Number overlooking Atlantis
Where to go to a person who already visited everywhere? On Safari in South Africa, he shot three giraffes and two rhinos from the surveyor, among the coral reefs of Australia, he walked with aqualung, like a sparkling fish, in Vienna he drank coffee tank in Cafe Bromener, and in Paris ate as many chestnuts in the sauce of the Milk Milk Sauce how much can. But nowhere was his rest. You might think it was driving into distant countries, only to put another photo album into the regiment with the name of the next state conquered. You feel about Alexander Macedonian: ambition is chewed, and nothing left for the souls again. It would be better to lay yourself somewhere on coastal pebbles and thought about high. Solved, you need to go to Portugal, on the Atlantic Coast. To lie there with a reservoir and not to run anywhere – anyway, nothing interesting is there: neither Louvre nor the Pyramids of Egyptian, nor Thai erotic shows with massage and other joys. From Cape San Vicente to Villa Real de Santa Antoniou, the territory has shown the territory for those who are tired – Algarve, the best resort area of Portugal.
What do not say, and we still real residents of the old world. How much do neither admire the generous illuminated decorations of Las Vegas or phallic cults of India, and the heart spikes, only if you get out in the window of an ordinary house in Europe, where the most ordinary family lives, and you will see that they have a bike on the stairs, linen napkins are white and on the windowsill lies the old grandmother’s Teddy bear from the present plush. Europe for us is the only real world, and he has its borders. Europeans can not be fully convinced that the earth is round, because he saw her edge.
In Algarve, in the Far Southwest of Europe, there is Cape San Vicente "Phoenister", That is the edge of the earth. In the XV century, the Kapuchins monks lit up torches here at night to help the navigators, and now there is one of the most powerful lighthouses in Evpone: his light is visible for 95 kilometers. The edge of the earth is a climbing rock, after which only the ocean, and nothing more. Strange and inappropriate sensations do not leave someone who fell on Costa Visentin, West Coast Algarve. There is a pretty cool sea, wild sheer cliffs created by nature beaches, and the air is so saturated with the sea and the sun, that it can be eating a tablespoon. From the legendary wine province of Alenteju to San Vincent, it is worth passing by car, constantly stopping, to just look at this world and not tell yourself then that you have not seen him. Amororeira Coast, where Dunes are always fighting with a tide. Monta Clereigi Beach Beach Sand. Little Harchevni, where to make fish on the grill. Cool streets of the town of Alazur and the ruins of the Arab castle of the X century, the last stronghold of Saracinov.
If you at least once visited the sandy beach of Arifana and saw the indoor waves of the Atlantic on the lonely rock of the Pedra da Aguly, if you risen to go out into the sea in this place on a yacht or sailing board, then any other extreme entertainment will seem to you Children’s shades. If you know a lot about fishing, then the islands near Amada is the place of your dream. With the natural observation destination Torre de Ashpa, as if enchanted, you do not break off looking at the stove of white, black and greenish stones on a golden-emerald background, and then drink white wine in a small cafe, eat Paella and Caldarada. And the noise of the surf interrupts unnecessary thoughts. And there is no goal more substantial than, doping wine, walk to the quiet village of Vila do Bishpu to consider the vintage tessels adorning the local parish church.
Cape Sagresh at one time became the starting point of great geographic discoveries. Heinrich the navigator looked at a huge (43 meter in diameter) a rose of winds, which still remained in the fortress at Cape, and thought about the new light. In vain: there is no other world, other nature and other civilization, except for the European. The Portuguese wanted this land at Saracinov, and there was no need to look for the best on Earth than this. There is simply no such place. All year round, the sun is shining there, and the Arabs, who came to replace the barbarians, five centuries with pleasure owned this land, calling her "Al-Garb" ("Western border"). Portuguese did not even change the name of their new province, they simply redid it on their own way "Algarve". This land has always been a border. Heinrich Marine Plant built on Cape Sagresh his famous sea school, and then from the port of Lagush sent the first expeditions to Africa. This small province was destined to become the cradle of the great geographical discoveries, which we told so much in school.
Port Lagos is located on the southwest shore. There is surprisingly beautiful: bizarre rocks and arches, caves and grotes cut the calm waters of the Atlantic. This is the onset of the coast, quiet and calm. An old city is worth it to carefully examine, house for the house, stone behind the stone. For the sake of the Renaissance portal of the Church of Santa Maria da Miserikhondi, you can sacrifice the afternoon Side, without which life is already on the second day of stay in Portugal seems unthinkable. Walk to Fort Ponta da Bandeira and long look from his walls to the city and the ocean is also good, but the most interesting thing is the church of Santo Antoniou, decorated with tiles, luxurious gold-plated threads and painting in the Baroque style. In the center noisy and fun: you can gladly get used to shops or comforted to be hidden in one of the restaurants or cafes and from there to consider local residents. The sea and beaches in these places are awarded the special awards of the Blue European flag, which means that the ecological situation in this area is impeccable.
Vacationers lead a daily lifestyle: swim, dive, sunbathe, eat and drink. If such a measured rhythm seems to you sad, then travel to the resort of Roche, where it is not accepted at night. Bars and discos are still Polbie: For fans of a nervous holiday in Rocher there is a casino.
