Tourist attractions Portimão

It is via a maze of red rocks sculpted by the sea ( comprised of 134 steps ) that you will reach the marine site of Algar Seco, situated below Cape Carvoeiro. You will notice the gaping porches of several half-submerged grottoes. On the right there..

The site of Ponta da Piedade gives this point a special charm. The reddish rock of the cliffs, where sea grottoes nestle at the foot, contrasts spectacularly with the green colour of the clear water. You can visit the grottoes by boat. Behind the l..

In calm sea the trip takes you past sandstone cliffs and rocks that have been sculpted into strange shapes by the water. You will see 18 of the Algarve's most beautiful marine grottoes (Pontal, Mesquita, Ruazes).

This cathedral was built on the site of an old mosque. The Gothic nave and the lower sides (13C) are striking in their attractive simplicity. The many tombs are those of the Crusaders who helped to recapture the town in 1242. Opposite the cathedral d..

It is best to leave your car in the cathedral square to go in through the surrounding wall of the castle. The path round the battlements has many viewpoints over the town and the surroundings. You can see, to the north-west, the irrigated valley of..

This old cork factory (owned by an English firm, hence its name “the English factory”) has been transformed into a huge leisure facility. In the summer, there is an evening water and light show “Aquavision”. The old factory buildings are now a cork ..

The very simple facade gives no hint of the exuberance and virtuosity of the Baroque decoration inside. You can only stand in admiration of the ceiling, the Eucharistic symbols, the statues in gilded wood and the ceiling of the gallery.

From Odiaxere to the dam, the very narrow serpentine road snakes through the irrigated valley where melons, tomatoes, maize and fig trees grow, before climbing the slopes of the Serra de Monchique with extensive views over the coastal chain. The vau..

To the west it looks down on the mouth of the Arade and, with the fort of Ferragudo on the opposite bank, it guards the entrance to the Bay of Portimão. It was built in 1621 to defend Sives and Portimão from Spanish and Moorish attacks.

This belvedere, situated at the top of a steep slope, to the east of the beach ( in front of a chapel and a police station) , offers beautiful views over the cliffs of Cape Carvoeiro.

This museum is set up in a modern building built along the old town wall around a large reservoir tank from the 12C and 13C. The collections retrace the history of this region from the Paleolithic age. Worthy of note are the menhirs and the funerary ..

This wayside cross from the 16C has Christ on the cross on one side and on the other a Pietà.

In the centre of the square stands the statue of Henry the Navigator , inaugurated in 1960 on the 500th anniversary of his death. You can see the former slave market , an arcaded house rebuilt after the earthquake of 1755. Following African expedit..

Built in the 17C the fort stretches into the sea and protects a small port from which the boat-trippers leave for Ponta da Piedade. You must cross the drawbridge to reach the interior of the courtyard. Exhibitions are mounted about the Great Discover..

This museum alongside the church of Santo Antonio, has an interesting archaeological collection (coins, fragments of mosaics) and an ethnographic section devoted to the Algarve (notice the cork frames).

The ramparts were built between the 14C and the 16C on top of older walls.

This is an attractive white chapel with a pointed bell-tower located on a cliff promontory whose interior, covered in azulejos, houses some charming commemorative plaques (ships).

In the hinterland of the Algarve, the Serra Monchique offers summer visitors to the coast the coolness of its wooded heights of eucalyptus, cork oaks, chestnuts and pine trees, as well as beautiful views over the region. The volcanic activity explain..