Algarve Region

High value and high adventure biking Portugal’s Algarve coast

Sunday, 20 June 2010 00:00

Cyclists who had put the brakes on a European bicycling vacation in these economically challenging times can get their bikes back in gear! Easy Rider Tours has rolled out a new 6-day “Biking Breakaways” trip, priced at a budget-friendly $1,995 per person. The “Algarve Blue” tour is a scenic spin along the southwest coast. Cloudless skies, miles of scenic shoreline, and colorful architecture combine. Cyclists’ most memorable ride might be the trek to the land’s end at Cabo de São Vicente, the southwestern most point in Europe and once considered the edge of the Western world. Plenty of “off-bike” time is planned for relaxing along the region’s famed beaches and visiting historic landmarks from Roman ruins to an ancient Moorish fortress. The tour finishes in the historic seaport of Lagos, known for its museums, gardens, sidewalk cafes, and, of course, inviting ocean waters. Cost is $1,995 per person price includes all accommodations, most meals, use of a 24-speed bicycle, two experienced guides, and a support vehicle to carry luggage (and the occasional tired cyclist). Airfare is not included in the tour price. Tours are offered from June through mid-October.

Allgarve Gourmet corner at the Olhão Seafood Festival

Wednesday, 09 June 2010 00:00

The Algarve Summer will once again be enlivened by the Allgarve Gourmet program. From August 10^th to 15th, the Jardim Pescador Olhanense will be hosting the Seafood Festival, which includes the Allgarve Gourmet, an initiative of Turismo de Portugal, coordinated by José Bento dos Santos, where some of the great chefs of international cuisine will be displaying their skills. Everyday, these chefs will be found in the Gourmet section of the Seafood Festival, generously and professionally preparing the most delicious dishes from the sea, including the very best shellfish and seafood typically found in the Algarve. These dishes will be presented in original recipes, some based on our Portuguese culinary traditions, while others will be entirely modern and are guaranteed to be a truly gastronomic delight.

Novos Ventos – The Energy of the discoveries

Saturday, 05 June 2010 00:00

Visit the Promontory of Sagres and explore the “Novos Ventos” (New winds) exhibition - an innovative approach to the Portuguese discoveries and wind and sea energy. Open until December 31, 2010.

The exhibition itinerary has seven stages, seven thematic sections with historical and scientific content, establishing an analogy between technical innovations in the past - such as the navigational instruments that enabled the Portuguese to discover new worlds in the 15th century - and modern technologies, with special emphasis on the use of renewable energies. Located outdoors, this itinerary offers an amazing 3 km promenade, surrounded by the promontory’s unique landscapes - that 600 years ago was considered to be the “end of the world”. In order to gain a better understanding of the historical importance of this site – a point of passage for many 15th century navigators, cartographers and captains - visitors can watch a film about Sagres and the Infante D. Henrique, that will be screened in the former munitions warehouse that has been converted into an auditorium.

Don’t miss this opportunity to learn more about the Promontory and the Fortress of Sagres - a historical, cultural, natural and landscape heritage site of incomparable value, located in the heart of the Nature Park of the Costa Vicentina.

Hike the Vincentine coast

Thursday, 03 June 2010 00:00

Sagres will open a the Rota Vincentina hiking  trails that will start in Santiago do Cacem and finish in Sagres. The route will have the historical trail markers that passes by the major villages and a sub path called fishermen route that goes along the coast. This project is being developed in partnership with Associacao Casas Brancas e Almargem and should be up and running by November 2011.