Page 330 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Portugal

9 The waterfront is lively and
many of the restaurants serve
Portimão the fresh catch of the day.
Portimão has a long fishing
! E7 £ @ n Teatro tradition that developed
Municipal de Portimão,
Largo 1° de Dezembro; between the 19th and 20th
282 402 487 centuries with the advent of
the canning industry. The
The Algarve’s second-largest
award-winning Museu de
EXPERIENCE Algarve character and a long history canning factory, is located on
Portimão, housed in a for mer
city, Portimão has plenty of
the southern end of the
as a port. The Romans settled
esplanade. The museum pays
here, attracted by the natural
harbour on the estuary of
homage to the local people,
the Rio Arade.
and the town that for centuries
Portimão’s northern
outskirts consist of com-
Just 3 km (2 miles) south
of Divino Salvador in
lies Portimão’s touristic
mercial and resi den tial areas. has lived exclusively off the sea. Beautiful little church
Further into the municipality neighbour, Praia da Rocha, a the centre of Alvor
is the historic 18th-century series of sandy coves among
town centre, which has plenty protruding red and ochre
of excellent shop ping options, rocks. At its east end is the 10
as well as a large, bustling 16th-century Fortaleza de
market. The pictur esque Santa Catarina, with superb Alvor
riverfront is nearby. beach views, and below is ! E7 £ @ n Rua Dr Afonso
The centre lies around the Portimão Marina. Costa 51; 282 457 540
pedestrianized Rua Vasco da For a thrilling experience,
Gama, with shops spe cializing head to the Autódromo This pretty fishing town of
in leather goods. Along Rua Internacional do Algarve racing white houses is popular with
Diogo Tomé, the church of circuit located 8 km (6 miles) holiday-makers, so visit during
Nossa Senhora da Conceição north of the city centre. the low season. It was a
occupies a low hill. Rebuilt Roman port, and later the
after being damaged in the Museu de Portimão Moorish town of Al-Bur. By the
earth quake of 1755 (p45), its ⌂ Rua Dom Carlos, Zona 16th century it was again a
14th-century origins are still Ribeirinha # Aug: 3–11pm prosperous town, but it was
visible in the portico, with its Wed–Sun (from 7:30pm Tue); damaged in the earthquake of
carved capitals. Inside, there Sep–Jul: 10am–6pm Wed–Sun 1755. The town was rebuilt with
are 17th- and 18th-century (from 2:30pm Tue) ∑ museu stone from the Moorish castle,
azulejo panels. deportimao.pt so little of that remains.

A life-size exhibit at the Museu
de Portimão demonstrating
the life of a local worker
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