The Algarve

The Algarve was the southernmost of the 11 provinces Portugal was divided into until 1976. Afterwards, Portugal was divided into districts. The former province of Algarve coincides with the current district of Faro. This covers the entire width of the south coast and its capital is the city of Faro. About 500,000 people live in the Algarve.

Climate

The Algarve has one of the best climates in Europe all year round. Due to its terrain and geographical position, the Algarve is influenced by different climates: from mainland Europe to northern Africa and from the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea. The Algarve has a Mediterranean climate with dry, warm summers and mild winters. The average daytime temperature in January is 16°C. The average daytime temperature in July is 29°C. With 300 days of sunshine a year, you can enjoy it all year round.

Paradise

The Algarve is a paradise. Not only in terms of weather, but also in terms of culture and people. You have beautiful authentic villages and towns , all of which are unique .. The beaches are golden and the sea is calm. The sea water is 20 degrees, both in summer and in autumn. The Portuguese are sweet and hospitable people. And you have fantastic restaurants , ranging from a simple cafeteria, where you often eat the most delicious daily specials for only 8 euros, to restaurants with 1 or 2 Michelin stars. And you have beautifully landscaped golf courses , which are among the most beautiful in Europe.

History

You can still find traces of the past everywhere. From traces of the Roman presence to Islamic times, from the Christian Reconquest to the epic period of the Portuguese Discoveries.

Five centuries of Moorish influences have left their mark on the region, starting with its actual name: Al- Gharb , meaning “the West”. The Moorish occupation lasted from the 8th to the 13th century, and can still be found in the names of the towns and villages, in the agriculture, in the architecture, the lacework patterns, of the balconies, roof terraces and chimneys, or the whitewashed houses that can still be seen in many Algarve villages.

In the mid-13th century, the Algarve was the last part of Portugal to be reconquered from Muslim rule. In addition to Silves, the cities of Tavira and Faro, the current capital of the Algarve, were definitively conquered from the Moors. This marked the establishment of the Kingdom of Portugal and the Algarve.

The 15th century is characterized by sailors who crossed the seas in search of new lands. Many traces of this past can still be found scattered throughout the region, in Aljezur, Lagos , Silves , Faro , Tavira , Castro Marim and Alcoutim, among others.