The Algarve

The Algarve, a quintessential European beach destination, attracts sun-and-sand lovers

The maritime province of the Algarve, often called the Garden of Portugal, is the southwesternmost part of Europe. Its coastline stretches 99 miles from Henry the Navigator's Cape St. Vincent to the border town of Vila Real de Santo António, fronting once-hostile Spain. The varied coastline contains sluggish estuaries, sheltered lagoons, low-lying areas where clucking marsh hens nest, long sandy spits, and promontories jutting out into the white-capped aquamarine foam.

Called Al-Gharb by the Moors, the land south of the sierras (mountains) of Monchique and Caldeirão remains a spectacular anomaly that seems more like a transplanted section of the North African coastline than a piece of Europe. The temperature averages around 60°F (15°C) in winter and 74°F (23°C) in summer – a fact that in itself draws travelers from all over the world. The countryside abounds in vegetation: almonds, lemons, oranges, carobs, pomegranates, and figs.

Algarvian beaches are some of Portugal’s best. Their quality has led to the tourist boom across the southern coastline, making it a formidable rival of Lisbon's Costa do Sol and Spain's Costa del Sol. There are literally hundreds of beaches, many with public showers and watersports equipment available for rent.

© 2009, Wiley Publishing, Inc.