The Algarve – Portugal’s Number 1 Holiday Destination

The Algarve is the southernmost region of Portugal. It is bounded to the south by the Atlantic Ocean, and to the north by the Monchique mountain range. It has an area of 5, 412 Kilometres, and in the most recent survey a population of approximately 410, 000 permanent inhabitants were returned. The capital of the region is Faro, although historically, the ancient Moorish city of Silves was for many centuries the centre of the region, which now comprises of 16 municipalities.

Geographically, the region is quite hilly, with its highest point (the village of Foia) being 903m above sea level. The coastline runs the entire length of the region, and this is 155 kilometres from east to west. Beyond the western most point of Cape St Vincent, the coast returns north and continues for a further 50 kilometres up the westerly edge of the country.

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The region is historically rich, and critical to the development of Europe and the modern world. Heavily influenced by the Moors – who ruled outposts of their empire from the city of Silves for centuries – it was however under Roman influence that much of the region fell, and it was the Carthaginians who founded Portus Hanibalis – today known as the city of Portimao – around 550 BC. The Moorish occupation ended in the 12th Century and fell under Christian dominion.

In the 15th Century Henry the Navigator took residence in Lagos, from where he conducted some of his most important maritime expeditions, thus establishing Portugal as the colonial Super Power of its day.

From the early 1960’s onwards the region has become an increasingly popular holiday destination for most Europeans whose homelands do not share the temperate climate and plentiful supply of beaches. Faro International Airport soon followed the first foreign developers, and today tourism plays a key role in the economy – both of the Algarve and Portugal as a whole.

Extensive development of the touristic infrastructure in recent times has seen the flourishing of a golf course network second to none in Europe, and most of the traditional coastal towns and villages now owe their economic stability more to the temporary visitors who land in Faro each year than to the traditional trades of fishing and agriculture.

Of key importance to the flourishing tourist industry has been the weather. Temperatures fluctuate between 15 °c in the wintertime, and upwards of 33°c during the long summer months (although much higher temperatures are regularly recorded). A zero value to temperature is almost unknown in the winter months, although the year 2008/09 – which was exceptionally cold and wet – saw a zero value reported for the first time in many years.

Today, tourism in the Algarve is flourishing, and the various governments are keen to invest heavily in the ‘Algarve Brand’ – which is seen as being more than capable of rivalling its closest neighbour, Spain. Tourist numbers continue to rise year on year, and even with the current challenging economic circumstances, the region continues to grow and prosper. Major new developments are underway – a case in point being ‘The Amendoeira Golf Resort’ between Alcantarilha and Lagoa which is the latest in the line of resort developments by the Irish lead development group Oceânico – and more are planned in the districts surrounding Carvoeiro, Silves, and Vale de Parra.

As the cost of air travel rises – making longer haul flights for tourists increasingly expensive – it is expected that the Algarve will benefit from the fact of lower cost flights, supported by lower carbon emissions generated by the shorter flights. These expectations have helped to some degree to stem the lack of appetite for property development, and as such, modern property outlets in the Algarve remain appealing by the standards of the 2009/10 weary investor.The principal towns of the region – notably Vilamoura, Almancil, Faro, Albufeira, and Carvoeiro – look forward to increased investment and development which will see them well positioned to capitalise on the tourist market for the 2010 season and beyond.

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