Albufeira

The town and municipal area of Albufeira come under the jurisdiction of the district of Faro in the province called the Algarve, on the south coast of Portugal. It covers an area of approximately 140 km² with more than 30.000 resident inhabitants. We invite you to know a little of its history, its monuments, its churches, its people and their local customs.

The place we know today as Albufeira is not just a “Tourist Capital” in Portugal. It is also an area full of history, with vestiges of human occupation since the remote Neolithic and Bronze ages.

Contacts with Phoenicians, Greeks and Carthaginians taught the inhabitants the alphabet, use of monetary currency, and how to conserve foodstuffs with use of salt. Initially occupied by the Romans, its original name was Baltum. The Romans were famous for their administrative skills and initiated intense agricultural, mining and commercial activities. There still remain vestiges of aqueducts, roads and bridges built by them.

Commerce with the North African coast led to a gradual influx of the Moors throughout the Algarve. The name of Albufeira comes from the Arab “Al-Buhera” which means “Castle of the Sea” – this name could derive from the existence of a fortification built on the rocky outcrop that dominated the lagoon on the lower part of the town. The Arabs made great strides in the development of agriculture, introducing new cultivations, tools and techniques, such as ploughs, water wheels to raise water from underground wells and also were the first to use fertilizers.

The borough of Albufeira receives a considerable percentage of the 5 million tourists who visit the Algarve annually. The frenetic summer season now extends into the rest of the year, for visitors of all ages and from all over the world. Its extraordinary climate, with more than 3000 hours of sunshine per year, and the friendly charm of its people persuade many foreigners to move residence to the region, either temporarily or permanently. We find more and more people select Albufeira as their favourite destination because of its multiple attractions, i.e. the lively and social nightlife, the beautiful beaches, varied water sports, golf courses, glorious countryside and the local cuisine.