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Holiday Guide: Algarve, Portugal

To the south of Portugal lies the region of the Algarve. It is Portugal's most popular holiday area and Europe's sunniest spot boasting about 100 sandy beaches. There are around 420,000 residents, which is boosted to over a million by the waves of summer tourists who flock to the Algarve's warm climate, clean beaches and sports activities. Faro is considered the capital and is the administrative centre for the Algarve. It is the largest city and home to the region's airport, making it likely to be your first port of call.

How to Get There

By Road:The IP1 motorway is now the main road between Albufeira and Spain. It was built to relieve the congested summer traffic that built up on the N125.

By Air:Faro airport is only a 2 -3 hour flight from most European destinations. It is located about 6km outside of Faro's city centre and has buses to and fro running every 15 minutes.

By Train:The train station is to the north west of Faro at Largo da Estaco.

p class="bodytextmid">By Sea:The main international port for travel to the Algarve is located at Portimão.

What to See and Do

The Algarve has plenty to offer the beach-bum partying holidaymaker as well as the tourist keen to explore. To get an understanding of the history and culture of the area, start at the beginning at about 2,500 BC. The Cova dos Mouros or Caves of the Moors at Alcoutim are Stone Age mines that were unearthed in 1865. The tour takes you on a walk of

1000m past old mine shafts and primitive dwellings, as well as collections of furnaces and tools from the Copper Age. This is perhaps not a tour for the nervous, as the caves are also home to many bats.

Alcantarilha's Church at Silves has in part retained some of its 16th century structure, but has additional decoration from the 17th and 18th centuries. The main draw for tourists however is the adjoined Capela dos Ossos or Chapel of Bones. The walls and ceiling are bound with around 1,500 human skulls.

In Faro you can explore the life of an important cultural figure, at Dr Joao Lucio's Chalet. He was a poet, artist and musician who died in 1918. His chalet of three floors comprises a museum and four uniquely designed entrance points showing a fish, guitar, violin and serpent.

A good way to see a lot of the landscape in the short time you may have is to book a Zebra Safari. These 4x4 tours take you round stunning local sights and allow you to meet and talk with traditional artisans and beekeepers.

Set in the Monchique mountains of the Algarve, the Omega Parque Zoo has beautiful surroundings for beautiful animals. It specialises in keeping endangered species including crowned sifakas, bamboo lemurs, cheetah and oryx to name a few.

If all you want from your holiday is sun, sea and sand, the Algarve has plenty of clean beaches to choose between. For example, the Praia de Odeceixe is a sheltered beach that is remains fairly spacious even during the busy summer months, while the popular Praia Da Rocha is large enough to accommodate the many tourists.

For a fun filled holiday, there are plenty of activities to get to grips with. Vilamoura and Lagos are particularly good for water sports and diving. The Algarve's most famous sporting activity is arguably golf. There 24 golf courses throughout the region, including the classic Old Course at Vilamoura.

When to Go

February:The Loule Carnival is considered to be one of the best in Portugal. Following mainly along the Avenida Jose da Costa Mealha, join in the noisy celebration of singing and dancing as you watch the fancy dress procession. This is a great time of year to visit if partying is your thing.

May-June:One of the most important events of the year is the Algarve International Music Festival. Celebrated musicians from home and abroad perform at venues throughout the region.

August:For those looking to appease their palates, the Festival do Marisco (Seafood festival) is a big attraction. Browse the endless stalls of fresh fish to the sounds of folk musicians. There are also evening concerts by renowned musicians in honour of this season.

September:Traditional song and dance takes over the region in the form of the Algarve Folklore Festival (Folkfaro) with performers attending from all over Portugal.

Where to Shop

The Algarve is noted for its cork products as cork oak is heavily harvested in Portugal. Other notable crafts of the region include locally made leather goods, pottery, filigree jewellery and painted tiles known as azulejos. For practical shopping, is also worthwhile noting that cigarettes and alcohol are often lower in price than in the UK.

At the entrance to Quinta do Lago is the spacious Quinta Shopping Mall. Aiming to provide a complete shopping experience under one roof, you can browse the latest fashions in clothing and home interiors before filling up at one of the restaurants or the English pub.

The Algarve Shopping Centre is the newest of the malls and boasts many High Street designer names. You can grab some grub at one of the numerous takeaway restaurants within the centre, and then come evening enjoy a game of bowling or watch a movie at the cinema.

If you seek independent retailers perhaps off the beaten track, Casa Algarve in Lago specialises the traditional hand painted tiles, (azulejos), and unique pottery designs. Out by the village of Estombar, Oxala imports stunning crafts of African and Asian furniture, jewellery, carpets and rugs.

Where to Eat

As with many coastal resorts, fish is often the dish of the day. While sardines and salad is a fairly popular combination, push the boat out and try lobster, swordfish, bass and anything else you haven't tried before! Pork and chicken are the primary meats, with chicken piri-piri being Algarve's particular speciality.

Vila Jova at Albuferia is a good place to try some seafood cuisine. This high class restaurant sources lobster, turbot and crayfish from local fishermen, and brings caviar, truffles and fois gras from Europe's best markets.

For some Italian flavour in Portugal, Pizzeria la Dolce Vita at Portimao has a range of 26 pizzas and homemade pasta, while Restaurante O Celeiro offers traditional Portuguese flavours of roast suckling pig, boar, venison, hare, rabbit and more. Restaurante O Cangalho provides similar traditional fare with house specialities made to order.

The Village Inn in Lago is a popular but very small restaurant which means it is often a good idea to book. Its emphasis is on its friendly, cosy atmosphere making it a favourite of locals and tourists alike. It has a capacity of about 30, with an extra 12 in the summer outdoor seating.

What to do at Night

Faro is the cosmopolitan heartbeat of the Algarve, home a number of students and vibrant locals. The centre of Faro's nightlife falls around Rua do Prior where a high density of cafes, pubs and clubs can keep you drinking and dancing until the wee small hours. The Upa Upa Café & Bar is particularly popular and stays open until 4am. The Fashion Kaffe aims to live up to its trendy name, while the dedicated nightclub Dux is for those wanting to dance till dawn.

If you are heading to Lagos, Bar Amuras and Bar Mullens are two lively places to check out. Amuras has live bands on most nights so you can dance along with views of the nearby marina. Mullens is decorated in a faux-medieval style complete with large imposing mirrors.

Try your luck at the Algarve Casino in the Hotel Algarve, Portimao. Aside from the evening amusements of shows and live music, they have all the traditional table gambling as well as slot machines.

For those who appreciate fine music, the Vilamoura Jazz Club is a sophisticated venue that plays host to celebrated international jazz musicians. This is place to head for some grown up entertainment and fine conversation, and music to educate your ears. Alternatively, Vilamoura is also home to the Korpus strip club for when you need to indulge in more visual pleasures.