le Meridien
Penina Golf Resort is one of the top golf resorts in Europe and
has an impressive list of facilities and three golf courses.
Alvor retains much of the charm of a picturesque fishing village,
with streets of white houses and colorful boats which, after a day
at sea, congregate around the old fishing market. Leaving the mammoth
Praia da Rocha beach, one of the Algarve's best beaches, aside for
the moment, the Portimao coastline offers a wide choice of beautiful
beaches, many with stunning rock formations such as Praia do Barranco
das Canas at Alvor to the west of Portimao. The best beaches in
Portimao are the beaches of Alvor, an endless stretch of fine golden
sand reaching the beautiful Ria de Alvor estuary, and Praia da Rocha,
the most famous resort in Portimao.
