Portimão
Beaches, Sun and Night
Gastronomy and Wine
Last update: May 2023
Praia da Rocha and Holidays in Portimão
Portimão, crossed by the
Arado River, is a
parish, a
city and a
county >
from the
district of
Faro,
in
Algarve, in the southern region of Portugal.
In addition to being a very popular place to spend your holidays,
Portimão is the
fifth best city to visit
in Portugal, according to a national survey by the specialized company Bloom Consulting.
See
Best places to visit in Portugal.
Portimão - Photo: Filipe da Palma/Portimão City Council
A bit of history
The capital of sardines
"
Portimão has a long
fishing tradition that developed especially between the 19th and 20th centuries,
with the advent of the
canning industry and tourism. A large part of the buildings that we can see belong to this period.
see walking through the streets and squares of its
historic center, as well as the structure that houses the
Museum of Portimão,
excellent restoration of an
old cannery which received the
Museum of the Year award from the Council of
Europe in 2010. Here, homage is paid to the people and the city that for centuries lived exclusively
to the sea" [Visit Portugal].
Praia da Rocha in Portimão, District of Faro, Algarve © Images of Portugal
Top beaches in Portimão
With several beaches along its privileged coastline, the beaches we highlight are:
•
Praia da Rocha
•
Prainha
•
Praia dos Três Castelos
Find out more:
Beaches of Portimão
Praia da Rocha and Holidays in Portimão
The beautiful
Praia da Rocha, one of the ten beaches of
Portimão, is the postcard
from
Portimão and one of the postcards of the Algarve and Portugal.
Find out more:
Beaches of Portimão
Fishing Port
Portimão is also an important port and center for
fishing. Incidentally, the origin of the name comes from the
Latin
Portus Magnus, great port. Seafood and fish are at the base of local cuisine and gastronomy in
Portimão.
See:
Traditional cuisine of Portimão
Canned sardines, typical product of Portimão, District of Faro, Algarve © / CC
Portimão preserves
The canned fish industry was of great importance in
Portimão, especially from 1950 to 1970. The
Museum of Portimão,
whose headquarters are in the former
Fábrica de Conservas La Rose, by
Feu & Hermanos exposes the
trajectory of this important activity in
Portimão.
La Rose sardines were sung
including in fado by the fado singer Hermínia Silva (Monumentos de Portugal).
Learn more:
Conservas de Portimão
Where to eat in Portimão
During your stay in
Portimão, take the opportunity to taste the rich and varied local cuisine. There is
several restaurants, bars and cafes where you can have a snack and sample Algarve, Mediterranean and international cuisine.
Check out our suggestions below.
Learn more:
Where to eat in Portimão
Portimão Museum, former canned sardine factory, Portimão, Faro District, Algarve © / CC, illustration
Portimão, Land of Gastronomy
The sardine on bread is in Portimão!
A well-known phrase to indicate the importance of fish in traditional cuisine and in Portimonian gastronomy.
"It is in the riverside area, next to the dock, that you can find most of the restaurants where you can taste the
grilled sardines, the dish that most stands out in the local gastronomy. Despite being consumed throughout the region and
throughout the country, it is famous in Portimão and has festival honors in August. But there are many other specialties
of fish and shellfish to try, such as clams, whelk bean stew, cataplanas or stews.
Fava beans or maize porridge and the region's traditional sweets based on almonds and figs are just a few more.
ingredients of this offer that doesn't stop here [Visit Portugal].
City of Portimão
The
City of Portimão (49,263 inhab., INE 2021) is the main agglomeration and capital of the municipality
of the same name. Its center is located about 2 km from the sea.
What to see in Portimão
Portimão, in addition to the beautiful beaches, has a varied
natural, cultural and historical heritage.
A visit to the
Historic Center and to the
Museum of Portimão allows the visitor to discover
the events that marked the development and progress of the county (municipality).
Learn more:
Attractions of Portimão
What to do in Portimão
Lovers of active holidays in
Portimão will have plenty of options to practice sports (see below),
tours and excursions around the municipality..
Learn more:
What to do in Portimão
Map of Portimão, Faro District, Algarve © Google
Area and Population
The
Municipality of Portimão is one of the sixteen municipalities of the
Algarve, in the south of Portugal.
With an area of 182 km², it has a population of 59,896 inhabitants (INE, 2021).
Location
Portimão is bordered to the north by the municipality (municipality) of
Monchique,
to the east with
Silves
and
Lagoa, to the west with
Lagos; and to the south, with a
small coastline along the Atlantic.
Portimão, the capital of the Western Algarve
Thanks to its central location on the west coast of the Algarve, in addition to being an important urban centre,
Portimão is also known as the
capital of the Western Algarve. Its beautiful beaches, with emphasis on
the famous
Praia da Rocha, receive thousands of national visitors
and foreigners, especially during the summer.
Beach in Portimão, District of Faro, Algarve © Images of Portugal
Portimão, Past and Present
The former
Vila Nova de Portimão, "like other places on the Algarve coast, played an important role
in commercial and cultural exchange between the Mediterranean, the Atlantic and North Africa" [
2].
Portimão, favorite destination
Thanks to its beautiful beaches,
Portimão receives thousands of national visitors
and foreigners, especially during the summer.
Golf in Portimão, Faro District, Algarve © / Internet, illustration
Sports in Portimão
Sports lovers have several options to choose their favorite activity. From swimming, hiking, sports
water sports or golf, check below where to practice your favorite sport.
Find out more:
Sports in Portimão
Attractions
- Castle of Alvor or Ruins of the Fort of Alvor
- Santa Catarina Fort
- San Francisco Convent or Convent of Our Lady of Hope
Portimão, Historical Heritage, District of Faro, Algarve © Google Earth Pro
Parishes of Portimão
The municipality (municipality) of
Portimão is divided into 3 parishes. The following are
parishes of
Portimão:
- Portimão
- Alvor
- Mexilhoeira Grande