Together with Faro and Olhao, Portimao (altitude: 035m/0115ft) is one of the largest towns in the Algarve. For a number of years it was the center of the heavily subsided Portuguese sardine fishing and canning industries. By the mid 1970s more than 70 trawlers regularly went out to catch the fish which were then processed in 61 factories. After the end of the Salazar regime the subsidies were drasticaly reduced. Today there is only one fish canning works in Portimao, six trawlers operate and the bank of the river is lined with sardine factories which have closed down.
Economically speaking, tourism plays but a minor role; visitors to Portimao are mainly those coming just for the day from nearby tourist resorts. The town offers good opportunities for shopping in the center, to the northwest of Praça Manuel Teixeira Gomes, there is a large selection of shops. In the north of Portimao an iron bridge and an old vehicle bridge cross the Rio Arade, and leads to the town center. For many years the latter bridge was the only one over the Arade and therefore proved a permanent bottleneck. Finally a new bridge was built further north, and today the N 125 expressway passes over it.
Townscape
Portimao is a very lively town. A degree of port atmosphere pervades the area near the approach to the old bridge. Here there are numerous simple eatingplaces, small family businesses, where one can enjoy excellent fresh fish, especially sardines, of course. Further south lies an attractively laid out riverbank zone with spacious squares, where both tourists and locals while away the time in cafes.
On a hill to the north of Largo 1° de Dezembro stands the Igreja Matriz. A 14th C. church stood here before the 1755 earthquake; only the Gothic portal remains. Note the small, weathered capitals showing various heads. The interior has three aisles and contains statues of saints saved from the old church.
The main attractions in the homely Largo 1° de Dezembro are the ten banks which display azulejo pictures portraying important events in Portuguese history.
The Praça Visconde de Bívar on the bank of the river is attractively laid out as a park. From here there is a fine view across the Rio Arade to the opposite bank and the town of Ferragudo.
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Portimao