To avoid temptations, it is enough to move to the neighboring city of Port. Seeing the garden of Viscount de Bivar, you will forget about restless night in Roche. The garden stands on the Arade River, on which on the boat you can climb up to Silwesh. Pastoral landscapes call you to land ashore and climb to wander between green hills, but the ship sails on the river next, in Silesh. In the Arabic era, it was the richest city of Algarve, and on the site of the Cathedral with the Gothic portal and the way the Virgin of the Yashma stood a mosque. In every town, in every place Algarve involuntarily forget what a year or even a century in the yard.
To the north-west of Silwesh, the mountain range of a monoshike stretches, and around it a picturesque forest, where the hot springs of Caldash de Monoshik are beaten from under the ground. This is a popular resort, but when you get there, a complete feeling is created that you show the newsreel twenties: architecture, signs on restaurants all from there. In Algarve, in general, little changes with time. In the village of Ferragoud on the left bank of the mouth of the Arade River, as before, fishing fish and prepare from it fantastic dishes. About the village say that in it all houses are addressed to the sea, because sometime this modest settlement was the largest fish port of Portugal. If what changes, then for the better. Luxury hotels, villas, apartments and campgrounds appeared in Armaassan de pen, and lovers of scuba diving and sports fishing go here with the enthusiasm of pilgrims.
On the southeastern coast of the Algarve you are waiting for the warm sea, a generous sun, and everything that can only wish the soul of a man in vacation. Albufeira is the border between the bright and leeward parts of the southern shore of Portugal. Ancient fishing village became a real tourist capital Algarve. There are beaches for every taste of Barcush with its gentle sand, Maria-Louise, famous for its bars, restaurants and schools of all types of water sports, homely cozy Balaya. The resort of Vilamoura is considered one of the largest resorts in Europe. There are all: golf courses, tennis courts, stables, casino and fish abundance. Even your airport, but the main attraction of Vilamoules is the largest marina in Europe, designed for 1300 yachts.
The meaning of the existence of these places to give a person everything he can wish. If you don’t want to just lie on the beach, you can change the slippers on shoes and go to study the ruins of the castle in Padern. If the impressions of the luxurious nature want to dilute the sip of civilization, then there is San Lawrence for this, where exhibitions and musical concerts are held. If in the Algarve boutiques of all the most famous fashion houses rightly appear to you like boutiques of the same houses at any other point of the world, then shopping should go to the town of Loule, founded by Arabs. Local craftsmen make wonderful things from copper and brass, and painted pottery will adorn any home. All of this is sold in ancient Arab market, exotics which is able to compete with the atmosphere of oriental bazaar in any Muslim country.
On this coast is good even to those who do not like any large concentrations of people or, on the contrary, their almost complete lack of. Near the town of Faro, in the dunes, islets, canals and lakes, is one of Europe’s largest bird sanctuaries. On the area of 18 400 hectares coexist freely about 1500 different species of animals and a minimum of two-legged creatures. The city itself Faro, capital of Algarve, is also worthy of attention. Local architecture is so distinctive that even lost the desire to knowingly say where you saw something similar. Just go, look, clicked their tongues and click the camera shutter. The medieval castle, the cathedral, which tightly intertwined Gothic and Baroque Church of St. Francis, all lined with tiles from the lives of saints, the scene of the Last Supper on the stunning bas-relief Church St. Peter film has long been over, and you just watch and memorize. And even sorry that you do not have you in this town friend or acquaintance to assign him or her appointment in the Public Garden Manuel Bivar, and then lead the soup at a restaurant in the pedestrian street of Santo Antonio. So thick fish soup has to absorb alone, and then to look at the ocean and the salt mines, without even an opportunity to share experiences with arching chest soul mate.
East of Faro is a real fishing town of Olhão. The fishermen’s quarters houses like children’s blocks, and on the roof of each terrace arranged for drying fish and fruit. In August in Olhão runs the famous seafood festival, but also at any other time you were not left without fish. The locals have always been a distinctive vision of beauty. In the XVIII century, in the town of Ashta, one local venue was built a romantic poland in Rococo style, drowning in the shadow of orange trees. If you fold together all its rainbow stained glass windows, panels from tiles and a copy "Three graces" Cannov, it turns out very similar to an elegant toy from an expensive children’s store. Just a few kilometers from the palace, in Milreu, there are Roman ruins. Without the shadow of irony, we can say that this is a land of contrasts.
The only thing that seems unchanged and endless is a fish diet where local restaurateurs are held. Any attempt to order something meat does not cause objections, only inappropriate glances Why do you need meat if we have such a wonderful, fresh, useful fish. But if you insist, please ignore and the meat is also wonderful, fresh and useful. If you do not think at all the feast without meat, then you should commit a gastronomic tale in the city of Taviru. Amazing lame legs, soft wines and melting in mouth Cakes will make you reconcile with life. Coming out of a restaurant with a lattice door and a four-tie roof, you will never find it again among many similar houses.
Whatever from the resorts of the Algarve you chose, you will be fine everywhere. You are waiting for food, wine, landscape, entertainment for every taste. In addition to the network of upscale hotels, in Portugal there are so-called "Byzadada" These are state hotels located in the vintage castles, monasteries and palaces. If you wish, you can stop in a private house or rustic estate, and yourself feel how and what the descendants of Henry Navigator live, who have a bike on the stairs, and linen napkins lie in the buffet.
