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Portimão is a beautiful city with a modern structure. It has what everyone looking for fun requires: the beach and discotheques! When thinking of Portimão, Praia da Rocha also comes to mind.
Sun, shopping and sardines: this is Portimão! One of the best streets for shopping is Rua do Comércio, a pedestrian area that start in the old market square, near Matriz Church, in the high part of the ctiy.
There is also a close connection between fishing and Portimão's port. Don't be surprised when you see tourists looking for the unique flavour of broiled sardines in the old Portimão pier, where they are washed in the sea and broiled.
Right next to this city you will find Praia da Rocha, a destination for night lovers as well as for families. Located at the mouth of the Arade river, its golden-sanded beach is protected by a group of cliffs. It has all of the services you need to make your experience memorable: restaurants and beach bars that serve international food all day long and a long, wooden footbridge.
Flavors of the region
Delicious specialties
Gastronomy
The gastronomy goes back to the Roman and Arab times and is together with its climate and beaches, one of the main tourist interests you can find in the region. The ingredients used reflect on one hand the fresh flavours of the sea and on the other the strong aromas of the countryside.
Seafood and fish are present in the entire region: clams, oysters, shells, cockles, natural or cooked on the grill are a real delight, fish rice or fish stew are some of the most traditional and appreciated dishes. The secret to its special taste is the copper recipient used to cook it in. It retains the aroma and the flavour of the ingredients. Don't forget about the fresh, grilled fish: sardines, tuna, squid, cuttlefish and the octopus. In the interior the traditional dishes consist of pork meat and sausages and lunchmeats. After eating, the pastries are difficult to resist. The main ingredients used are almonds, figs and egg yolks.
Further information
Organise your trip
You can start to prepare your trip to Portimão today. We will provide you with all the required information to make your trip to the Portuguese region perfect.
WHEN SHOULD I GO TO?
Portimão is an all year round holiday destination. The spring and the summer are long and the winter is short and not very rigorous. It is Portugal's region with the best climate. High season starts om Easter and it is visible beacause of the flood of tourists, looking for a tan on the busy beaches or practicing other water sports or improving their swing in one of its many golf courses. Visting in spring or in autumn is a good option because the weather is warm enough to go to the beach and idscover all of the charm the region has to offer. If you want to visit a deserted beaches, avoid travelling during the school holidays.
WHERE SHOULD I GO?
Despite being a relatively small region, Portimão has a diverse landscape from north to south and from east to west. You can choose from the wild areas like the Vicentine Coast or Monchique mountaing range or the busy tourist centres like Albufeira or Praia da Rocha.
TRAVEL TO THE ALGARVE FOR THE BEST PRICE
If you want to discover for the best price, travel in autumn or winter. The prices are usually higher during Christmas, Easter and high season in summer.
TIME ZONE
The portuguese time zone is Greenwich Mean Time (GMT), just like the United Kingdom.
ELECTRICITY
The electric current is 220 V.
How do I get there?
BY PLANE
There are flights to Faro (FAO) from most of the main airports in the UK operated by Thomson, Monarch, Easyjet, etc. The Faro International Airport is located 9 kms away from the city centre.
PACKAGED HOLIDAYS
Some travel agencies, like ours, offer organised and packaged holidays that include the flight, stay at a hotel on half or full board and transfers to and from the airport. When you arrive at the aiport you will find a bus and a taxi stop that will make your trip more comfortable. The journey is approximately 15 minutes by taxi and 30 minutes by bus.
CAR HIRE
If you want to get to know the diverse landscape of Portimão and the surrounding area, the best option is to hire a car at the Airport. Some agencies like ours offer packages that cinlude the flight and car hire.
TOURS
Tourists are increasingly choosing attractive tours, a very interesting option to get to know the main places of interest in a short period of time.
Where can I stay?
In Portimão you will find a wide range of hotels to suit all tastes and budgets, offering spectacular resorts with an “all inclusive” basis or half board, most of them specialised in family holidays. At these tourist resorts the visitor can enjoy swimming in the crystal clear pools, join the various leisure activities scheduled all day, or take the children to the playroom and have a relaxing sunbathe and a fashionable drink at the pool.
For a more intimate and private trip there are exclusive villas with all of the facilites needed. If you want to get to know the most authentic atmosphere there is nothing better than the charming rural hotels and old manor houses that have been restored and are located in a pleasant natural environment, many located in the Vicentine Coast.
You also have a wide variety of first class hotels located along all of the beautiful coastline. Check if your acommodation includes breakfast at the hotel. The majority of the hotels include buffet breakfast with a wide variety of cold and warm dishes. They also usually offer local dishes cooked seasonally.
Medical Assistance
You may take out an insurance policy to cover medical assistance during the trip. We also offer a travel insurance policy, which covers medical assistance, theft and cancellation charges. Several private medical centres and private hospitals throughout many towns on the island offer medical assitance.
MEDICAL ASSISTANCE
In order to get assistance at a public medical centre or hospital you must have a Medical Card. The Algarve has medical services all over the island. The Public Health Service has hospitals located in the main towns and medical centres spread all over the island. The Red Cross has several emergency centres in many villages and beaches. As in the rest of the country, in case of emergency you must dial 112. The call is free of charge and you will receive attention immediately in four languages (Spanish, Catalan, English and German). They will coordinate all the required emergency services such as ambulances, Fire Department and Police.
HOSPITALS
- Hospital Distrital de Faro: 00351 289 891 100
- Hospital Distrital de Lagos: 00351 282 770 100
- Hospital Distrital do Barlovento Algarvio (Portimão): 00351 282 450 300
MEDICAL CENTRES
- Albufeira: 00351 289 587 550
- Monchique: 00351 282 910 100
- Tavira: 00351 281 329 000
RED CROSS
- Faro: 00351 289 899 900
Currency and Customs
The Euro is the official currency in the Algarve. As in the rest of the country, you may use credit cards for most of your financial transactions, especially in the touristic areas, where they tend to facilitate consumption to their clients. There may be some shops or small bars that only accept cash.
Useful Phone Numbers
SECURITY
- Emergencies: 112
- Police Faro: 00351 289 899 899
- Police Albufeira: 00351 289 590 092
- Firefighters: 00351 289 888 000
AIRPORT
- Faro Airport (FAO): 00351 289 800 800
TAXIS
- Lagos: 00351 289 827 203
- Portimão: 00351 800 207 069
- Albufeira: 00351 289 583 230
- Faro: 00351 289 827 203