Portimao Tourist Guide

Find out al you need to know about this busy fishing town with our Portimao Tourist Guide

"Great for Sardines and Shopping, and near some great beaches"

Portimao is where the central Algarve ends and the west Algarve begins. Portimao lies on the western bank the River Arade opposite the tourist resort of Ferragudo. Portimao has become a popular Algarve holiday destination.

Portimao is the second largest town in the Algarve, after Faro, and is a busy town, being an important commercial and fishing centre. Without being as touristy as many Algarve towns, it does rely on tourism as much as fishing for its income.

Portimao holidays are popular due to a mixture of the pretty town, with plenty to see with good shopping and fish restaurants and because there are plenty of other things to do in the Portimao area. Praia da Rocha, next door, and almost an extension of the town, is what you would consider a traditional holiday resort. Alvor is only a few kilometres to the west, a small fishing village with a beautiful lagoon and nature reserve and a long safe and sandy beach.

Map of Portimao - Portimao Tourist Guide

Here is a map of Portimao. For more different levels of detail you can zoom in and out as required.

Being one of the larger centres, Portimao shopping is amongst the best in the Algarve. You�ll find it particularly good for clothing and you�ll find international brand names here. It is also good for leather goods and handicrafts. Take a walk along the car-free Rua do Comercio.

The other thing that Portimao is famous for is its Sardines. There is no shortage of restaurants along the river front, where you can get them � just follow your nose, you�ll be able to smell them grilling. There is even a place called Sardine Dock, next to the old harbour, where you can sit out with a refreshing glass of Vinho Verde and enjoy a plate of sumptuous grilled sardines with a chunk of crusty bread.

Best Portimao Restaurants - Portimao Tourist Guide

There are so many good Portimao restaurants to choose from, it is impossible to list them all, but here are a few we think are worth a visit. Some of the best Portimao restaurants are in the Largo da Barca, which is located through the arches under the road at the Sardine Dock. A couple of eateries there are:

Dona Barca
You�ve go to try Dona Barca. This is a well-renowned fish restaurant with a nautical theme, has an excellent reputation. Freshly caught fish is the order of the day, and you�ll be pleasantly surprised by the great value for money you get here. It is open daily for both lunch and dinner.
Dona Barca
Largo da Barca
Portimao Algarve

Forte e Feio
Forte e Feio is located in an old converted fish warehouse with brick archways and long tables making for a good atmosphere. Menu is fish and seafood with plenty of specialities and great prices to match.
Forte e Feio
Largo da Barca 1
8500-527 Portimao Algarve
Contact Tel: 282 418 894

If you fancy a change from fish, then the self-proclaimed best Pizzaria in the Algarve is

La Dolce Vita Pizzeria
Good value for money and offers a range of 26 different pizzas and serves homemade pasta. On warmer evenings, sit out on the terrace and watch the sun go down. Live music every night. Can be found in the main street in Praia da Rocha opposite the Hotel Algarve Casino.
Contact Tel: 282 419 444

Adega Vila Lisa Restaurant
Having said that there are so many great Portimao restaurants, Adega Vila Lisa is actually in Melixhoeira Grande, which is as near Lagos as it is Portimao. It is worth a mention as an institution serving very traditional local cuisine from time gone by, in a modern style. It is a rural establishment and rated as one of the best restaurants in the whole of Portugal. Advanced booking is therefore highly recommended, but take some cash as credit cards are not accepted.
52 Rua Fransisco Bivar
Mexilhoeira Grande
Portimao Algarve
Contact Tel: 282 968 478

Portimao nightlife � Portimao Tourist Guide

Nightlife in the town centre revolves mainly around the restaurants and bars. It becomes livelier at the end of the summer, when Portimao holds its annual Sardine Festival. Apart from sardines galore, this is party-time, with live music and firework displays on offer. Generally though, if you want lively nightlife, then Praia da Rocha at the southern end of Portimao is the place to go. Here you will find the liveliest bars, live music, Karaoke and a selection of nightclubs.

