Quality Holidays For Single Parent Families

Single Parent Holiday - Sample Itinerary

This page contains useful information about Portugal, its history, customs and culture etc that we hope you will find useful and interesting.

Portugal Information

A brief history
The first people in the Algarve were traders that established their colonies on the coasts. Good examples were the Phoenicians and the Carthaginians who existed for a long time solely from the resources of the coast.
One of the most important facts in the Algarve's history are the five centuries of Arab occupation, visible in the architecture (lattice chimneys and tiles etc) and in many places' names beginning with 'Al'.

The Algarve was once part of the Roman province of Lusitânia, later becoming part of the Visigoths' jurisdiction. The Roman presence left tracks in Milreu, Faro, Boca do Rio and Vilamoura.

After many battles, the Algarve was reclaimed by the Christians.  Since 1249, and until the Republic proclamation, the Portuguese monarchs were entitled "King of Portugal and of the Algarves

Also important in the story of the Algarve were the Age of the Discoveries and the 1755 earthquake. The Algarve became a lot more important during the Discoveries, being used as one of the main departure ports. The algarvios, (people from the Algarve) were an important part of the maritime adventures and of the African territory occupation. The 1755 earthquake, which had its epicentre very close to Lagos, destroyed much of the Algarve. The tremors of destruction were felt everywhere and many important monuments were lost. But not even this would stop the algarvios, who despite all the adversities rebuilt the Algarve and made it what it is today: a wonderful resort by the sea!

Geography
Located on the western extreme of the Iberian Peninsula, in the south of Portugal, the Algarve is easily distinguished from the rest of the country. Not only because of its peripheral location, but also for its geological features.

The Algarve covers 6% of Portugal’s total area and it’s 5,000 km2 wide. On the north side it is limited by the Alentejo, on the east the Guadiana River separates it from Spain and on west and south it is bathed by the Atlantic. Due to its diversity, the Algarve can be divided in three main regions: the Mountains (Serra), the Barrocal (place full of ruts, crags or caves) and the Littoral.

On the Littoral you will find beaches that attract tourists from all over the world. On the Vicentina Coast, one can feel the presence of nature in the dark steep cliffs cut by small beaches. The south coast is attractive and invites the pleasures of sun and sea. It offers small beaches wrapped by coloured cliffs and huge beaches framed by pine trees.

Inland you will find Barrocal that is the orchard of the Algarve, with its many green shaded almond trees, fig trees, orange trees and a rainbow made of flowers. This is the area of whitewashed houses, with laced chimneys and views to the ocean.

Further north you’ll find the range of mountains.  Not a range of high peaks and ravines, but a chain of round shapes that spread to the horizon like a petrified smooth sea.

The Littoral is a narrow strip near the coast and it is also the best place to find the best agricultural lands, most of the regional economic activity and the major urban centres.

Culture
Portugal is a country with a rich culture, but you will find out that each region has its own particularities. This is certainly the case with the Algarve, where you can see people’s way of living through their arts and music and confirm how different they are from other Portuguese regions.

Nowadays, one can still see the Moorish influences and the legacy of five centuries of Arab rule. Just look for the narrow streets and chimneys with the most varied shapes and designs.

Also not to be missed are the flat baskets made of palm tree leafs, the ceramics, the typical hampers and the many churches and castles built in previous centuries. The local culture and works are preserved in museums. Music and dance are the cultural expressions that best reflect the soul of a people

In the Algarve the tourist flag is the “Corridinho” a cheerful version of folklore that, according to several testimonies, was born from the polka and from the mazurka. With the introduction of the accordion to these saloon dances on the end of the 19th century, players invented and reinvented the songs until the “corridinho” was born.

People of the Algarve
The Algarvians are friendly and hospitable people. Having dealt with different cultures for many years, people from the Algarve have a tolerant and relaxed attitude to visitors. What you’ll find here are some of the friendliest people in the world. The Algarve is different from the rest of Portugal. Its climate is different, its vegetation is different and so is the charming character of its people.

In villages of squat lime-washed cottages topped by ornamental latticed chimneys old women wearing felt hats hide from the sun under black umbrellas. Fishermen paint their boats in colours as bright as the spring flowers on the cliffs. Two donkey carts can cause a ‘traffic jam’. At this pace of life even the most stressed of us soon unwinds.

For centuries fishing has been intimately linked with life in the Algarve. Wherever you go on the coast you’ll be alongside fishermen, either the crews of small boats that work just offshore or trawler men who go far out into the ocean in pursuit of the big shoals.

Although the ocean is the Atlantic, the feel is Mediterranean. Modern technology and European Union membership has brought many improvements to the infrastructures and amenities of Portugal and its southern coastline. Yet much of the old fashioned charm and customs of Algarvian life still prevails from the early morning fish auctions to the colourful weekly street markets.

Customs & Traditions
As with most things, the Algarve is also rich in traditions. This region has many welcoming facets, including the colourful folklore, the laced chimneys and, of course, the glorious beaches.

