Alvor in Portugal is found on the westernmost end of the Algarve in the Municipality of Portimao. The locale is 42 miles west of Faro and the international airport, three miles west of Portimao and Praia da Rocha and twelve miles east of Lagos in the southern part of Portugal. The locale of Alvor is located on the east bank of an estuary inlet one mile inland. There is also an extensive beach accessed by national road across a hilly countryside.

Alvor is a fishing village on the intersection of the Rio Alvor and the Atlantic Ocean. It has maintained its old world charm with many buildings that are low rise on narrow cobbled streets which all lead to the harbour where the river estuary is located. The village fronts a natural lagoon that opens to the sea. Under the cliffs before reaching the sea is a long sandy beach and a number of small coves.

It has been traditionally believed that the Carthaginians founded the village, which was the actual site of the famed Carthaginian “Portus Hanibalis”. When the Romans conquered the area, they named the village Ipses. During this Roman era, the village became a thriving port city allowed to issue its own currency. The village was first occupied by the Moors in 716 and named the village Albur. In 1189, the Portuguese army led by King Sancho I to overrun Alvor. King Sancho I, with the aid of the Crusaders was able to take control of the village. The Moors reconquered the village two years later. The village was under Moorish dominion until 1250 when the Portuguese army was able to liberate the whole of the Algarve. The town walls were erected in 1300 and Alvor was made a town by King Joao II. The king died in the village in 1495 because of a lingering illness. The town prospered all throughout the 15^th and 16^th centuries. The castle was destroyed in earthquakes that shook the area in 1532 and 1755.

Now, much of the ancient coastal village has become a favored tourist location. The town has retained its narrow cobble stone streets have limited development of the area, resulting in the maintenance of the old world charm. Its main street for restaurants and bars is the Rua Dr Frederico Romas Mendes. The road leads down to a square beside the river, allowing for fresh fish from the river to be served on the restaurants. The riverfront area is one of the most laid back settings in town, allowing you to enjoy a freshly caught meal as you watch river traffic pass by.  Other streets around town have many bars offering live music and restaurants of different cuisines. Also, a number of holiday resorts populate the area around town have opened, offering freshwater swimming in the natural lagoon opening to the sea or in the many natural coves which are under the cliffs.

The main beach in Alvor is the Praia de Alvor. It is just a short walk from the town square passing through fisherman’s huts and Alvor’s spanking sports complex. The beach is a peaceful beach backed with dunes fronting a sandy beach. Another natural oceanfront setting is the rock formations known as Praia de Tres Irmaos. The beach takes its name from the course of the water from a narrow gully, called barranco in Portuguese, into the sands of the beach. There is also the Prainha, consisting of small, tucked-away sandy beaches bordered by rock formations of caves, arches and potholes. The Prainha is the best place for diving in all of Alvor’s beaches. On the other side of the river estuary is the Meia Praia, a long strip of beach that runs all the way to the Lagos harbour entrance. The marina on this side of the beach has a wide variety of bars, restaurants and shops. While on this side of the river, you can also check out popular beaches of Praia de Rocha and Praia da Vau and the nature preserve named Quinta da Rocha. Along the Alvor River, there are many bicycles to let, golf courses for your swinging habit, boat hires for fishing or sight seeing in and around the cliffs and caves of the river. The River Alvor is part of the migratory trail of birds as the natural environs provide an undisturbed habitat.  The quaint fishing village provides tours up the river or out to sea in traditional Portuguese watercraft. There is also a dolphin watch tour that can be scheduled on the estuary itself or one can enjoy an afternoon at the Slide and Splash Water Park in Lagoa.

There are other sites for visitors and tourists to enjoy in inland Alvor. There is the Igreja Matriz, a 16^th century parish church with its Manueline arches and pillars. This church was rebuilt after the 1755 earthquake, is a prime example of Manueline craftsmanship and architecture. The Museu Etnografico da Misericordia de Alvor or the Ethnographic Museum of Alvor takes the visitors to a history lesson of the past lives of Alvor and its residents. Also a must see are the Megalithic Monuments of Alcalar which are tombs of Neolithic era. The Mexilhoera Grande is an old village which has been unchanged despite the passage of time.  The parish church in this village is called the Pariah Church is a showcase of Manueline architecture and craftsmanship. Other religious sites in Alvor are the Marabout Chapels of Sao Joao and Sao Pedro with its cubic structures and spherical cupolas, showing the great influence of Moorish culture in Christian architecture.

Another great tourist site is the Quinta da Abicada, a Roman archaeological site which lies at the intersection of two rivers. The highlight of this destination is a Roman villa dating back to the 1^st century AD. If you want to work on your golf game, there are many golf courses in and around the Algarve. Foremost among them is the Quinta do Alto Poco which straddles the Lagos Bay. This course was designed by Sir Henry Cotton and has one of the longest fairways in mainland Europe. This fairway is on Hole 16, measuring 604 meters and has a par five. If you get to birdie this hole, then your name would be inscribed in the club’s roll of honor. The course allows for low handicaps and average players as the course runs through valleys with long fairways and rolling greens. Aside from the golf course, the resort also boasts of a Zoo Marine and water sports park. Right outside of Alvor is Monchique and Foia, the highest points in the Algarve can be reached. There is are also a number of water parks that provide bus rides, romantic boat trips and fishing trips on sunsets right on Lagos Bay. 

As you can see, the splendour of Alvor, Portugal is both wide and varied. You can sit back and relax as you enjoy the sites and sounds of Alvor, Portugal.