Portimão is the second biggest city in the Algarve, Portugal, and famous for its fresh fish restaurants, grilled sardines being the most famous dish.
Portimao skyline. Photo by GuidoB
Portimão is a busy town and perfect for the family who just don’t want to run out of anything. Although it lacks great monuments and museums, Portimão is worth exploring. There are a myriad of shops here, selling everything from a bucket and spade to a jar of olives. There are gift shops and clothes shops aplenty, some of which you’ll recognise from British shopping malls and there are even hardware and garden furniture stores.
Portimao’s lively nightlife is a far cry from the peace and quiet of the fishing village of old. The marina is the epitome of modern Portimao and has become a favourite summer venue, offering a wide choice of bars, restaurants and nightclubs in very select surroundings.
Praia da Rocha, Portimão. Photos by Steven Fruitsmaak
One of the most well known beaches in the Algarve – Rocha (“Praia da Rocha“), meaning “Rocky Beach” – is very close to Portimao, and there are numerous others nearby.
Situated in the urban context of Portimao, on the extreme eastern portion of the Praia da Rocha, is The Fort of Santa Catarina, also known as Miradouro. This medieval fort has exquisite views of Praia da Rocha, Ferragudo and the Arade River! It is one of the scenic viewpoints at Praia da Rocha.
The small airport located near Portimão, does despite a IATA: PRM designation, not see scheduled traffic. The nearest airport is in Faro 70 kilometres away, which in turns is well connected with many route, charter and discount airlines serving the airport from Northern Europe. Eva Bus offers connection via a shuttle to the bus terminal in Faro.
Fort of Santa Catarina, Portimao. Photo by Francisco Santos
The long Algarve coastline is known for being a haven for water sports enthusiasts but beneath the waves just off the coast of Portimão in the central region of the Algarve lies a new diving experience that is like no other and is well worth a visit for divers of all levels looking for something a little bit special. Here you can find Ocean Revival project which was planned with the purpose to create an underwater park by sinking four decommissioned Portuguese Navy vessels.
