PORTIMÃO, A cosmopolitan city with traditional charms

Based around a natural harbour at the mouth of the River Arade, Portimo is a thriving town with a long history stretching back to the Phoenicians and Greeks, a bustling fishing port and marina, and a market town popular with locals and visitors alike. The town offers something for everyone: a starting point for boat tours and deep sea fishing trips, museums and art galleries reflecting the town's cultural roots as well as exhibiting today's local artists, shops and boutiques, a thriving nightlife (notably the "Festival da Sardinha" in August). And, of course, local food - with a row of small, privately-owned fish restaurants serving freshly caught sardine lunches on the riverside near the town bridge a particular attraction.