Carvoeiro

Carvoeiro

Where is it ? 60 Kilometres west of Faro Airport approximately one hour by car.

How Big is it ? Carvoeiro was a small fishing village that became an artists colony in the 1960’s. Today despite being well equipped for tourism it still remains compact and has a permanent population of about three  thousand people.

Who goes there ? Carvoeiro is a very hilly resort so not recommended for the physically challenged. It still attracts artists and is a particularly beautiful little town. Many of the apartment complexes are several kilometres inland so the village has not been spoiled. Transport services around Carvoeiro are poor so a hire car should be considered.

What about Food and Accommodation ? accommodation in Carvoeiro can be in short supply especially around summertime. There is an excellent range of small cafes and restaurants.

Although a very popular tourist destination Carvoeira remains Unspoilt by high-rise buildings.
On top of the cliff are the remains of the walls of the fort Nossa Senhora da Conceição from where the views are panoramic.

This picturesque fishing village, with a long history of settlement, has grown over the last decades into the main tourist area of the concelho. It has a number of fine beaches protected by cliffs

Carvoeiro, located in the Algarve region of southern Portugal, once a quiet fishing village, is now one of the country’s most popular seaside resort areas, considered a hidden gem by those in the know.  The area’s beautiful coastline and warm year-round climate attract thousands of visitors from Europe and North America each year.  The town is home to many hotels, resorts, restaurants, and other tourist amenities as well as great shopping and beautiful beaches.  Boating, fishing, and other water sports are popular pastimes here, and although it is a popular tourist destination the town is still home to a vibrant local population of fishermen and merchants.  Getting to Carvoeiro is simple via the Faro Airport, about 40 minutes away by car.

There are traces of Roman habitation and naval activity in the area. There has also been a long history of pirate and enemy military assaults on the coast, and a number of naval battles here, most notably the battle in 1544 between a squadron of ships under D. Petro da Cunha, and the Turkish corsair (barbary pirate), Xarramet.

According to historical sources, the name of the village derives from “Caboiere,” an old name for a hamlet of fishermen from the Islamic-medieval period. For most of its history, fishing was the mainstay of the local economy.However, from the 1960s onward, tourism gradually became the economic base of the area, with many new hotels, apartment complexes, shops, roads, and a significant improvement in the infrastructure. For a fascinating insight into Carvoeiro and Algarvejust before the arrival of mass tourism read Algarve: A Portrait And a Guide by Patrick Swift.  Swift was an artist and long time Carvoeiro resident who founded Porches Pottery.

To the west of the town is the site of an old ruined fort, ordered built-in 1670 as part of the coastal defenses of the Algarve. Only a gate survives. At the same site is the Shrine of Nossa Senhora da Encarnação, a chapel overlooking the sea, whose construction is said to have antedated the fort.

Useful Numbers

Town Hall (Lagoa) 282 341 120 :      Emergency Treatment   282 357 320: Tourist Office   282 357 728: emergency   112 : Tourist helpline  800 296 296

 

 

Tourist Information
Praia do Carvoeiro
8400 Carvoeiro LGA
Tel. ++351 282-357728

Região de Turismo do Algarve
Avª 5 de Outubro, 18
8000 FARO
Tel. ++351 289-800400
Fax. ++351 289-800489