The Algarve meaning ‘the west’ is the sunny, warm coastal region along the south of Portugal. In the years since the 1960’s tourism has overtaken agriculture and fishing as the main industry and a lot of the Algarve’s charm has gone with the bleak apartment blocks and sprawling villa complexes. Even so, with a little knowledge there are certain areas that remain wild, untouched and oozing with culture and history.

Although most tourists head to the central Algarve to destinations like Albufeira it is in fact the east and the west of the Algarve where you will find the most beautiful and untouched beaches. In the back country only miles from the tourist destinations many villages and towns remain untouched with little known rural walks in the spring flowers and shady woods.

Most notable in the eastern Algarve is the historic city of Tavira with it’s multitude of churches and a central castle. This area is close to the Ria Formosa natural park offering miles of lagoons and barrier islands where flamingos and numerous aquatic birds live and bread. The island of Tavira is easily reached by boat from the centre of town or after a 15 minute walk by the side of the salt pans. This stretch of sand is very popular with the Portuguese but continues for miles allowing for solitude even in the busy summer season.

In the west the city of Lagos is a popular destination and with good reason. The city has an important history as it is was from here that the Portuguese began their expeditions along the coast of Africa in the age of discovery. Lagos now has a completely pedestrianised centre within the old town that is surrounded by the castle walls. There are many shops, excellent restaurants serving fish and in the night Lagos is notorious for its bar scene. On Saturday mornings a trip to the vegetable market is highly recommended to purchase local produce for the kitchen. Walk along the cliffs out to the Ponta da Piedade (Mercy Point) with it’s lighthouse or go swimming on the little known nudist beach at Praia do Carnavial.

The mountains of Monchique are easily reached by car from anywhere in the western Algarve. The Caldes de Monchique are therapeutic thermal baths and the area is ideal for a stroll in the wooded hills or down by the bubbleing stream. Drive out to the village of Marmallate or climb to the top of the mountain where you can take in views of the whole of the Algarve coastline and enjoy the refreshing cool mountain air. Many local shops offer locally produced hams and varieties of ‘Medronho’ (a brandy made from the Arbutus fruit that symbolises frienship) as well as hand made craft items. Restaurants either side of the main road offer up freshly grilled chicken, Piri Piri style.

After Lagos the Algarve coastline continues west towards Sages and the region once called “the end of the world” as little was known of what lay beyond the waves. Resort towns such as Praia da Luz with it’s arced bay and black rock headland give way to the natural park of Costa Vincentina where many more secret beaches can be discovered especially along dirt tracks west of Vila do Bispo. Atlantic rollers meet a wild landscape of immense natural beauty. Popular with surfers the beaches at low tide have waves that collapse on themselves again and again and sitting on the beach on a sunny afternoon undisturbed by the modern world listening to the roar in the background while looking out into the abyss one can see how sailors were captivated to venture forth to discover what lay beyond.

The Algarve, is one of the most beautiful and pleasant areas of the Southern part of Portugal. Close to the sea, their cities live basically of fishing and tourism.

Today, there are contrast cities, with the influence of the modernity, allied to the traditions and the visitors crowd that explore the beauties of that area.

So this is Olhao, one of the most emblematic councils of Algarve. Composed by the freguesias of Olhao, Pechao, Quelfes and Fuseta, the council hides a lot of wonders, as the architectonic and cultural patrimony, without forgetting the privilege of having the sea in front of your feet.

The construction of the recreation port is an example of the importance that the municipal district gives to the quality tourism. The craftmanship is also one of the bets of valorization of the tradition of Olhao.

No other point is so valued by the tourists as the beaches of the islands of Armona and of Fuseta, where the blue of the sea is the protagonist of moments of rare beauty. The Formosa river enchants the visitors, in a paradisiacal place of Portugal.

The historical and the sea area of Olhao is also a point of tourist interest in the council, where the visitors can find a little of the history, of the beauty and of the traditions of that council.

The municipal district of Olhao still has other beauties, as the Caique Good Success, Chapel of the Espirito Santo, Chalet Dr. Joao Lucio, House of the Marine Commitment, Bandstand of Pescador Olhanenses Garden, Joao Lucio museum, Building of the Customs and Museum of the City.

