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Portugal Travel Guide: The Algarve

Lagos, The Algarve © Jean Kugler

Algarve

The Algarve is the southernmost region of Portugal and covers Portugal's coast with the Mediterranean, and some of the coast with the Atlantic Ocean. Due to its location, it has historically been linked to water-based sports such as sailing and angling. Today, the Algarve has a wide range of sports available, on an organised level, with an according standard of facilities.

Football events in particular have been catered for, and teams such as Portimonense, Louletano, Olhanense, and SC Farense play in the lower tiers of Portugal's professional leagues, are all heavily supported by the expat community in the region.

The Algarve Cup is also an invitational competition that takes place in the region every year, and is one of the notable events in women's football, featuring international teams. Golfing events are also a major draw, with some internationally-ranked courses available to non-members staying the region, while tennis facilities are heavily in abundance, many offering coaching programmes for any level of player.

It is easy to find flights for an Algarve Holiday due to the region's popularity with British citizens. Low cost airlines such as EasyJet and Jet2 fly from several major cities across the UK, and last minute package deals are also easy to find. Flights take you to Faro, which is the capital of the region, although it is still fairly rural in character, and a pleasant place to stay, having been one of the few places to come unscathed from the 1757 earthquake.

The city of Portimão is also a popular destination, and is well known for its beach football scene and surfing activities, while the spa town of Caldas de Monchique is an excellent place for a quieter break, which has been consistently popular with the Portuguese for decades

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