www @en

Algarve online

2010/07/30 (Edit)

Tourist destinations need to think of the internet as a virtual lobby that welcomes visitors and points them in the right direction. The Algarve knows this and provides them with a wealth of information.

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Now choose
www.allgarve.pt
This site has a perfect guide for the extensive Allgarve 2010 programme – a permanent multi-festival of music, art, sport, gastronomy and animation. There are no wasted clicks. The most difficult thing is choosing which event to see. Camané, 14th August, Vila Real de Santo António? Or Jamie Cullum, 22nd August, Albufeira? Silves’ Medieval Fair, from 7th to 15th August, Loulé’s White Night, on the 28th? The Race of Champions at the Portimão Autodrome (7th and 8th August) or Olhão’s Seafood Festival (10th to 15th August)? Luckily, some events last a bit longer – like the exhibition of British sculpture from the Berardo Collection, at Sagres’ fort, until 30th November.

Far from the sea
www.visitalgarve.pt
The Algarve isn’t all beaches. Click on “Discover the region” and then on “Country Drives”, and you will see six itineraries to help you discover rural Algarve. The Caldeirão and Monchique Mountains, the Guadiana Valley, the North-east interior, the Barrocal and the Vicentina coast are analysed bit by bit – showing that, once in a while, it’s worth turning your back on the beach.

The liveliest
www.albufeira.pt
Of all the different places in the Algarve, Albufeira has the best site. Apart from a good guide, it works as a news portal for visitors. Click on the calendar so you don’t miss any of the events.

Navigation needed
www.sagres.net
Sagres does its history justice with a site that is great to navigate and bursting with interesting images. The “Segredos” section has some curious items, such as the best places to see the sun rise and set.

Straight to the point
algarve.mydestinationinfo.com
The best thing about this site, which is also available in English, is how it’s indexed: hotels, restaurants, nightlife and leisure are subdivided into categories that make any searches more objective. For example, you can look for your hotel using the filter “boutique”; go directly to bars that are considered “Irish”, or even restrict activity searches to “boat trips”.

Guides
visitportugal.com
portugalvirtual.pt

Hotels
pousadas.pt
atmospherehotels.pt
tripadvisor.com
hotels.com
venere.com
booking.com

Restaurants
netmenu.pt
lifecooler.com

Car hire
autoeurope.com
europcar.com
avis.com
hertz.com

Maps
viamichelin.com

Trains
cp.pt

Buses
rede-expressos.pt

Weather
meteo.pt
weather.com

by Ricardo Freire

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