Alvor is a fishing village and parish of Portimão, with 6 314 inhabitants across 15 km², on the estuary of the Ria de Alvor, between Portimão and Lagos.
Whitewashed houses climb from the fishing harbour to the parish church at the top of the old village. Below the village, a long sandy beach and a boardwalk over the dunes separate the ria from the ocean.
History of Alvor
King João II died in Alvor on 25 October 1495, in the house of the local governor, Álvaro de Ataíde. His successor, King Manuel I, raised Alvor to the status of town and ordered the construction of its parish church in his memory.
In January 1975, the Alvor Agreement was signed here, through which Portugal recognised the independence of Angola.
Beaches in Alvor
- Praia de Alvor Poente: western end of the long Alvor beach, next to the mouth of the ria.
- Praia de Alvor Nascente: eastern end of the beach, towards the cliffs.
- Praia dos Três Irmãos: beach with rock stacks, where the cliffs of Portimão begin.
- Praia da Prainha: small coves among the rocks, east of Três Irmãos.
- Praia da Torralta: beach below the cliffs on the way to Portimão.
Monuments in Alvor
- Igreja Matriz de Alvor (Igreja do Divino Salvador): church begun in 1496 and completed in the 1520s, on the highest point of the old village. Its Manueline main and side portals have been classified as a property of public interest since 1948.
- Morabito: small domed Islamic shrine attached to the church and used as one of its chapels, classified in 1978.
- Castelo de Alvor: remains of the walls of the medieval castle, damaged in the 1755 earthquake, in the centre of the village near the market. The site now holds a children's playground.
- Monumento ao Pescador: sculpture by João Cutileiro on the waterfront, next to the harbour.
Nature in Alvor
- Ria de Alvor: estuary and wetland of national importance, with salt marshes, dunes and resident and migratory birds.
- Passadiços de Alvor: raised boardwalk over the dunes and salt marshes, with views over the estuary and its wildlife.
Golf in Alvor
- Alto Golf: 18 holes with trees and lakes.
- Penina: three courses, Championship, Resort and Academy.
Marinas in Alvor
- Porto de Recreio de Alvor: harbour for fishing boats and small leisure craft, next to the waterfront restaurants.
Healthcare in Alvor
- CUF Alvor Hospital: private hospital.
Places near Alvor
- Portimão (59 845 inhabitants · 182 km²): city to the east, with Praia da Rocha.
- Mexilhoeira Grande (4 313 inhabitants · 91 km²): parish to the north, with the Alcalar megalithic monuments.
- Lagos (33 494 inhabitants · 213 km²): city to the west, across the Ria de Alvor.
Places to visit in the Algarve
