Portimao (Portugal) is one of the largest cities in the Algarve, the sunniest and warmest region of the country. It is located at the mouth of the Arado River, near the city of Faro, the administrative center of the region. It is 215 km from the country’s capital Lisbon, which can be covered in just 3-4 hours.
About 36 thousand people live here, but during the tourist season its population increases several times.
Portimao was previously considered a center of shipbuilding and fishing, and at the end of the last century it changed its sphere of activity from industrial to resort. Today, numerous hotels, restaurants, bars and nightclubs have been built here, making this place the center of tourist life.
In addition to its actively developed entertainment area, Portimao is attractive to tourists due to its historical monuments from the Middle Ages, including fragments of city walls, ancient monasteries, churches and chapels.
Active recreation
Beach holidays in Portimao are not limited to just swimming in the ocean. Here you can have a great time doing various water sports.
Here you can go yachting and windsurfing, kayaking and jet skiing, as well as deep-sea fishing.
The resort has centers where you can rent the necessary equipment, and beginners can learn the basics of this water sport from the best surfers. The local beaches are great for surfing and kitesurfing, and everyone will find a wave for their level here.
In addition to water activities, Portimao also offers golf tournaments. The golf courses here have the highest ratings. In the Penina Golf Course golf center, you can not only play, but also spend time in the bar and on the cozy terraces for relaxation.
Tourists can spend time in the Zoomarine park, located in the village of Gulia, where in addition to areas with animals there is also a dolphinarium, attractions, cafes and a cinema.
Aqualand Algarve water park will please fans of extreme pastime on slides of various heights and shapes.
A 15-minute drive from Portimão, you’ll find yourself in Portugal’s largest water park, Slide & Splash, which is fun not only for adults, but also has a large children’s area.
Attractions
Although the earthquake of 1755 destroyed most of the historic buildings, there is still much to see in Portimão.
The first thing to do is stroll through the narrow streets of the old town, looking at the architecture of the settlement.
Church of Our Lady
On the main square of the city you will see the Catholic Church of Our Lady. It was built in the 15th century, but later the temple was destroyed as a result of the above-mentioned earthquake. After that the building was reconstructed several times.
Today, only the massive entrance doors remain original. Inside the church is a gilded altar decorated with carvings. The main sculpture of the landmark is the statue of Apostle Peter.
Church of the Jesuit College
Here, in the Republic Square, is also the Church of the Jesuit College, which is considered the largest in the Algarve region.
Inside the temple has one nave. The altars are made of wood and decorated with gilding look skillful. Also in the church there are many icons that represent not only religious but also artistic value.
Fortress of Santa Catarina
At the end of Praia da Rocha beach, near the pier, there is another landmark of Portimão – the fortress of Santa Catarina de Ribamar. The exact date of construction of the fort is unknown. Some historians claim that it was built in the 15th century, while others point to the 1630s.
The fortress, carved into the rock, has a trapezoid shape. From the highest point there is a good view of the entire beach, the city and the ocean – this is one of the best places for panoramic photos.
Address: Av. Tomás Cabreira 4, 8500-802 Portimão, Portugal.
Observation deck on the embankment
In general, along the entire Av. Tomás Cabreira trail there are many viewpoints, fenced with wooden railings. It is definitely worth a walk for all vacationers in Portimão. One platform, at the very beginning of the street is paved with cobblestones, equipped with benches and a concrete fence for safety. It offers the best views of the beaches of Praia da Rocha and Três Castelos (Three Castles).
Beaches
In addition to the original architecture and local attractions, local sandy beaches are also attractive to tourists. They look exactly as beaches are depicted on tourist brochures. There are small bays, clean golden sand, and huge rocks in the water – such views can be seen when looking at photos of Portimao in Portugal.
Praia da Rocha
The best beach in Portimao, Portugal is Praia da Rocha. It has gained popularity among tourists due to its huge size and amazing landscape.
The beach has good infrastructure. There are lifeguard towers on its territory, you can rent sun loungers and umbrellas (2 sun loungers + umbrella for about 10€), there is an opportunity to do water sports. There are several cafes on the beach itself where you can have lunch or drink a drink, and also take a shower.
The tides are noticeable all along the coast of Portimão. However, you can swim at any time. Families with small children should take into account that the waves here are almost always big, and sometimes it is problematic even for adults to enter the water.
Three Castles Beach
Three Castles Beach is separated from Praia da Rocha by only one rock and is essentially its continuation. You can go from one beach to the other through a hole in the aforementioned rock. This is even a kind of entertainment for tourists, since the “crossing” is quite low and you still have to look for it.
There is also a cafe, you can rent sun loungers and umbrellas. There is a cafe and you can take a shower. Praia do Três Castelos is significantly smaller than the huge Rocha beach, but it is less popular.
Vau Beach
Praia do Vau is located west of Portimao in Portugal in a sandy cozy lagoon, somewhat protected from the winds. Nearby are mini-hotels and resort guest houses. This place is popular among all lovers of midnight rest. And in the daytime, it is a great place for a beach holiday. In the beach area there are numerous catering establishments, so necessary for visitors.
The sand is medium-sized, yellowish. The beach is regularly cleaned, in general it is clean, but you can still occasionally see cigarette butts.
Barranco das Canas Beach
A few steps from Praia do Vau is Praia do Barranco das Canas. It is located in a natural bay in the western part of Portimão. The beach area is reliably protected by natural mountain ranges. For the convenience of tourists, there is a parking lot near the beach, establishments selling soft drinks, and areas for renting sun loungers and umbrellas.
Infrastructure and prices
The resort of Portimão in Portugal is considered one of the most progressive in the Algarve. It is home to the local airport Aerodromo de Portimão.
The international airport is located in the administrative centre of the region – the city of Faro.
