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Algarve Car Hire: A Vital Part of a Stress-Free Vacation in Portugal
Aside from Lisbon, Algarve is one of the places in Portugal frequented by both local and foreign tourists. Since there are so many exciting things to do and places to visit in this region, as well as in other places near the southernmost parts of Portugal, it may be a good idea to book in Algarve car hire when you visit the place. Other than your hotel accommodation and plane tickets, a rental car can be pick up in Faro airport car hire park. This is actually one of the most important things that you need to do so that your trip to Portugal and even to other places in Europe is smooth and worry free. Below are some of the reasons why.
At first, you might think that paying a few hundred euros for an Algarve car hire is a bit expensive. However, if you really think about it, using a faro car hirel vehicle to transport your friends or family all around the region can translate to huge savings. In fact, paying for a car hire is much cheaper than buying train tickets or taking taxi cabs and other forms of transportation. With a algarve car hire, you will enjoy a road trip around Portugal and even some parts of Spain can be more affordable.
Aside from value for your money, getting Algarve car hire services is also practical. This is especially true if you have children or seniors with you. Sometimes it is hard to get a cab during the peak season and it can be problematic if you bought a lot of things or if your children and elderly relatives are already tired from the trip. If you rent a algarve car hire service, you will not have any problems catching the bus or train or going back to your hotel late because you know that you have always a transpor to bring you to your hotel or vacation destination.
Flexibility is another reason why booking Algarve car hire services is important for a great vacation in Portugal. Since there are so many places to see and things to do in the southern tip of the country, you definitely need a car hire to explore all the attractive sites with your family - in your own time or whenever you feel like visiting such places. This is especially true if you are spending two weeks or more in the area. If you want to know more about Algarve car hire services and other important things about how to rent a faro car hire, you should visit http://www.algarvecarhireonline.co.uk/ for more details.
Tavira - History
Tavira along with the town of Lagos is one of the most architecturally attractive towns in the Algarve and its origin dates back to around 2.000 BC. During the occupation of the Algarve by the Moors this town was considered of great importance due to its fishing industry. Dom Paio Peres Correia took it from the Moors in anger in 1242 after seven of his principal Knights were killed during a period of truce. In the 17th Century the port in its river was of considerable importance, shipping produce such as salt, dried fish and wine. Like most of the Algarve its buildings were all virtually destroyed by the earthquake of 1755.
Tavira - Description
The town has since been rebuilt with many fine 18th Century fine buildings along with its 37 churches. A Roman bridge links the two parts of the town across the River Gilão. The church of Santa Maria do Castelo is built on the site of a Moorish Mosque and in it are the tombs of Dom Paio Peres Correia and his seven Knights. Its original economic reliance on the fishing industry has now been surpassed due to the change in the migration patterns of the tuna fish. The population is in the region of 20,000 inhabitants supporting a military base whilst the surrounding area is still very rural and undeveloped. This is now changing due to the demands of the tourist industry and opening of golf courses in the near vicinity. The beach for this town lies past the salt pans and is reached by a ferryboat that takes the visitor to the sandy-bar island known as Ilha de Tavira.
Tavira - Nearby Locations
Near to Tavira is Cabanas and Pedras del Rey, both small beachfront villages catering specifically for the tourist. It is in the latter that there exists an olive tree that is said to date from the 17th Century and probably the oldest one of its type in Portugal. It stands 7.70 metres high and its girth is 11.80 metres. In the small village of Luz de Tavira there is one of the finest examples of Manueline craftsmanship around the southern door of the Parish Church. Santa Luzia gets its name from a shipwrecked Italian effigy of the Virgin Mary and is a very small unspoilt village with a fort. Near to the Torre de Aves there is the remains of a Roman villa. To the east of Tavira and overlooking the sea is the still original traditional village of Cacela-a-Velha used by the Phoenicians and later becoming the possession of the Knights of Santiago in 1240.
Tavira Events
June - Popular Saints Festivities
August - Handicraft Festival
August 1st - Feira de Boa Morte
August 8th to 11th - Feira de Santa Luzia
October 4th to 6th - Feira de São Francisco
3rd Monday of the month - Monthly Day
24th of June - Municipal Day
Tavira Beaches
Praia do Barril
Praia de Cabanas
Praia das Cascas
Praia da Ilha de Tavira
Vila Real de Santo António - History
The origin of the town was as a small fishing port and probably dates back to Phoenician times. Due to the topographical flatness of the area the neighbouring hill of Castro Marim lent itself to a stronger fortified location. This frontier town with Spain was specially designed and rebuilt after the earthquake of 1755 by the Marquês de Pombal, an important minister in the 18th Century who redesigned the centre of the City of Lisbon.
Vila Real de Santo António - Description
Today, these townhouses around the main square are showing serious degradation with the passing of time. With the construction to the north of a new bridge in 1991 across the River Guadiana connecting Seville in Spain with the Algarve, the obvious diminishing of the popularity of this town will have further effect. Between this town and the Ocean is the popular beach resort area named Monte Gordo that offers the tourist kilometres of sea washed beach lined with a pine forest. The population of approximately 14,000 inhabitants tends to gain their living either in the tourist industry, fishing, or trading across the river with their Spanish neighbours. It is a very pleasant and relaxing experience to cross the river by ferryboat to visit the Spanish town of Ayamonte, or take a tourist trip upstream to the charming small Portuguese town of Alcoutim.
Vila Real de Santo António - Nearby Locations
North of Vila Real de Santo António is Castro Marim that due to its location has played a considerable part in the history of Portugal. This later town was originally chosen as the founding headquarters in 1319 of the 14th Century movement of the Order of Christ. Although the buildings are now in ruins from the effects of the 1755 earthquake it still has the unusual feature of having a castle within a castle. In the 17th Century a stronger and more defensive stronghold was built on a hilltop to the north that also still remains. The castle acted as a well-known haven to escapees in the early days of the Spanish Inquisition. From the walls the view is to the south across the flat lands that are now a nature reserve for birds and plants and is known as the Reserva Natural do Sapal. Near to Vila Real de Santo António is the purely holiday destinations of Manta Rota, Monte Gordo and Praia Verde, all providing long sandy beaches. Inland, and up river is the interior small administrative town of Alcoutim with its ruins of a 14th Century castle and its local museum. This small town looks across the River Guadiana at the Spanish town of Sanlúcar. It was at this town that Dom Fernando I signed in 1371 a peace treaty with King Enrique II de Castile. Even further up river is the town of Mértola with its 13th Century castle ruins. The Phoenicians founded this historic town as an inland port and later successfully used by both the Romans and Moors. Perched on a high spur overlooking the River Guadiana this town has many vestiges of the past and a museum housing one of Portugal's best collections of Islamic art. Back on the coast the small beachside village of Cacela-a-Velha dates back to Phoenician times and has an 18th Century Fort that enjoys a natural lagoon between itself and the protecting sandbar.
Vila Real de Santo António Events
Feira de Vila R. de Sta. António - February
Festival do Teatro (Theatre) - April
Festival da Musica - May and June
Festival de Folcore - September
Beach Fair - 10th to 12th October
Municipal Holiday: 13th of May
Vila Real de Santo António Beaches
Praia da Cacela
Praia da Manta Rota
Praia de Retur
Praia da Rocha
Praia de Monte Gordo
Praia Verde
