"Alvor, A Lovely Place" a Alvor Travel Page by Balam

Alvor is a small fishing village which is quickly being overcome with large hotels but despite the tourism growth it has been facing, you can still watch fishermen bring in their daily catch down at the old quay but now there is also a new marina and numerous up-to-date tourist facilities.

Ria de Alvor, one of the most important humid areas of the south of Portugal, is a natural sanctuary that deserves preservation and respect. This sensitive area of Portimão it’s used by migratory birds (like the capped heron, the long-billed tern, the falcon and the white stork) as a passing-through, rest and feeding location.

Probably the Carthaginians founded Alvor and its history is interesting. It is said by some that it was really the site of "Portus Hannibalis". The Romans gave it the name Ipses and it was considered an important port and was allowed to issue its own money. Its richness is confirmed by the ruins of a rich Roman villa located slightly inland from the now village. In the time of the Moors who first occupied the place in 716, they gave it the named of "Albur" and the town passed through both the Portuguese and Moors hands several times until 1250 when the Christians conquered it for the final time. King Dom João II, who is regarded as an outstanding Portuguese king, is recorded as dying in 1495 within the town walls from a prolonged illness. Most of the original town has been destroyed in the earthquakes of 1532 and 1755.

See the full view from our Balcony

Fishing is still alive in the village with a new fish market having been built a short walk down the promenade although the old fish market is still a place were the Old fisher men gather and some still sit and clean their catch there
you can still watch fishermen bring in their daily catch down at the old quay but now there is also a new marina and numerous up-to-date tourist facilities. The narrow streets of the old village have many attractive restaurants and, as expected in the land of fishermen, fish is the speciality dish.

Video of Alvor fishermen cleaning their catch

Alvor's narrow streets of the old village have many attractive restaurants from traditional village food to Indian food.

In the Picture the building at the end of the street is the old Fish Market and as expected in the land of fishermen, fish is the speciality dish.

Video of a walk down Alvors main st to the old fish Market

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