Algarve region

Restaurants in the Algarve

Portugal is considered a culinary power and excels in its wines. Although the Algarve region is not characterized by vineyards, the tradition of wine production exists and it is recommended to taste the selection of local wines. You can find here the sweet red port wine (20% alcohol) and also the green wine "Vino Verde" named after the green wine grapes that produce series of white, red and rosé wines. 

The Algarve region excels in olive oil, jams, oranges, carobs, almonds and figs. You should try the local candy Queijo de Figo do Algarve which is a mixture of figs and brandy with almonds.

The region's flagship dishes are based on all possible seafood: from cod, the favorite fish of the locals, to the endless variety of seafood. Due to their incredible freshness, the fish are sold at higher prices than the meat and chicken. However, there is a successful local dish called "Piri-piri chicken" which is served in a spicy sauce.

Attractions in the Algarve region

Farrow

The desirable capital city of the Algarve region is characterized by a warm climate and particularly vibrant tourism. The beautiful beaches and parties make it a worthwhile place for all ages and from here you can also go on trips around the area and nearby cities. In the city center you should walk along the walls and be impressed by an amazing view of the area, visit the local church and the archaeological museum and wander around the old city and the Francisco Gomes pedestrian street with its many restaurants and shops. 

Portimão

Portimão is the second largest city in the Algarve and has a busy commercial fishing wharf, located on the banks of the Arade River. At first glance, it is not an attractive and picturesque city like the rest of the Algarve cities, so you will have to discover its charm through your feet. It is advisable to go straight to the point and visit the preserved old town and the church of Nossa Senhora da Conceição which was established in the 14th century and rebuilt after the earthquake in 1755. The famous beaches of the city (which are mentioned in several stories by English writers) are the resort of Praia da Rocha and Praia do Vau, Both are magical in scenery and contain natural tunnels and caves, changing colors that occur at sunset, villas, mansions and forts. 

Cabo de Sao Vicente

Sao Vicente, within the city limits of Sagres, lies in the southwestern tip of the European continent and is characterized by powerful winds, low vegetation and a multitude of turbines that produce green electricity from the incessant winds. The whole area is a wonderful nature reserve and paradise for surfers and you should not give it up just because of the wind. 

Silves

In the past the city of Silves served as the capital of the Algarve and the region's major commercial port. Today the small town has almost 2,000 inhabitants and its main attraction is the impressive fortifications from the Middle Ages. You should go to the local fish and farmers market, the special town hall, the old city walls and the city cathedral, wander the ancient alleys and tour the galleries and small shops, most of which focus on cork products such as wallets, bags, accessories and more. At the city overlooks you can also look at storks nesting on the roofs of the houses. 

to cram

It is one of the oldest cities in the Algarve and a tourist attraction. Its coastal strip extends over 10 km and offers a lively marina, bars, restaurants, hotels and good shops. In the Republic Square (Praça da República), which is the central city square, there is a statue of "Enrique the Navigator", a Portuguese prince who lived most of his years in the Algarve and was to a central figure who supported the ocean exploration restaurants.You can also tour the arched "Slave Market" (Mercado de Escravos) building - a monument commemorating the local activity of the large trade that took place here in African slaves. 

Olhão

The city of Oleo is home to one of the most famous markets in the Algarve - a colorful and bustling fresh fish market, consisting of small and crowded stalls and fishing boats moored in the nearby municipal marina. The trip to the impressive lagoon of Ria Formosa departs from the city port once every two hours (in summer). You can also sail to the nearby island of Culatra and the "deserted island" (Ilha Deserta), which is considered the southernmost point in Portugal. 

Albufeira

Considered one of the best tourist cities and offers two main tourist areas: Areias de São João ("The Strip") where you will find golf courses, good restaurants, abundant nightlife and more. The second area is the old city with its calm pace of life and authentic architecture. The old city has two beaches: the fishermen's beach (Praia dos Pescadores) and the tunnel beach (Praia do Tunel), the way to which requires access through a tunnel cut in the cliffs. 

sailing along the beaches

The Algarve region is full of sandy beaches bordered by cliffs and luxury villas on them. You can choose from a wide variety of vessels and reach ancient bays, caves and caves. The main landmarks of the cruises are the Ria Formosa Nature Reserve which consists of five long and narrow islands jutting into the lagoon. Due to the frequent tides that characterize the Atlantic Ocean, many oyster farms operate here. In addition, the reserve is considered a habitat for seabirds and plenty of winged animals.

A tour of the cork oak groves

It only characterizes wine corks, but it turns out that cork has many other high-quality uses. Over 50% of all cork in the world comes from the Algarve region and each cork oak grown there produces about 65 thousand corks! According to the law, it is forbidden to cut down these trees without special permission and the locals revere the produce so much that these tours have become an integral part of the local folklore.

Car rental in the Algarve

Transportation in Portugal is considered advanced, accessible and particularly developed, and therefore the travel routes in the Algarve and the car rental services there are considered excellent. You will need a car to travel from city to city and meet wild and beautiful roads along the sea. And yet, even without a car, you can get by in the area very easily. There is a successful system of buses that move between the many cities and villages and you can purchase a ticket for the "tourist bus" in order to go around all the central areas and attractions located in a specific place. 

Most travelers recommend renting a small car to deal with the crowded streets and alleys in Portugal. For the Algarve in particular, we will add that if the chosen vehicle is with a manual transmission, you should make sure you have an excellent driver, who can handle the steep driving routes. In most cases, the accommodation will be on a high cliff or hill, so it is important to know how to deal with the jump uphill. 

If you don't land in Faro, the capital, but in Lisbon, you can rent the car there and drive about 300 km until you arrive. This means that you can arrive in just one day and save the costs of the onward flight.

Flights to the Algarve

Getting to the beautiful Algarve region goes through one of the following options: 

A direct flight to Lisbon and from there a connecting flight to the airport in Paro, the capital city.

Flight to another European city such as London, Cologne, Zurich and more and from there to Faro airport. 

The differences between the two types of flights lie in the airlines and their different prices. Most of the direct flights from Israel to Lisbon take place in the summer months, although in other months of the year you can find few and expensive direct flights. For these flights it is possible to use the systems of the companies El Al (mostly with the subsidiary Sandor), Arkia and TAP Portugal. When flying with a European airline and from there, there is a longer wait at the airports, so the price may be lower. In fact, the longer you wait in the field for your connection, the cheaper the ticket price will be.

Another, cheap and attractive option is to fly using the many low-cost companies, primarily EasyJet. EasyJet has a particularly successful flight system, which uses several English airports for connections from the country to the Algarve itself. These flights are available and appear in the summer with a particularly high frequency, although they can also be caught on a very large number of occasions during the transition seasons (March-April, October-November). In some cases, through the search engines and the price comparison, you will also find low-cost routes of the companies Top Portugal, Iberia and British Airways.

When should you fly to the Algarve?

The secret of the magic of the magical stretch of sea lies in the summer months - from June to September. The beaches are crowded with bathers, the streets and markets are lively and the bars and restaurants are full. However, due to the distinct Mediterranean climate of the region, there is the possibility to visit also at the ends of the season and during the transitional seasons and enjoy everything the region has to offer, but in a less hectic and more relaxed atmosphere. Winter is indeed characterized by cheap prices, temperatures above zero and no snow, but due to the rough seas and cold winds, the trip becomes more difficult and even closes the option of going on various cruises, or visiting pedestrian streets and urban centers that are characterized by street stalls.