Portugal - Resorts In The Algarve

By Author: Peter Nutter
Total Articles: 4
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In the mid-12th century, the Moorish occupation ended: the "Al-Gharb" has been since then the kingdom of Algarve. Its highest point is the mountain range of Monchique, with a maximum altitude of 906m (Peak of the F�ia). Praia da Marinha, Lagoa was classified as one of the 100 most beautiful and well preserved beaches of the world. The Romans in the 2nd century BC spread through the Iberian Peninsula, and many Roman ruins can still be seen in the region, notably in Lagos. The region's administrative centre is the city of Faro, which has its own international airport (Faro Airport) and public university (University of the Algarve).

In 1807, when Junot was leading the first Napoleonic invasion in the north of Portugal, the Algarve was occupied by the Spanish troops of Manuel Godoy. In the 1960s the Algarve became a very popular destination for tourists, mainly from Britain. The al-gharb, "the West" is the southernmost region of mainland Portugal, incorporating, amongst others, the cities of Faro, Albufeira, Lagos, Olh�o, Tavira, Portim�o and Silves. The Algarve is hilly, but traversed with rich valleys. ...
... British expatriates, followed by German, Dutch and Scandinavians, are among the largest groups wishing to own a home in this Portugal's sunny region.

In addition to the natural beauties and plenty of beaches, the Algarve has invested in the creation of a network of golf courses. The coastline is notable for picturesque limestone caves and grottoes, particularly around Lagos, which are accessible by powerboat. The Algarve was a semi-autonomous area with a governor from 1595 to 1808, as well as a separate taxation system until the end of the 18th century. Algarve's mild climate attracts interest from Northern Europeans wishing to have a holiday home or residence on the region. The Algarve region is divided into 16 municipalities:

Faro, which the Christian residents had called Santa Maria, was renamed Faraon, which means "the settlement of the Knights". The summer months see high temperatures that attract beach-goers and sun-lovers from around the world. It was not until the 13th century that the Portuguese finally secured the region against subsequent Moorish attempts to recapture the area. When the Moors conquered Lagos in 716 it was called Zawaia. Over the past 50 years the Algarve has seen an increase in development, particularly from non-Portuguese developers.

The Algarve is the home of the Ria Formosa lagoon, a nature reserve of over 170 square kilometres and a stopping place for hundreds of different birds. Over the past few years many tourists visiting the Algarve have moved away from the resorts, and have chosen the comfort of a traditional Algarve guesthouse, many of these run by ex-pats from England, Holland, and Germany who have escaped to the Algarve for a quieter life. With more hours of sunshine than California and only short periods of rainfall, generally between November and March, the Algarve has the perfect weather and climate for tourism. When the Moors conquered Lagos in 716 it was called Zawaia. It is composed of 5,412 square kilometres with approximately 410,000 permanent inhabitants (density of 76 inhabitants per square kilometre).