Description

Al’Garb in Arabic meaning The West was the name given to the province of Algarve situated in the southernmost region of Portugal. In the 1960s Algarve became a popular destination for British tourists. It has since become a common destination for the Germans and the Dutch. Many of these tourists own their own property. Tourists flock to Algarve in search of assured sunshine, extensive beach and continuous enjoyment. Algarve’s rich history began with the arrival of trading Phoenicians. The ancient buildings built by Romans are maintained well and is the main source of attraction. The diverse Algarve landscape comprises of mountains to the north and a flourishing area of orchards, almond, orange and fig trees. The sandy shoreline is the ideal place to bask away summer days on the beach. The magnificent cliff-top sea views can be had from the pristine golf-courses. Between the Lagos and Faro the beaches are ruled by food stalls, shops with fancy wares etc.

Shopping

Shops at Algarve offer extensive shopping opportunities. The two large shopping centers in Algarve are the Algarve Shopping in Guia and Forum Algarve shopping centre in Faro, with about 50 shops under one roof. While shopping at Algarve travelers can fill their bags with moderately priced wines, liquors, spirits and cigarettes. Leather wares, fancy pots, decorated tiles, crystals, copperwares, artifacts and cork products top the shopping list. There are many places designated for daily markets (except Sunday) where visitors can buy local food, vegetables, souvenirs and a wide array of things. Haggling is pretty tough as the vendors stick to the marked prices.

Restaurants

In a land of fisherman, fish and shellfish play perhaps the leading role in the kitchen. Sardines and salad is a very popular dish in the Algarve. Restaurants in the countryside serve authentic local dishes at reasonable prices. The Algarve's most innovative dish is 'Ameijoas na Cataplana', baby clams with sausage, ham, onion, tomato, garlic, paprika and white wine, cooked and served in a sort of pressure cooker called a 'Cataplana'. Most meals are accompanied by country bread, black olives, and small tins of sardine pate. Chicken Piri-Piri is another world-famous Portuguese dish. The influence of the Portuguese and Moorish colonies adds to the richness of the fare. Travelers can also experience global delicacies in almost all the good restaurants. Some suggested restaurants include Jackie’s Brasserie, The Sunset Restaurant, Marisqueira Rui, O Lotus, Simsa and many more. Portugal is also famous for its Vinho Verde and Mateus Rose, as well as the distilled spirit known as 'Aguardente de Medronho', and many fruit liqueurs.

Night Life

Algarve presents active nightlife to its visitors. Many bars offer live shows anchored by internationally recognized disco jockeys. Travelers can also witness the dazzling bright city during night. Shopping is the main preferred option by the visitors wanting to keep away from the sound and buzz. Some suggested nightclubs include Capicua, E bar, Eddies, Red Eye etc.

Activities

Sunbathing and swimming are the important sports pursuits in the Algarve. And with toplessness now being accepted in Portugal, seaside activities have become an onlooker sport as well. Other water oriented sports include sailing, deep-sea fishing, scuba diving, snorkeling, and water skiing. Tennis and golf are offered at some clubs. Horse riding is also one of the favorite pastime activities in Algarve with many riding stables throughout.

Communications

The international access code for Portugal is +351. There are no area or city codes required. The outgoing code is 00 followed by the relevant country code. There are three GSM mobile phone networks in Portugal along with plenty of Internet cafes.

Contacts

Institute of Portugal Tourism, Lisbon: +351 211 205 050 or www.visitportugal.com
Portuguese Embassy, Washington, United States: +1 202 328 8610
Portuguese Embassy, London, United Kingdom: +44 (0)20 7235 5331
Portuguese Embassy, Ottawa, Canada: +1 613 729 0883
Portuguese Embassy, Canberra, Australia: +61 (0)2 6290 1733
Portuguese Embassy, Pretoria, South Africa: +27 (0)12 341 2340/1/2
Portuguese Embassy, Dublin, Ireland: +353 (0)1 289 4416
Portuguese Consulate, Wellington, New Zealand: +64 (0)4 382 7655
United States Embassy, Lisbon: +351 21 727 3300
British Embassy, Lisbon: +351 21 392 4000
Canadian Embassy, Lisbon: +351 21 316 4600
Australian Embassy, Lisbon: +351 21 310 1500
South African Embassy, Lisbon: +351 21 319 2200
Irish Embassy, Lisbon: +351 21 392 9440
New Zealand Embassy, Rome, Italy (also responsible for Portugal): +39 06 441 7171
Emergencies: 112

Currency

EUR

Attractions

The town of Monchique and the Algarve’s second largest town Portimao should be visited for various tourist spots. Slide and Splash Aqua Park, which is rated high in Algarve, must be visited by travelers of all ages to enjoy thrilling water rides. Dolphins are the main attraction of Zoo Marine. Dolphins here give three shows of 30 minutes each per day and enthrall all the visitors. Krazy World includes all activities that one intends to do. It has a mini golf, swimming pool, farm with pets, Crocodile Park and much more. Other places of attractions include Omega Parque Zoo, Alvor, Slives.

Language

Portuguese

Language Description

Official language of Portugal is Portuguese. However almost everyone understands English. English is also quite well spoken in the urban centers, in hotels and restaurants and also by most shopkeepers.

Tipping

Hotels add 17.5% of service charge or tax in the bill, which is divided equally among the staff, but individual tipping is also a rule. For all the things in which you get services you need to pay individual tipping, it is 5% of your total bill. However this does not apply to bar staff and taxi drivers as their tips are generally rounded off to the nearest Euro.