Car Rental Algarve - Exploring Algarve
A car is a must on the Algarve, there are so many special coastal villages and incredible cliff top vistas to admire. You may want to escape the crowds and seek out your own private beach or venture inland to experience the charm of rural ”forgotten” Portugal.
Situated inland, Silves has magnificent ancient architecture of overlapping eras and cultures. Formerly the ancient capital of the region, its castle is of Arab origin; the Gothic Cathedral is magnificent, and there is a 12th-century bridge in the town. There are also several rare Manueline buildings and the Cross of Portugal.
Beyond Sagres, on the extreme southwesterly tip of the European continent, is Cabo de São Vicente (Romans' promontorium sacrum), opening on to a vast horizon of sea and sky.
East of Faro the landscape is flat and less dramatic, but there are some rustic towns worth visiting. Tavira is a charming laid-back town with several historic sites and lovely tiled and white-washed villas clustered around the Gilão river. Access to the plentiful beaches is by ferry, down the mouth of the river.
Other, quieter towns along the entire coast that are popular include: Albufeira, Alcoutim, Aljezur, Almansil, Alte, Cacela, Carvoeiro, Castro Marim, Lagoa, Loul, Moncarapacho, Monte Gordo (casino), Ponta da Piedade, Porches, Vila do Bispo, Vilamoura (casino and marina), and Vila Real de Santo Antonio (marina).
Inland are many small rural farming villages, as well as golf courses and lovely scenery. The wilderness park in the far north of the region has spectacular scenery and a wide variety of flora and fauna. The quiet highland town of Monchique offers a good alternative to the hurly-burly chaos of beach life on the coast, and the drive through the thick forest to Fóia is amazing.
