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Holidays in Praia da Rocha

Portugal Main Guide | Algarve Main Guide

Praia da Rocha is located just to the south of the city of Portimao in the Algarve region of Portugal. With an average of 3000 hours of sunshine a year, the Algarve is a popular destination, especially for beach holidays.

Praia da Rocha is the best-known and also the longest-established resort in the Algarve. It boasts 2km of beaches backed by cliffs eroded into exotic shapes by wind and sea. The promenade leads to the fortress of Fortaleza de Catarina and there is a casino close to the beach.

The region has been inhabited since the Stone Age and was important in Roman times. It has been a tourist haven since the 1930s. Today, nearby Portimao on the estuary of the River Arade is a quiet and pleasant Mediterranean fishing town with an excellent array of seafood and fish restaurants as well as some fascinating historical attractions.

Accommodation and Food

There is a range of accommodation on offer in Praia da Rocha. Hotels, aparthotels and apartment complexes are all available, often with extra features such as swimming pools, restaurants and sports facilities. Some hotels and complexes have entertainment and live music in the evenings. All the hotels in Praia da Rocha are located close to the main beachside avenue.

Self-catering is not a problem, though many shops tend to have an over-inflated impression of themselves – 'supermarkets' are often just little shops with relatively little choice, so it pays to learn where to shop.

International cuisine is readily available in Praia da Rocha and neighbouring Portimao, along with traditional Portuguese dishes. Seafood is very popular, and with a major fishing port nearby it tends to e extremely fresh.

Slow-grilled fish is a local favourite, along with local recipes handed down through generations of fishermen. Clam and prawn soups, octopus risotto, snails cooked with herbs and other exotic dishes are all on offer among the local restaurants, along with more conventional but still excellent dishes of lamb and chicken.

Activities

Praia da Rocha is a good choice for a beach holiday. The region is also popular with golfers. Several hotels have discount arrangements with the golf course operators. The beach is popular for watersports.

Other than the beach and hotels, there is not a lot in Praia da Rocha, but there are many attractions close by. In neighbouring Portimao you can go big game fishing or get involved in watersports such as parasailing, water-skiing and scuba diving. The old town in Portimao still shows signs of its history with 18 th and 19 th-Century buildings. The Manuel Bivar Gardens are an ideal place to spend a quiet afternoon watching the boats come and go in the harbour.

The fortress of Fortaleza de Catarina, built in the 17 th and 18 th Centuries, offers an excellent view of the coast and river. Inside there is a chapel to St. Catherine of Alexandria.

A little inland, you can visit the village of Mexilhoeira Grande with its 16 th-Century church. About 5km along the coast from Praia da Rocha is Alvor, a town with history dating back to the Stone Age. It was the scene of fierce fighting between Portuguese troops and the Moors in the 12 th and 13 th Centuries. Today Alvor is a beautiful fishing town which overlooks the Ria de Alvor, a peninsula lying between the river estuary and the sea. The Ria de Alvor is home to a great variety of wildlife.

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