In the town of Faro, capital of Algarve, in the historical province of southern Portugal

 “I haven’t been everywhere, but it’s on my list.” -- Susan Sontag

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(in Algarve, the historical province of southern Portugal) The Algarve, bounded by the Atlantic Ocean (south and west) and the lower Guadiana River (to the east), benefits from a southerly wind off the Atlantic Ocean, which brings warm weather from North Africa. This means summers are hot and dry and winters are mild and a bit wetter. The Phoenicians established bases in this area, and the Romans later conquered it. Visigoths ruled the region until Muslims took control in the early 8th century. After nearly 500 years of Muslim rule, Algarve (Arabic: Al-Gharb, “the west”) was absorbed by the Portuguese kingdom in 1189. At Sagres in 1419. Henry the Navigator founded a center of research that came to be called a school of navigation. Besides a warm climate, the region has many fine beaches, making it a popular holiday destination. The economy now depends on tourism, which has expanded in recent years and has altered the landscape. The building of hotels, apartment blocks, and residential housing has been quite extensive. Lots of golf course have also been created along the coast. Fishing (for sardines, horse mackerel, and other types of fish) and fish processing continue, and other industries include wine and cork processing.

+ Soaring cliffs, sea caves, golden beaches, scalloped bays, and sandy islands attract millions of visitors to the Algarve each year. Surrounded on two sides by the Atlantic, it's a paradise for surfers, especially along the refreshingly undeveloped west coast. In the south, tourist hotspots harboring large clusters of holiday villas and showy resorts have action-packed activities -- from water parks to water sports -- and vibrant nightlife, spanning beach bars to busy nightclubs. Natural treasures here include the bird-filled lagoons and islands of the protected Parque Natural da Ria Formosa, stretching for 60 km (~ 49 mi.) from west of the capital, Faro, to the charming fishing village of Cacela Velha. In the hilly hinterland are historic castle towns and whitewashed villages, rolling countryside covered in cork, carob and almond trees and citrus orchards, rural farmhouse restaurants, and the delightful Via Algarviana hiking trail, crossing the region's breadth.

+ Featured here is Faro, the Algarve’s capital, which has a more distinctly Portuguese feel than most resort towns. It has an attractive marina, well-maintained parks and plazas, and a cidade velha (Old Town) ringed by medieval walls. The Old Town's winding, cobbled pedestrian streets, squares, and buildings were reconstructed in a mixture of styles following successive batterings -- first by marauding British and then by two big earthquakes -- and are home to museums, churches and al fresco cafes. On Faro's doorstep are the lagoons of the Parque Natural da Ria Formosa and nearby beaches, including the islands of Ilha de Faro to the southwest and Ilha da Barreta (aka Ilha Deserta) to the south.