| Page Views: 5,528 Last Visit to Algarve: May, 2004 | Exploring Portugal's southwest corner by Bwana_Brown - last update: Oct 8, 2007 |
| Sue & the Manueline decorations in Monchique |
The Algarve was one of the parts of Portugal that we most wanted to see. As a result, we decided to spend two nights there so we would have some flexibility to adjust our plans depending on the weather that we encountered. In the end, the weather was great, sunny and in the mid-20 C range. However, our time was cut short by a few hours due to a problem in Lisbon that delayed the start of our road trip. Nevertheless, we found that the Algarve had a lot to offer - especially since we had decided to stay away from the main tourist areas (for the most part) and concentrate on some of its other delights.
To this end, using the tiny village of Aljezur as our base, we visited one of the less famous beaches on the western Atlantic coastline. This was then followed up by a whirlwind trip to the south coast where we took in the lighthouse and cliffs at Cape St. Vincent. In the heat of the afternoon, an obligatory visit to the sandy southern beaches was an interesting experience before we retreated to the cool inland airs of Mt. Foia, the highest peak in southern Portugal.
We were a bit disappointed and saddened by the damage done to the forests in the Monchique and Mt. Foia area by the severe forest fires of 2003. Even so, we still found that this area was well worth the drive for the views that it offered as the road twisted through the mountainous terrain.
This photo shows the famous 500-year old Manueline decorations on the church door in Monchique, a small village in the mountains.
For an overview of the area that we covered, please check my map in the General tips. |
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| Pros: | "A wide variety of interesting things to see and do" | | Cons: | "Great in May, very busy in summer!" | | In A Nutshell: | "An extremely interesting part of Portugal" |
Bwana_Brown's Algarve Travel Tips
Comments for Bwana_Brown about Algarve | | | | |
aligreen Mon Sep 28, 2009 14:19 UTC We stumbled on this place in identical fashion last week - noone else there but very friendly owner came out and organised set menu lunch for us. Delicious 4 course meal for 30E a head. We will definitely be going back. | Ekaterinburg Sun Apr 20, 2008 12:06 UTC Imaginative and alternative view of the Algarve. A joy not to have to look at Praia De Rocha etc. This is somewhere we could get to by direct flight from Cork so I'm reading with geat interest and of course pleasure :)) | scottishvisitor Thu Nov 1, 2007 17:43 UTC What would the Algarve be without its stunning coastline? Your page brings back some nice memories for me | Fra.da. Wed Sep 5, 2007 14:53 UTC I have never been to Portugal and I would love to visit Algarve as first. So thanks for your excellent tips! Greetings from Italy, Francesca |
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