Alvor

Alvor is a small fishing village in the Algarve region, situated on the banks of the Alvor river. The village is famous for its beautiful appearance, its mild climate, and its traditional houses overlooking the streets of the center.

It is located at the borders of the Ria de Alvor Natural Reserve, which reaches the near villages of Lagos and Portimao. It is a popular destination among water sports lovers, especially kitesurf. Days here are pretty windy, shaping the ideal conditions to practice these sports.

During summer time Alvor becomes a very touristic destination, and it is filled with bars and restaurants.

Things to do in Alvor

If you arrive to Alvor on summer time, do not miss a catamaran cruise. Alvor overlooks the Atlantic Ocean, therefor in the area there are numerous diving clubs.

Just like the rest of Algarve, it is possible to spend the day at the beach as well as at one of the many water fun parks, or maybe go hiking on the mountains.

Getting there and moving around

The best solution to reach Alvor from Porto is to fly to Faro: there are frequent and well priced flights. From here you can rent a car or use the local bus.

If you are traveling from Lisbon, you can take the train and then the bus. The capital city is located about 200km from Alvor, therefor you can include a visit to Alvor on your Portugal tour.

Once in Alvor, the best way to move around is to walk. The village is small and very charming, and you will love walking around.

In order to reach the nearest towns, it is possible to use the bus, or to rent a car or a bike.

Night life

After enjoying a dinner in a traditional Portuguese restaurant – don’t forget to order the fish of the day – enjoy Alvor’s nightlife; its streets are filled with bars, especially Irish pubs, where to enjoy all kinds of drinks.

Being a popular destination among water sports lovers, Alvor is filled with young travelers from Europe and beyond.

The history of the village

Alvor was founded by the Romans in the V century A.C. as a commercial port. After the Moorish invasion, the settlement was fortified and then it was conquered by the Kingdom of Portugal.

It was completely destroyed during the earthquake and the tsunami that hit the Portuguese coast and devastated Lisbon in 1755. It was slowly rebuilt within the centuries, and today it became a lovely touristic destination.