Also important in the customs of this region are the manufacture of wicker baskets and pottery, the Dom Rodrigos (almond sweets), the fishing art (mainly seen in Olhão), the popular saints celebrations, the groups of Charolas (popular musicians groups) and the delicious gastronomy!

On the first day of every year people sing the Janeiras (New Years carols), a mix of popular songs and religious themes. Also peculiar are the traditional games and the Maios. ('May' in English), so this celebration takes place on the 1st of May. On this special occasion you will be able to attend some Maios balls and see human sized dolls made of clothes, representing local personalities and their professions or habits as a satire.

In summer going to the beach was far different from today. Not many people visited the beach and the ones who did, usually went early just to have a swim and catch cockles.
There was also a thing called the “29th Bath”. For some reason, on every 29th of August, men and women came to the beach and spent the day there. When nightfall arrived, fires were made and holding each others hands, men and women headed to the sea for a swim. Men wore long pants and women night dresses. When the swim was over everyone had supper, sang songs and went back home. It was also usual for the city boys to hide behind the sand dunes, waiting to see a girl coming out of the water with her wet nightdress clinging tightly to her body.

Government
Portugal has been a Republic since the overthrow of the monarchy in 1910. Its status as a democratic state began with the so-called Revolution of the Carnations on April 25th, 1974, which brought down the authoritarian, corporative republic established by António de Oliveira Salazar in 1932

According to the post revolutionary constitution of 1976, Portugal's chief of state is the President of the Republic, who is directly elected for a four-year term. The President represents the nation, serves as commander in chief of the Armed Forces, appoints the Prime Minister, sends messages to parliament and convenes or dissolves it as necessary.

The elections to the Parliament in Lisbon happen every four years, just like the elections for the President of the Republic, regional governments and local districts. The elections are noisy and fun, and the candidates of each political party tour the country, with celebrities attending the rallies, in the attempt to secure more votes.

Cuisine

A land of fishermen lapped by the waters of the Atlantic Ocean, the Algarve is a paradise for everyone who enjoys fish and sea food. Because every day, as morning breaks, the fishing boats return to harbour laden with the night's catch. And also because the people of the Algarve have centuries of experience in cooking the fruits harvested from the sea.

The simplest method - grilling the fish, be it sardine, sea bream or mullet, over the slow heat of glowing charcoals - is also one of the most delicious. For more complex flavour combinations nothing beats the old fishermen's recipes, which range from wholesome soups made with razor clam, prawn and fish of all kinds to conger, clam and octopus risottos, and from cuttlefish and baby squid in their ink to whelk and bean stew, fish stew and sea food in a thick bread soup known as "agorda".

The cuisine of the interior is redolent of fertile fields and vegetable plots, of flocks grazed on hills fragrant with wild herbs. From fried chicken to braised leg of lamb, accompanied by chick peas or cabbage, to the simple but tasty carrot preserve that is served with fish and meat, or snails cooked with herbs, all the local dishes are rich in the flavours of the countryside.

But the piece de resistance of Algarvean cuisine is the delicious dish of clams cooked in a cataplana, usually with tomatoes, onions, cream and pieces of bacon or sausage. The secret is in the cataplana, a broad copper vessel with a hinged lid that is Moorish in origin. The lid is closed while the ingredients simmer together and the flavours develop. And when it is opened - what a treat!

The Algarve has some tempting cakes and pastries too. Made with the almonds, figs and oranges that are grown throughout the area and plenty of eggs and sugar, they bear such exotic names as "Dom Rodrigos", "morgados" and "morgadinhos". Stuffed figs, fig cake and figs with almonds and chocolate are among the many traditional desserts.

The grapes of the Algarve get plenty of sunshine and yield heady wines with lots of fruit that go well with the region's cuisine. And to round off a meal, the arbutus brandy known as "medronho" and other traditional liqueurs made with fruit and honey are well worth a try.

Getting Around

Taxi
Taxis are usually recognizable by their black and green colours or just by their beige colour and usually work on a taximeter basis. You can get a taxi almost anywhere. Just stop one in the middle of the street or go to the nearest taxi rank. Usually, you will have to take the first taxi in the queue but, if for any reason you find that it doesn't suit your needs, you can choose another one. Taxi's usually take a maximum of four persons and if you take extra luggage with more than 30kg the driver may levy an extra charge, but never exceeding 50% of the fare.

Bus Travel
If you plan to get around by bus you can pick up a timetable from a bus station, shops and usually from your hotel. Coach travel in Portugal is made easy by an extensive network of privately run companies who operate with efficiency and competitive prices.

Climate
The Algarve has a  warm climate with over than 3,000 hours sunshine a year, more than the Costa Brava, Mallorca or French Riviera. Summer temperatures are however below  the extremes of those in the Mediterranean countries and see breezes keep temperatures down in the evenings.

The good time to visit is spring, in April and May the countryside is lush and green with a profusion of wild flowers. But to see the almond trees in blossom you need to visit Algarve in January or early February.