The old Building of the Customs is also one of the monuments of interest, as well as the Small chapel of Mr. Santo Cristo of Moncarapacho, Mother church of Moncarapacho, Church of the Mercy of Moncarapacho, Church of Pechao, Mother church of Nossa Senhora do Rosario, Mother church of Quelfes, Church of Nossa Senhora da Soledade, Garden Boss Joaquim Lopes, Mother church of Olhao and the Municipal Markets.

Other attractions are the Parochial Museum of Moncarapacho, Roman Bridge of Quelfes and the area of Barreta.

Olhao is synonymous of natural wealth and sea. In the place, it is possible to live new experiences, with fascinating landscapes. The modernity lives side by side with the historical and archeological patrimony.

In the council of Olhao, the nature is an incontestable presence, with the harmony of the interior of the fields and mountains with the extensive line of a coast of islands and islets.

For who prefers to take advantage of the night, Olhao has several bars and restaurants, that promise to realize the tourists desires. The gastronomy could not be forgotten in that sea of emotions, since Olhao is the place of the largest Festival of Shellfish of the country.

I hope to meet you soon in Olhao!

Preparation & Planning:-

Although I had visited the North of Portugal many times during my working years, and knew exactly, what I wanted to do, the sheer distance from my home being over 300 km, called for a local fixer.

Surfing the internet I came across the “Portugo.com” site, promoting “MIX & MATCH” tours, which could be adapted to the clients requirement. Soon after e-mailing my programme, i.e. Accommodation, Wine & Dine, River Cruise, Train, Historical & Cultural tours, PortUgo’s Peter Evens called to get the feel of the prospective client, and found that we had connections through our respective golf societies, and my wife had formerly dealt with him on that level. He had analysed my proposal and suggested some itinerary changes to better accommodate for the Boat, Train and Plane schedules.

The yearly gathering is mainly convivial/culinary/cultural, and the average age of this years 15 participants was over 75. Of the 15 participants, 10 arrived by plane from 5 different countries, 4 by car and 1 by motorbike from 3 different cities in 2 different countries. Some continued to travel by rent-a-car, before flying home again.
Peter took it all onboard and went ahead with booking and smoothing out the details.

About a month before the trip my wife and I did a trial run, when we met Peter for the first time in person. We now could appreciate on the spot, how meticulously he had prepared even the smallest details to perfection, fitting in as much as possible in the rather short time available.

Day 1 - Started well with a welcome reception at the Hotel Mercure Batalha Porto, offered by the youngest couple on the occasion of their 40st wedding anniversary, followed by dinner at the charming Guarany Café.

Day 2 – An early rise saw us on the second day cruising from Porto to Pinhão, where we stayed overnight at the Vintage House Hotel (Relais-Châteaux), a former Solar of the Taylor Port wine family.

Day 3 – Next day we visited Quinta de la Rosa for wine tasting and lunch on their pergola overlooking the river Douro. Returning to Porto in the afternoon was planned by train, but an unforeseen, countrywide railway workers strike might have left us stranded in Pinhão, were it not for Peter who managed to get a coach, coming up from Porto, to pick us up. The driver told me he had arrived at noon with a load from Lisbon, when he was told to go and rescue us in Pinhão. We checked in to Pestana Porto Hotel for the next two nights and then went for dinner at the nearby D.Tonho restaurant.

Day 4 – The morning of the fourth day we spent on a guided panoramic city tour and after lunch at Praia da Luz on the Atlantic shores, we were free to do our own exploring. The evening saw us visiting Graham’s Port wine cellars including tasting of course. This was followed by the apéro on the terrace overlooking the city of Porto and dinner in the Board Room of Graham’s Lodge, when another highlight were two fado singers and two guitar players, which Peter had specially arranged to come the 100 km from distant Coimbra, to entertain us.

Day 5 – Reading the feedback from my colleagues, it was one of the outstanding gatherings long to be remembered.

They all enjoyed every bit of it.

