Emotions. Extraordinary landscapes. Art and culture. A trip in the Algarve on the road is, without a doubt, an extraordinary experience. A wonderful region, south of Portugal, which, thanks to its landscape conformation, offers breathtaking views and incredible colors, with the magnificent and powerful Ocean in the background. Here, the places not to be missed, during a trip to Algrave. A tour, of course, to be followed possibly on the road!

FARO

Faro is the capital of the Algarve since 1756, and was born as a fishing village. It is known to international tourism as a starting point for discovering the seaside resorts of the region. Faro, in the course of its history, has been influenced by the Romans and Arabs (populations that dominated it); unfortunately it was the victim of events that were nothing short of disastrous over the centuries, such as the looting and destruction of the city by Robert Devereux 2º Count of Essex (favorite of Queen Elizabeth I of England) in the 1596; or the terrible 1755 earthquake that destroyed it.

La Cidade Velha (old city) is inside the medieval Arabic city walls, largely covered by buildings. In the center there is the Be, the cathedral built on a site that was home to a Roman temple, a Visigoth church, and then a mosque; the church has a Romanesque-Gothic style of the 1251. Over the years it has been modified several times and only the portico tower remains today.

Not to be missed, always in the old part, the Bishop’s Palace, eighteenth-century bishop’s palace with a patio and interiors with the typical ones azulejos (Portuguese); the remains of Neolithic walls rebuilt by the Arabs and pierced by medieval gates; there church of Nossa Senhora de Assunção of the XVI century, today the seat of the Museu Arqueológico.

Really singular, instead, the Capella dos Ossos, one of the most incredible places in the city. It stands at the back of the beautiful Igreja do Carmo church. Besides 1000 skeletons and bones decorate the walls of this small, macabre, chapel. Not to be missed on this trip in Algarve. The entrance ticket costs 2€ per person, and you will find it open from Monday to Friday, until 17: 30, and Saturday morning.

A Praça de Libertade you could visit the Regional Ethnographic Museum; it is another interesting museum that takes us back to the traditional modus vivendi of the Algarve region.

Faro is famous as a seaside tourist resort on the inner coast of the Atlantic Ocean, highly appreciated not only by locals, but also by the international tourists.

The Faro coast is also composed of a lagoon that separates and protects the city from the Atlantic Ocean; the Ria Formosa Natural Park, which extends along the Algarvian coast, from Praia de Faro to Cacela Velha, for about 60 km between the cities of Faro, Tavira, and Olhao.
Here are found islets, marshes, sand dunes to prevent the high tide of the Atlantic; all this, within a perfect eco-system for the fauna and vegetation of these places.

Kanoa recommend starting your tour from the city of Faro. In this way, you will be able to appreciate all the villages, and the towns that you will encounter while traveling in the Algarve; moreover, although in Faro a myriad of agencies organize tours, Kanoa advises expressly to dedicate at least 4 to 6 days. Obviously, strictly in the car.

ALBUFEIRA

The town of Albufeira counts 35 thousand inhabitants, a number that, during the summer months, grows disproportionately; every year, in fact, from April to September is the destination of thousands of European tourists. Albufeira is an ancient Moorish stronghold, whose name, in Arabic, means “sea fortress”; the village, all colored in white, overlooks the ocean from a promontory, from which stands out irrepressible and fascinating.

It is a city rich in historical places.

Absolutely not to be missed is the clock tower called Torre do Relógio: a true city symbol, where in the nineteenth century an iron crown was placed on top, which lights up for the most important events.

One of the places of greatest attraction is undoubtedly the church of Igreja Matriz, in perfect 18th century neoclassical style; in the church the Cross of Aviz is kept the military and religious symbol of the Order of Aviz and the beautiful statue of the Madonna Conception of the eighteenth century.

Among the other monuments we also mention the Church of Sao Sebastião located in the square of Miguel Bombarda, which has a splendid door in the mandolin style; inside it is particularly appreciated the Sacred Museum.

And again, in particular for history buffs, we point out, the Estàtua de Sao Vicente (a beautiful statue dedicated to St. Vincent), the ruins of the Castle at Rua Joaquim Pedro Samora, the romantic Arch of the Via della Chiesa Antica which is presented in typical Moorish style, the Municipal Archaeological Museum.

Finally, not far from Albufeira, in the hamlet of Guia, you find it Zoomarine, an interesting oceanographic park opened in 1991.

Here you can watch consuenti shows of dolphins and observe closely seals, sharks, turtles and exotic birds; the park is also a rehabilitation center for marine protected species, in which there are many services suitable for the whole family such as restaurants, shops, and refreshment points. Zoomarine is the ideal place to spend a day in harmony, above all it is an extremely pleasant place for the little ones.

Just a few kilometers from Albufeira, do not miss a visit to Sao Rafael, in which you will be able to admire naturalistic beauties that the sea has eroded over time: a unique spectacle of its kind. The carved cliffs, the cracks, the natural pools and the solitary stacks that rise from the water are the major attractions of this beach and are the perfect setting for taking authored photos.