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  Local Data for Algarve |
Food |
Together with a wide range of fresh seafood, fruits, meat and nuts, the Algarve utilises all the exotic spices discovered and brought home by the seafaring explorers – curry powder was introduced by Vasco da Gama.The Portuguese speciality Piri Piri originates from the hot chilli spices brought back from Africa and is used to make a chicken dish, popular with chefs and diners alike.
Traditional Algarvian Food Festivals
| March | Smoked Sausage Fair – Local produce market and special restaurant menus | MONCHIQUE | | May | Gastronomy Festival – Restaurants serve traditional dishes | PORTIMÃO | | June | Week of Portuguese gastronomy and a local handicraft fair | LAGOA | | July | International Beer Festival
Sweet Fair – sculpted almond and fig sweets sold in market | LAGOS | | July | Presunto Festival – Local ham festival | MONCHIQUE | | November | Chestnut Festival | MARMELETE |
Seafood
Historically, the Algarve has a tradition of fishing, which remains strong today.Small villages along the Atlantic coast still count fishing as their major source of income, and with such a wealth of resources, it comes as no surprise that the region offers visitors one of the best selections of fish and seafood to be found anywhere in Europe.
The ubiquitous sardines are available throughout the Algarve’s restaurants, and are always of the highest quality throughout the summer months when a simple barbeque is all that’s needed.The harbour town of Portimão is widely considered to be the best place in the region to eat sardines.
The sheer range of fresh fish available in the region is amazing and visitors can sample the delights of espadarte (swordfish), cherne (stone bass) and esparda (scabbard fish).A speciality of the region, the bacalhau (dried, salted cod) is
available in most restaurants and locals claim that there are 365 ways to cook the fish – one for each day of the year.
Wines and Spirits
Wines and spirits have been produced in Portugal for centuries and the best wine growing regions are Bairrada and Dão from the north, Estremadura and Ribatejo near Lisbon, and the Alentejo region, just north of the Algarve.
Portuguese and Algarvian Wine
Portuguese wine is mostly produced in the northern areas of the country, but, in the Algarve, Lagos and Lagoa also produce fine wines, especially algarseco – a fortified white wine.Stopped with locally made corks the winemakers of Lagoa produce approximately 45,000 hectolitres of red, white and rosé wines.A co-operation of vintners, the Adega da Lagoa, has been making wine in the area for 35 years and grapes are harvested in September and October.
Liqueurs
The Algarve offers a wide range of liqueurs including the famous medronho, schnapps like brandy made from the indigenous strawberry bush.The region also utilises local produce when making spirits creating Algarviana (made from almonds) and brandymel, a type of honey brandy.
Port
83 million litres of port is consumed annually throughout the world, with most adorning the dinner tables of European households.Portugal is famous for the production of port and makes a wide range of styles – Ruby, White, Crusted, Tawny, Vintage and Single Quinta.
The Story of Port…
Port is produced in the northern regions of Portugal and is made using a process where sweet wine is fortified with Brandy spirit.The drink has a strong connection with the British, as they sourced their wines from the Douro region following the breakdown in relations with France.The red wines produced in the region were fortified with brandy to ensure protection during the sea journey north. |
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