The eastern section of the Algarve is much less crowded and more traditionally Portuguese than the rest of the region. The pace of life is slower here and the cost of living slightly cheaper.
Improvements to the Algarve's motorways have increasingly opened up the region to millions of visitors flying into Faro and from across the border in Spain, making this an ideal investment area.
That said, the eastern side of the Algarve is still the least developed part of the region and is home to some of Portugal's most beautiful and tranquil beaches.
The Golf courses of Quinta Ria and Quinta Cima are high quality and offer golfers 36 holes; there is also a new course at Benamore.
OLHAO, 8km east of Faro, is the largest fishing port on the Algarve and an excellent base for visiting the surrounding sandbank Ilhas of Armona and Culatra or the Quinta da Marin environmental centre.
Steeped in History, the town of Olhao is essentially and historically linked to the local fishing industry. It has about 30,000 inhabitants and was raised to the status of a town in 1808 after 17 local fishermen successfully crossed the Atlantic Ocean without charts in their small fishing boat "Bom Sucesso". Their purpose was to announce to the exiled King of Portugal, Dom Joao IV, that the French invading armies had been defeated and had returned to France leaving Portugal free for the king to return. Iit was also in this town in 1882 that the first canning factory for tuna and sardines was established.
Today, the largerly pedestrianised old town has some superb tile-fronted buildings, quirky shops and bars. The flat roofs and narrow streets are striking and give a North African look to the place. It has a large daily fish and vegetable market and a superb selection of seafood restaurants to enjoy. In August, the gardens either side of the market host the Festival do Marisco (seafood festival), with food stalls and nightly entertainment.
Travelling east from Olhao is the small village of Fuseta with the ruins of a castle and many old houses. To the north is the village of Moncarapacho with the 16th Century Church of Santo Christo, with a beautiful doorway and painted arches and a small local museum.
In the region of Alhao the Parque Natural da Ria Formosa is considered the most improtant sanctuary of wildlife in the Algarve. Its lagoons, marshes, channels and islets are abundant with shellfish and a variety of birds.
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