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| Dom Pedro Marina Vilamoura |
The algarvian beaches are some of the finest in Portugal. The sheer quality of these beaches has led to the tourism boom across the Algarve, making it a formidable rival to Spain's Costa del Sol. There are literally hundreds of beaches, many with public showers and watersports equipment available for rent. However always -- heed local weather and beach warnings.
Many former fishing villages -- now summer resorts -- dot the Algarvian coast: Carvoeiro, Albufeira, Olhão, Portimão. The sea is the source of life, as it always has been. The village marketplaces sell esparto mats, copper, pottery, and almond and fig sweets, sometimes shaped like birds and fish. Through the narrow streets comes the fast sound of little accordions pumping out the rhythmical corridinho.
For motorists, the big news is that the final 62km (39-mile) stretch of A2 is open, linking Lisbon and the Algarve with more efficient access than ever. The road took a decade to complete and cost $375 million.
