Matriz Church Portimão
The
historic roots of Portimão go back to the Phoenicians, Greeks
and Carthaginians, when this place was a small trading port. Located
at the mouth of the River Arade it provides a natural harbour.
During the Moorish occupation this river provided an important sea
access to the ancient city of Silves, the former capital of the
Algarve.
Portimão - Arade River
With the development of the fishing and canning industry in the
late 19th Century Portimão became an important economic centre
until the recession in the early 1980s. Today Portimão is
a busy and modern tourist place with its famous beaches Praia da
Rocha and Praia da Vau and an active nightlife.
Just across the river the delightful small fishing village of Ferragudo
offers a peaceful contrast, and the well known village of Carvoeiro
with its elegant villas and hotels is only some kilometres to the
west.
