The Western Algarve

Tortuous cliffs, small islands, rocky arches and caves caressed by clear and calm waters decorate this stretch of coast known as the Windward Algarve.

Lagos, historically linked to the sea, once inhabited by the Romans (Lacobriga) and the base for Portuguese exploration of the African coast in the 15th century, has a significant collection of monuments and religious buildings, making it a compelling place to visit. The Church of Santa Maria da Misericordia, with its renaissance doorway; the magnificent jewel of the Algarve, the Church of Santo Antonio, with its lower walls covered in tiles - contrasting with the golden baroque carved sculpture and the Church of São Sebastião are more than sufficient reasons to sacrifice an afternoon on the beach. A visit to the municipal museum (in the Church of Santo António) or a look at the local exhibition dedicated to the Portuguese Discoveries, housed inside the Forte da Ponta da Bandeira, where you can enjoy a beautiful view of the city and the sea, are also interesting options. Spreading from the centre, where the statue of King Dom Sebastião stands (a work of art by Jose Cutileiro, a contemporary Portuguese sculptor), various restaurants, shops and bars give life to this part of town. A stroll through the centre can be an invitation to shop, to meet people or to have a drink and a snack. Lovers of the night life will not be disappointed, as Lagos is famous for its energetic partying.

A few metres from the place where the trawlers unload their catches, on the left bank of the Bensafrim stream, you will find the marina. Inaugurated in 1993, and awarded the Euromarina Anchor Award and the European Blue Flag, with in excess of 400 moorings, and a customs office. Protecting the bay of Lagos is the Ponta da Piedade headland, a series of rock formations, cliffs and beaches, like Praia da Luz, with its fabulous view from the Miradoura da Atalaia (108 m high).

Inwards the interior, don't forget to visit the beautiful doorway of the Parish Church in Odiàxere. On the way to Meia-Praia, the Palmares golf course offers a beautiful landscape, marrying the greenness of the course with the golden sands of the dunes.

Nearby, Alvôr, a beautiful village of white houses, was an old Roman port and later a Moorish (own (Al-bur). The beach, where you can go sailing, windsurfing and water-skiing, is today an international tourist resort.

Head east and follow the beaches: Prainha, Três Irmãos, Vau and Praia da Rocha. Very lively nights with bars, discos make Rocha one of the Algarve's greater attractions. The Fortaleza de Santa Catarina, in Rocha, and the Church of Nossa Senhora da Conceição in Portimão are two places of interest, the first for its superb view over the beach and the second for ils tiles and collection of ex-votos. But it is from the park of the Visconde de Bivar, one of the finest landmarks in Portimão, that you can take a boat trip up the river Arade to Silves.

Easier in Winter, this trip is a safe bet for those who want to discover the natural secrets of the Algarve's beautiful interior (see Silves and Monchique).

Sharing Arade's river mouth with Portimão, Ferragudo, which once disputed the primacy as the national fish market, has a fort (São João do Arade) that in the 19th century was a literary salon. In Ferragudo they still say that "all the houses face the sea", a phrase expressing the importance of fishing to its inhabitants.

Towards Albufeira, Carvoeiro, an old fishing village that grew into a lively and popular visitor resort, has a beach with beautiful caves, such as the unique rock formation of Algar Seco. Going on further to Benagil and Albandeira, two beaches of tranquil waters separated by a tunnel.

From the nearby chapel of Senhora da Rocha you can enjoy a great view over the sea.

Armação de Pera is a resort with several hotels, tourist complexes and a campsite. The waters are suitable for diving and further out one can go deepsea fishing. If you are staying here, you can take advantage of a visit to Alcantarilha and its church or the chapel of Nossa Senhora do Pilar, which stands in the lush valley of Algoz.