Max Zimmerli
June 2008

The coast of the council of Tavira is famous for having some of the most beautiful beaches of Algarve and of Portugal, all of them included in the Natural Park of the Formosa river. The beaches of the council are Lacem, Cabanas de Tavira, Ilha de Tavira e Praia do Barril. Lacem and Cabanas de Tavira belong to the island of Cabanas. The beaches of Ilha de Tavira and of Barril are integrated at the island of Tavira.

But the council has also a great historical side.

One of the points with larger tourist interest in Tavira is the Castle of the Moors, besides the Walls, Medieval Bridge and the Palace of the Gallery. The municipal district invite their visitors to visit the House of Irene Rolo, as well as the old Municipal Market, Viewpoint of Alto de Santa Maria, Monument to the Deads of the First World War and the busts of Antonio Cabreira, Isidoro Pires and Augusto da Silva Carvalho.

Other monuments as the Tombstone of Eduardo Pavia of Magalhaes, Statue to Bishop D. Marcelino Franco and Monument of the Antonio Padinha are also a very good place to visit in Tavira.

Tavira has a vast religious patrimony. In the council you can see the Church of Santa Maria of the Castle, Church of Sao Tiago, Church of the Mercy, Convent of Carmo, Church of Nossa Senhora das Ondas, Church of Sao Jose of the Hospital, Church of San Francisco, Church of Sao Paulo, Church of Carmo, Church of Santo Antonio, Church of Santa Ana, Church of Nossa Senhora do Livramento and the old Convent of Bernardas.

The House of the Craft is one of the most original places in Tavira. The space offers live ateliers, with the intention of demonstrating the techniques used in the execution of the manual weaving, the ceramic and the artistic glaze tile, the production in leather, incomes and painting on woven, the work of the wood, the croche by hand, the art of the palm, the traditional bread, the honey, the medicinal and aromatic plants and the full figs.

The objective of that House is to publish the artisans’ of the council, in an initiative of the Association of Arts and Flavours of Tavira.

The freguesias Cabanas de Tavira, Cachopo, Conceicao, Luz de Tavira, Santa Catarina da Fonte do Bispo, Santa Luzia, Santa Maria, Santiago e Santo Estevao are part of the municipal district of Tavira.

Cabanas de Tavira and the blue of the sea

Nowadays, the freguesia of Cabanas de Tavira continues to dedicate to the fishing, contributing to the enrichment of the local gastronomy, with products as the tuna, lingueirao, the conquilhas and ameijoas. Strongly linked to the fishing art, the freguesia has an area of 3.480 hectares and a population of 1.106 inhabitants.

However, Cabanas also live of tourism, being one of the freguesias of the council of Tavira that more visitors attract along the year. The importance of the tourism grew starting from 1973, when Cabanas saw to be born its first hotel unit: Aldeamento Pedras da Rainha. The construction of this infrastructure allowed the tourists’ arrival to that town, also making possible the creation of a high number of workstations.

But it is in the marginal one that we can find one of the most worked points of Cabanas, the beach.

By boat we go through Ria Formosa to the Cabanas-Mar beach. The long sand dune provides beautiful walks and an unbelievable perception of the beauty of the sun.

If you prefer to appreciate more about the town, Ria Formosa is a destiny of natural excellence, accompanied of the crystalline blue of their waters.

The lovers of the golf can relax. In Cabanas de Tavira we have one of the best golf courses of Algarve. The golf course Quinta da Ria is located in a scenery where the green of the fields is mixed with the blue of the sky and of the sea, in a beautiful encounter with the nature.

Nossa Senhora do Mar is the patron of the freguesia. The church is evidence of the people’s of Cabanas devotion.

But if the past attracts your attention, it is obligatory to walk for the fortress of Sao Joao of Barra that today is private property. The fortress was built in 1556 by Val de Reis count and rebuilt in 1793.

To take advantage of the gastronomy of the area, some clues are to visit the restaurants Principe, Cabanas Park, Ideal and Monteiro, among others of a lot of quality in Cabanas.

Hope to meet you soon in Tavira and its beautiful islands!