Travel: algarve

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T’S approaching noon in the small port of Lagos and we are standing near the monument dedicated to the seafaring Portuguese explorers who left this spot more than six centuries ago to discover the New World. It may be the Algarve, Portugal’s sun-drenched southern extremity, but it is precipitating it down and Prince Henry the Navigator is looking forlornly wet.

Marta, our guide, is apologetic. “We know from records that it wasn’t like this when they set off,” she says. “It was very much drier but I guess that climate change is affecting everywhere.”

To be honest, it makes a refreshing change to see the Algarve in this new, if damper, light. Throughout the summer it largely remains the Algarve of sun, sea and sand that draws northern tourists by their millions. But its beach holiday identity has always come at a price, often obscuring its other charms, not least the hundreds of cultural treasures – archaeological sites, museums, churches and monuments – that dot an area that stretches from the Mediterranean to the wild Atlantic.

Take Lagos. On a typically sunny day, it is full of the tourist paraphernalia that hides a handsomely renovated centre of notable architectural grandeur. Strip that out, off-season, and the true character of this ancient community at the head of the Bensafrim River seeps out of the old stones.

A lot of the town tumbled down during the Great Earthquake of 1755 – which also destroyed Lisbon – and the subsequent tsunami, but some of it survived. One building that remains largely intact is the 17th- century market through which African slaves entered southern Europe and which had provided Prince Henry with wealth and a good living. Just a few metres away is the striking early 18th- century Igreja de Santo António, St Anthony’s Church. Completed around 40 years before the earthquake struck, it was badly damaged but rebuilt even better than before. To this day it remains a refuge from the Algarvian elements, whether rain or shine.

Inside, away from the torrent, there is time to browse its elegant interior, alongside the groups of excitedly-chattering Portuguese schoolchildren, let loose from their desks to absorb some of their own culture, and elderly black-shawled Lagosian ladies whose visit is more spiritual.

The plain facade of the church contrasts sharply with the extravagantly decorated walls, covered in beautiful, typically Portuguese blue and white tile mosaics and richly carved wooden reliefs covered in gold leaf. It’s one of the country’s most beautiful churches but missed by most visitors.

Faro, too, is really starting to take its own heritage seriously and trying to drag holidaymakers off the beach to enjoy its recently renovated old quarter. Its history really took off after the earthquake when, protected by the sandbanks of the Ria Formosa, it succeeded a ruined Lagos as the regional capital. The Ria Formosa is now an official natural park of islands and lagoons, familiar to everyone who has flown into the city’s airport.

Trade brought wealth and the rise of a number of wealthy Algarvian families. Among the whitewashed villages in the interior, there came a sprinkling of grand houses – none so grand as the 19th-century Palace of Estoi, a few kilometres north of Faro. Built to literally lord it over the surrounding huddle of picturesque stone houses, it was a private home until 1987, with views across miles of countryside from its hilltop perch down to the Atlantic. Started in the 1880s but not completed until 1909, it’s a rococo gem with its grand drawing rooms, opulent displays of tiles and painted ceilings. The gardens, laid out in Versailles style, provide the perfect setting for what is now a state-run pousada or inn.

Palaces as extravagant as this are rare in this part of southern Portugal, where the true wealth lies in its abundance of natural produce. Take a stroll into the fishing community of Olhao, east of Faro, on a Saturday morning and the country’s reliance on the sea as provider is still as evident as it was when Prince Henry was the most important resident.

The seafront market hall is packed to the gills with Algarvians stocking up with every variety of the fish brought in by the fleet that morning. It’s a noisy, tumultuous, time- defying ritual that has you hankering to get into your own kitchen. Thankfully, the Algarve is now developing a real foodie reputation with a range of high-end restaurants making their mark. At Vilamoura marina, the millionaire’s paradise, the Swedish-owned Akvavit serves sumptuous prawns and seafood dishes alongside its unrivalled wine collection. At Paixa, in nearby Vale de Lobo, what must rank as one of the most extravagant tapas experiences unfolds on the table in front of you with a rich variety of dishes based on local produce.

There are other signs too that the Algarve is attempting to attract tourists not simply interested in the old staples of beaches and golf. Close to Portimao is the region’s new International Autodrome, a swooping, multi-million euro petrolhead’s dream. It offers the opportunity to drive souped-up BMWs and Mini Coopers around testing circuits and a range of courses for the motorsport enthusiast who wants a hands-on experience in Porches, BMWs and even Ferraris.

Despite its newfound love for motorsport, the Algarve remains one of southern Europe’s classic golfing destinations. Courses like San Lorenzo, with its glorious seaside holes, is always worth a visit, as is Pinhal, one of the first to be built in the region and almost a cultural treasure in its own right. It’s just a pitching wedge away from the Al Cascatas Golf Resort and Spa, a five-star Hilton hotel in Vilamoura, which offers golf packages for guests. And while its high-end Cilantro restaurant may not have the views of other establishments in the nearby marina, the standard of cooking is exceptional. And what more could you want but an exquisite and luxurious spa to soak away those after-game niggles? n