Hotels
Travelers to Portimão have a wide range of accommodation options to choose from, from regular apartments and guesthouses, to apartments and hostels, to premium hotels.
In June, you can stay in a budget hotel in Portimao for 30 euros. If you find discount offers on booking sites, you can choose a room for up to 25 euros per night.
Hotels located in the central part of the city offer apartments for 40 euros.
The price for apartments starts from 45-50 euros, and a room in a high-class spa hotel located on the first line will cost you 350 euros per night.
Restaurants and cafes
Most restaurants in Portimao are located right on the waterfront. Food prices are quite affordable compared to other European seaside resorts.
The most popular dishes in local restaurants are fish dishes served with salad, vegetables or potatoes. The portions are quite large, so you can safely take one dish for two.
- Soups – 3-4 €.
- Fish and seafood – 11-17€ per dish.
- Meat dishes – 12-15€.
- Burgers 3-8€.
- Pizza – 9-11€. On the menu you can find pizza for 6€ (Margarita) and for 14, but the average price is almost everywhere around 10€.
- Beer 0.5 – 2.5€. Often “big beer” is not 0.5 l, as we are used to, but 0.4 l, and small – 0.2 l. You need to be prepared for this.
- Menu of the day – 11 €. If your appetite is okay, it makes sense to order the “Menu of the day”. It includes 2-3 dishes: soup or salad + main course (fish or meat) + dessert. There are several options for each item to choose from. Drinks are paid separately. Price – 10.90 or 11.90 €.
- Breakfasts. The most popular breakfasts among the Portuguese are espresso + pastel de nata. The cost of both coffee and cake is 1€. Special offers are often found: coffee + pastel together 1.2-1.5€. English breakfast – 4-5€.
- The average cost of a 3-course meal for two people, including 2 glasses of wine, can be around 30-40 euros.
- A light snack of a couple of cups of coffee and dessert costs around 5 euros.
Shops
Closer to Praia da Rocha beach there are small supermarkets of the Spar chain.
The selection here is not large, but all the essentials are on the shelves. Spar is designed for tourists, so the prices are on average 10 percent higher than in other places. The shops are open from 8:00 to 20:00.
There are also several other grocery stores in the beach area.
Pingo Dose supermarket.
A large supermarket near the center of the old city. The assortment is quite wide: different types of meat and fish, vegetables and fruits, alcoholic beverages, household chemicals. In general, a standard set… There is also a small cafe with its own bakery inside. The prices in Pingo Dose are average for the city.
Aqua Portimao Shopping Centre.
Aqua Portimao is a large shopping center in Portimao. It occupies 3 floors. On the first floor there are cosmetics, clothing stores and a grocery hypermarket Jumbo, it has Auchan products and the structure of the hall itself is the same as in Auchan. There is a large wine department and, accordingly, a wide selection of local wines. If you want to bring home souvenirs in the form of a bottle of port or Madeira, go to Jumbo.
Weather and climate
The climate in Portimao is very similar to the southern part of the Spanish coastal regions, as well as the south-western Australian coast. In summer, the resort enjoys about 12 hours of solar activity per day.
Summer in Portimao is not very hot, but dry. In June, the town has optimal weather for both beach and excursion holidays. Despite the fact that the sun shines almost half the day, the heat is quite comfortable and not exhausting.
The air temperature in summer reaches +27-28˚С. Precipitation is extremely rare. If you are planning to rest at the resort in August, expect that it can be quite cool in the evening, so a sweater or a light jacket will not be superfluous.
In autumn, the tourist season at the Portimao resort in Portugal continues. The air temperature most often does not exceed +25-26˚С. Many visitors to the resort advise visiting these places in the autumn period, especially if you are planning a holiday with children. In the first month of autumn, the ocean water is still quite warm – the temperature is about +22-23˚С.
The swimming season at the resort officially closes in October, but there is still enough sun to get a good tan.
In winter, the weather in Portimao is very unstable – variable cloudiness and cold winds alternate with rain. The number of rainy days per month can reach 10.
The air temperature is quite comfortable. During the day it reaches +15-17˚С, at night it drops to +9-10˚С. There are no frosts or snow in Portimao.
The most unpredictable weather in Portimao is February. If you decide to go to the resort during this period, be sure to protect yourself with an umbrella and waterproof shoes.
Spring comes to Portimao from the second half of February. The air begins to warm up to +18-20˚С. It rains constantly at the resort almost until April, and stable sunny weather sets in from May. The thermometer rises to +22˚С. During this period, you can safely go to the beach to sunbathe, but swimming in the sea can be quite cool – the water temperature reaches only +18˚С.
How to get to Portimao
Most often, travelers wishing to relax in Portimão arrive in Portugal by air at Lisbon Airport. From there, there are several ways to get to the resort.
By train
Right at the exit from the airport there is the Aeroporto metro station. From here you need to go directly to the Oriente station, where there is a train station and a bus station. From Lisboa Oriente there is transport to the cities of the Algarve region, including Portimao.
Trains depart 5 times a day from 8:22 am to 6:23 pm. Travel time is 3.5 hours. The fare is 22-29 euros depending on the class of carriage.
For up-to-date timetables and ticket prices, please visit the Portuguese Railways website www.cp.pt. You can also buy tickets online here.
By bus
Buses depart from Lisboa Oriente station 8-12 times a day from 5:45 am to 1:00 am. The number of trips depends on the season. Travel time is 3.5-4 hours. Ticket price is €19.
More frequent buses depart from another Lisbon station, Sete Rios, which can also be reached by metro.
You can find out the exact schedule and purchase tickets online on the carrier’s website www.rede-expressos.pt.
Ultimate Guide to Faro City: 10 Must-Visit Attractions and Hidden Gems
