Central Algarve, Portugal

Nowadays Portugal is a republic, but in the past it used to be a kingdom with First king Alphonso Henriques. This was in the year 1139.
Over time, Portugal was occupied by many different nations but the Romans and the Moors have left the most traces of their occupation as still can be seen in the villages and older cities. The most Southern part of Portugal is the province Algarve and covers an area of about 35 km wide and 140 km long. Three Serras (mountain-ranges) separate the Algarve from the dry province Alentejo. These are, in the West the Serra de Monchique with an altitude of 902m, the Serra de Caldeirão (577m) in the central part and the Serra do Malhão with 599m in the East.
In the early days, the city of Silves (http://www.algarvenet.com/locations/outras/silves1.asp) was the capital of the Algarve. Nowadays Faro takes that position. Here you also find the international airport (http://www.airportdesk.nl/airports/europa/portugal/faro-airport.html).
In general the Algarve is split into in three geographical areas; the West, Central and the East wherey symbolic borders are drawn from Sagres – Albufeira as the West, Albufeira – Faro as the central part of the Algarve and Faro – Vila Real de Santo Antonio as the Eastern part. Here the Guardiana river (http://www.portugal.com/tours/algarve/algarve_tour.asp) separates Portugal from Spain as a natural border.

The central part of the Algarve was first “discovered” and recognised as a perfect place for holidays or retirement. Important cities are Almancil http://www.algarve-portal.com/en/cities/almancil/ , Vilamoura http://www.algarve-portal.com/en/cities/vilamoura/ with the new marina and the “market-city” Loulé http://www.portugalvirtual.pt/_tourism/algarve/loule/index.html . The area between these three cities is called the Golden Triangle, known for it’s up-market luxury properties like a villa with maid-quarters, an apartment or townhous. Also the world famous Golf Resorts Vale do Lobo, Quinta do Lago, Vila Sol and many others.
Albufeira http://www.algarvenet.com/locations/outras/albufeira1.asp is a very popular holiday destination and has many reasonably priced apartments. Also in Vilamoura, with it classy Marina are many beautiful villas and apartments http://www.algarvepropertyfinder.org/popupen.php?huis=3912-avv-c for sale.
The golden sandy beaches are very nice and offer plenty of space for sunlovers. The beach Falesia (http://www.aldeiadasacoteias.com/Falesia.html is very well known and also the Garrão and Olhos D’Agua http://www.davesguide.com/f_o_d_ag.htm  beaches are very attractive.