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Portimão

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About Portimão

Busy with commerce, Portimão still has time to welcome visitors to its small, cosy old town. Stroll the old harbour with its cafes, set along a very pretty waterfront, filled with fish restaurants specialising in sardines. Take a trip up the Rio Arade and explore the local area, rich with bloody history, or get out and active in the sunshine. Our pick of the best places to stay in Portimão are perfect bases whether you're simply here for a beach holiday, or you plan to explore further afield.

Things not to miss:

  • One of the town's biggest attractions is its beaches. The rocky sands of Praia de Rocha are where many visitors head - this is one of the Algarve's most famous beaches. Praia do Vau is less well known, but it's also very lovely - well worth the stroll along the cliff tops to get there.
  • If you come to Portimão in August you will be here for the annual Sardine Festival.
  • Portimão is a great base if you want to visit Silves, for its historic and bloody hill, crowned with a castle fortress fought over by Crusaders and Moors.
  • Also nearby Lagos is definitely worth a look. Once a major ship building centre, and now a charming coastal town.
  • Sagres is a fascinating visit with strong ties to Portugal's rich nautical past. Now it's a place to enjoy fantastic views across some of the Algarve's most dramatic scenery.
  • Portimão is a great resort for watersports - as well as sardine fishing, of course.
  • Portimão is also well known amongst golfers. There are five courses within greater Portimão, a couple of which run right along the cliff tops and have spectacular ocean views.

The best places to stay in Portimão are generally congregated around the beach, ideal for those who love nothing more than to recline on the sand.

The best places to stay in Portimão

In the centre of town

  • The Bela Vista Hotel & Spa is right on Praia de Rocha, with fabulous sea views from private balconies. There's also a palm-fringed pool - with more sea views, and very stylish interiors in fresh white, bright blues and yellows. Plus a fine dining restaurant that's rumoured to be one of the best in the area.

For a private apartment or villa

  • For some place all to yourself, explore the options at our online partner Booking.com.

Travel Information

  • The nearest airport to Portimão is Faro (29 miles) and trains and buses run regularly from Faro.
  • If you plan to hire a car, click here for prices and online booking.
  • The best time to visit Portimão is from June to September, when the temperature sits comfortably in the twenties.

Still not sure which to book?

Weather

Monthly Weather in Portimão

Best Hotels in Portimão

  • Villa Rio Portimão (Algarve) 8 rooms from AU$96

    Hideaway  -  With a quiet private pool in the hotel's inner courtyard, and spacious suites tempting you to stay in, this is a great bolt-hole
    Beach Life  -  Sitting in the heart of Portimão, this hotel is perfectly located for accessing the best of the Algarve's beaches
    Romantic Break  -  Choose a suite with a four-poster bed for an added luxury touch on your romantic break
    Great walks  -  Explore the port city of Portimão and discover local history and architecture on a walk through the town
    Air conditioningSwimming PoolViewsParkingNo pets

    A four-star luxury guesthouse on Portimão's seafront. The best of the colour-themed rooms offer floor-to-ceiling windows, plush, four-poster beds and views over the port. Warm soft furnishings add a homely feel. Enjoy breakfast on the terrace before a dip in the pool. A pretty, relaxed guesthouse. See More

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  • Longevity Health and Wellness Hotel Portimão 70 rooms from AU$328

    Spa breaks  -  This is a wellbeing and health focussed property so you can expect excellent spa facilties on site.
    Views  -  Great views over either Alvor Bay or Monchique Mountain from your balcony.
    Restaurant  -  The Mediterranico Restaurant serves delicious mediterranean cuisine
    Surfing  -  Alvor beach, a shuttle ride away, has a popular kitesurf centre.
    Air conditioningRestaurantSwimming PoolViewsParkingNo pets

    The acclaimed wellness group, Longevity, have opened a flagship property on the Algarve, raising the bar for the region with its comprehensive range of treatments. Achieve a healthier and happier you whilst relaxing in the warmth of the Portuguese sunshine. See More

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  • Bela Vista Hotel & Spa Portimão (Praia Da Rocha) 38 rooms from AU$375

    Beach Life  -  A unique setting, almost completely surrounded by a beautiful sandy beach.
    Watersports  -  The property sits directly on the beach.
    Surfing  -  From Praia de Rocha there are boat trip, kayaking, surfing and dolphin watching which can be booked and organised from there.
    Kayaking  -  There are boat trip, kayaking, surfing and dolphin watching which can be booked and organised from there.
    Air conditioningSpaRestaurantSwimming PoolGarden
    Recommended by  -  Relais & Chateaux

    An early 20th-century gem of a place, complete with period details, which overlooks one of the Algarve’s most popular beaches, complete with Michelin starred dining and a L’Occitane spa. See More

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