Portimão - The City

Portimão - The City

ABOUT Portimão


Portimão (Portuguese pronunciation: [puɾtiˈmɐ̃w]) is a town (Portuguese: cidade) and a municipality in the district of Faro, in the Algarve region of southern Portugal.


The population in 2011 was 55,614, in an area of 182.06 km². It was formerly known as Vila Nova de Portimão. In 1924, it was incorporated as a cidade and became known merely as Portimão. Historically a fishing and shipbuilding centre, it has nonetheless developed into a strong tourist centre oriented along its beaches and southern coast. The two most populous towns in the Algarve are Portimão and Faro.

Historically associated with the Algarve's once thriving cannery industry, Portimão has successfully reinvented itself as a destination for tourists who prefer to stay in an urban setting yet remain within shouting distance of a beach resort environment. The region's second largest city, Portimão enjoys an enviable location overlooking the banks of the River Arade. Endowed with an award-winning museum and a noted theater complex, the city is basking in its reputation as one of the region's liveliest cultural hubs. It's also an international port of call for luxury cruise ships en route to the Mediterranean.


An eclectic choice of tourism amenities is close at hand, options that include a fabulous artificial reef - the first in Portugal - that's attracting diving enthusiasts from around the world. Inland, a Formula 1-standard racetrack hosts sports car championships and other high-profile competitions. A modern marina set at the mouth of the estuary is within walking distance of one of the Algarve's most famous beaches, Praia da Rocha - a beautiful and alluring stretch of golden sand that fronts the lively tourist resort of the same name.




HOW TO GET TO Portimão


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