Seniors Discover Portugal’s Riviera

The Algarve is the southernmost region of Portugal, on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean with a population of just over 450,000. Senior travelers, it is Portugal’s most popular holiday destination due to the clean golden beaches, the cool, unpolluted water, and the fact that it is relatively inexpensive, very safe and overall welcoming.

Faro is the main city on The Algarve. In winter, it is a beautiful, peaceful corner of Southern Europe with plenty of sun bleaching the white-washed town with Iberian and Moorish-influenced architecture. The people are more friendly than other parts of Europe. Many speak a bit of English, but are very appreciative of any attempts at Portuguese.

 Garden of Portugal Invites Seniors

With its robust fruit orchards basking in the warm Mediterranean climate, The Algarve lives up to its nickname, the Garden of Portugal.

The sunny region overflows with crops of oranges, carob, figs, pomegranates, and almonds. It also has a coastline teeming with fresh seafood.

Full of Moorish and Roman ruins, cubist houses, and other flavors left by past Phoenicians, Greeks, Visigoths, and Christians, this area’s more recent invaders include Northern European tourists and transplants who today have made the southwestern tip of Portugal one of the most popular vacation destinations in Europe.

And when traveling in one of The Algarve’s attractive towns, you can visit old Moorish monuments, eat at a fabulous seafood restaurant or simply stroll among the beauty of Portugal’s southern region. The 100 mile long coastline is blessed with sand dunes, cliffs and natural grottoes.

Senior visitors will find that the beaches are some of the most-loved in all of Portugal. The Algarve golf courses attract senior golfers like a magnet with over 30 courses dotting the region.

Seniors Enjoy Portugal’s Coastal Strip

Wherever you look on The Algarve, the colors of the mountains and sea are always with you, creating the impression of a water-color dotted with highlights of gold, green and blue.

The region is an extensive and pleasant one, with a Mediterranean climate, marked by the smell of the sea at low tide and the scent of wildflowers.

Senior travelers can also easily lose themselves in the vastness of the coastal strip. Interesting to me… it is referred to as THE Algarve.  Reminds me of when I was a grad student at THE Ohio State University.  Not OSU. jeb