Portugal - Resorts in the Algarve

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Portugal - Resorts in the Algarve - By: Diskwizz, Posted on: 2007-08-19

In the mid-12th century, the Moorish occupation ended: the "Al-Gharb" has been since then the kingdom of Algarve. With more hours of sunshine than California and only short periods of rainfall, generally between November and March, the Algarve has the perfect weather and climate for tourism. The Algarve is hilly, but traversed with rich valleys. Over the past few years many tourists visiting the Algarve have moved away from the resorts, and have chosen the comfort of a traditional Algarve guesthouse, many of these run by ex-pats from England, Holland, and Germany who have escaped to the Algarve for a quieter life. The coastline is notable for picturesque limestone caves and grottoes, particularly around Lagos, which are accessible by powerboat.

Its highest point is the mountain range of Monchique, with a maximum altitude of 906m (Peak of the F�ia). In addition to the natural beauties and plenty of beaches, the Algarve has invested in the creation of a network of golf courses. In the 5th century, the Visigoths inhabited the Algarve until the beginning of the Moorish invasion in 711. The region's administrative centre is the city of Faro, which has its own international airport (Faro Airport) and public university (University of the Algarve). The Algarve is a popular destination for tourism, primarily because of its beaches, Mediterranean climate, safety and relatively low costs.

The summer months see high temperatures that attract beach-goers and sun-lovers from around the world. Praia da Marinha, Lagoa was classified as one of the 100 most beautiful and well preserved beaches of the world. There are Algarve-based English-written publications and newspapers specifically addressed to this community. The Portugal News being the most popular. In the 15th century, Henry the Navigator based himself in Sagres and conducted various maritime expeditions which established Portugal as a colonial power. The Algarve region is divided into 16 municipalities:

Faro, which the Christian residents had called Santa Maria, was renamed Faraon, which means "the settlement of the Knights". British expatriates, followed by German, Dutch and Scandinavians, are among the largest groups wishing to own a home in this Portugal's sunny region. It was not until the 13th century that the Portuguese finally secured the region against subsequent Moorish attempts to recapture the area. When the Moors conquered Lagos in 716 it was called Zawaia. Being a region of Portugal, and therefore in the European Union, any EU citizen have the right to freely buy property and reside with little formality in the Algarve.

The al-gharb, "the West" is the southernmost region of mainland Portugal, incorporating, amongst others, the cities of Faro, Albufeira, Lagos, Olh�o, Tavira, Portim�o and Silves. Accommodation in the Algarve ranges from high rise resorts in places like Albufeira to traditional guesthouses, located in the small towns and villages surrounding the algarve coast. The Algarve was a semi-autonomous area with a governor from 1595 to 1808, as well as a separate taxation system until the end of the 18th century. When the Moors conquered Lagos in 716 it was called Zawaia. Traditional agricultural products of the region include fig, almond, medronho, carob beans, and cork oak.

Article Source: http://higradesearch.com

Diskwizz is the owner of more than 12 sites websites that cover the Algarve and its regions within the Algarve.

On moving to the Algarve in 2006 I decided to settle in an area called Praia Da Rocha. This is just outside the large town of Portimao and inbetween Portimao and Alvor.

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