Accommodation in Portimao � Portimao Tourist Guide

Accommodation in Portimao tends to be in the Portimao area rather than the town itself. There are some Portimao hotels in the town, but most of the Portimao hotels are to be found in the nearby resort of Praia da Rocha, which is really just an extension of Portimao anyway. Click the link if you want to see hotels in the Portimao area (opens in a new browser window).hotels in the Portimao area (opens in a new browser window).

Again, if you�re after renting a Portimao villa or apartment in Portimao, you will find the majority by far in Praia da Rocha. To take a look at what�s on offer, just click on Praia da Rocha Apartments.

Things to do � Portimao Tourist Guide

There are plenty of things to see and do in the Portimao area.

For a relaxing time, then take a stroll along the wide esplanade along the waterfront and take time in the riverside gardens. In particular, you should visit the square, Largo 1 de Dezembro, near the Sardine Dock. It contains a number of benches, with scenes depicting important historical events from Portuguese history. These works of art are made from traditional Portuguese blue and white azulejo tiles.

With the Algarve being a fantastic place for golf, you won�t be surprised that there are three good Portimao golf courses on offer. Within a short drive you�ll find Alto golf course, Morgado and Penina golf courses. If you have a car, then there are many more Algarve golf courses within easy reach.

If you�re on holiday with the kids, for a day out or just for a break from the beach, you might look for Portimao theme parks to keep them entertained. While there are none directly in Portimao, theme parks can be found nearby. The nearest is Slide and Splash near Lagoa. A few kilometres further west are Aqualand and Zoomarine. All of these should keep you precious ones happy for the day. There are other Algarve attractions. Take a look at the Algarve � Things to do page for more information and ideas.

The Municipal Museum (Museu Municipal Portimao) on the Avenida Capitao is worth a visit. It is open mid-afternoon until late weekdays during the summer, but fewer hours during the winter, so check with them what the hours are.
Contact Tel: 282 412 238

Horse riding is very popular in the west Algarve, especially around the Portimao area and Lagos. There are a number of horse riding centres in the area. For details of these take a look at our Algarve Horse Riding Centres Directory.

Portimao is the main area in the Algarve for boat trips and cruises and also Big Game fishing. These can be booked and boarded from the harbour or taken from Portimao Marina in Praia da Rocha. If you fancy a boat trip, then half-day cruises (on a pirate ship) can be booked along the Algarve coast, either east or west to see the dramatic coastal scenery, rock stacks coves and grottos. For a more sedate cruise, you can take a trip on a brightly painted old-fashioned Portuguese boat, up the River Arade, to the historic town of Silves.

Getting to Portimao � Portimao Tourist Guide

The distance from Faro to Portimao is just under 70km, so if you have an Algarve hire car, it should take about an hour. Getting here from Faro airport is easy as the Via de Infante (A22) takes you all the way. Leave at the Portimao exit.

Not hiring a car at the airport? Portimao is served by the regional train service which runs the length of the Algarve. Bear in mind that the train station is not at the airport, but a few kilometres away in Faro, so you�ll have to get a bus from the airport. Click on the link for more information on Algarve trains.

The train station in Faro is just down the road from the bus station (again buses don�t serve the Algarve from the airport). For Algarve bus options check out our Algarve Buses page.

The other alternative is to book Portimao transfers from the airport. For more information click on our Faro transfers page.

Portimao Car Hire � Portimao Tourist Guide

If you don�t hire the car at Faro airport and want Portimao car hire instead, then the major car companies such as Hertz, Avis, Autojardim and Alamo all have offices in Praia da Rocha. Check their websites to book or pop into their offices when you here to hire a car. I use Holiday Autos, as the cost of their Super Collision Damage Waiver (SCDW) is the lowest. If that means nothing to you, take a look at our Algarve Car hire page, before you book your Portimao car hire.

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