| Second largest city of the Algarve after Faro with extensive 'high-street' shopping centre, a football stadium, a large public library, municipal tennis courts and swimming baths. |
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| Located at the mouth of the River Arade, Portimão is one of the main fishing ports of the Algarve, second only to Olhão. It is also one of the Algarve’s largest cities, second only to Faro. As one would expect, like any modern metropolis, Portimão has an extensive ‘high-street’ shopping centre, a football stadium, a large public library, municipal tennis courts, swimming baths and even a “Youth Park” offering activities from skate-boarding to model car racing |
| Furthermore, here you will find many and varied cafés, bars and restaurants. Probably the main reasons for visiting Portimão would include shopping, taking a pleasant (and popular) boat trip to Silves, or perhaps participating in the August sardine festival where one might care to try the Algarvian delicacy of fresh sardines cooked over charcoal in the open air. |
| Already by the Roman period Portimão was of some considerable importance; indeed they named it Portus Magnus. However by the time a fleet of Crusaders passed by the city in 1189 as they took a left hand turn up the River Arade to lay siege to the city of Silves, it was a poor Moorish fishing village. |
| For centuries, Portimão was considered a dangerous place to inhabit on account of the likelihood of pirate raids from the sea, but in 15th century, a new town was constructed, “Vila Nova de Portimão” on the site of the fishing village and furnished with a stout defensive wall to protect it from further maritime attacks. |
| After the devastating effects of the 1755 earthquake, Portimão remained largely deserted and in ruins until the 19th century when the fish-canning industry revived the fortunes of the town and caused it to develop into the modern city it is today. |
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