Portugal is famous for its amazing beaches. It is considered to be the country with the most beautiful beaches in Europe. One of the towns which hide some of these beaches is Portimao. Situated on the western coast of the Algarve, Portimao is a simple and common town at first sight.
Even if this town is well known for its beautiful beaches which are the symbol of the entire town, in my opinion Portimao means more than that. If you decide to visit this place you will discover that this town has much more to offer besides its beaches. Here are in my opinion a few of the things you could try in Portimao.
1. The Port of Portimao is an interesting place. Located very close to the town center, it is the perfect place to take a walk and relax in the evening. You can admire a variety of ships, boats and yachts there or you can just have a lovely dinner on one of the terraces. The restaurants and the cafes urge you to take a sit and relax in a pleasant atmosphere.
2. The Museum of Portimao is situated near the port. Designed in a building which was originally a sardine canning factory, the museum will offer you the chance to find out a lot of things about the fishing industry such as: the original machines and the equipment used in this industry, the production steps of the canning process, an archaeological exhibition that shows the evolution of human occupation in this region and an old waterway where you can watch images of the underwater wildlife on a big screen.
3. You should know that you can choose from a variety of activities in Portimao. There are a lot of travel agencies that organize different tours of the place and activities such as: boat trips, scuba diving, parasailing, water-skiing, glass bottomed boat tours or fishing trips.
It is up to you what you choose to do, but if you want to admire the beauty of this region, I advise you to choose at least one trip where you can see the amazing grottoes and the stunning coastline. A must see is definitely the Benagil Cave, which is the iconic image of the entire region of the Algarve.
4. Another interesting thing about Portimao is the fact that different festivals and events are organized there every year. This summer for example you could have enjoyed the Street Food Festival and the Wine Festival. You can find the schedule of these events in the Algarve Guide and you can request this brochure at your hotel.
5. I really believe that you cannot have a complete experience in Portimao if you don’t taste their delicious local dishes. Food is an important part of any culture and people connect to their cultural or ethnic group through similar food patterns. For me it is important to discover these patterns everywhere I go. If I had to describe Portuguese food in a few words I would say: fried eggs with almost any main dish, chips of all shapes and sizes, a big variety of cakes for breakfast, delicious fish, especially bream, cod and sardines and the amazing francesinha.
6. Shopping can be sometimes a relaxing activity. If you feel the same you should know that there are a lot of places in Portimao where you can find quality things at very good prices, no matter if you choose the shops on the coquettish streets or those in the big mall.
All things considered, you have a lot of reasons to choose this town as a holiday destination, because Portimao is more than just a stretch of beaches.
