East or Eastern 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 (http://home.scarlet.be/c.rijnders/general-eng.htm) 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.

Important cities in the Eastern Algarve are Olhão http://www.portugalvirtual.pt/_tourism/algarve/olhao/index.html a small city with about 25.000 inhabitants and sandy islands along the lagoon coast. There are many nice, typical townhouses but also new detached villas and apartments which have been built recently to accommodate the impressive influx of tourists. In the area are also many golf courses http://www.longshotgolf.co.uk/destinations/eastern_algarve_courses.aspx . Another city worth mentioning is Tavira http://www.portugalvirtual.pt/_tourism/algarve/tavira/index.html, a fast growing city on the Gilão and at the foot of the walled hill on which the Santa Maria do Castelo church was founded. Also Tavira has experience a rapid growth and construction of many new villas and apartments. Living in the area is very attractive because of the vicinity of many popular golf courses like Benamor Golf http://www.algarvegolf.net/courses/benamor.htm and Quinta da Ria http://www.quintadaria.com/web/uk/home.html

The East coast is known for its beautiful beaches, some of which are Manta Rota, Cabanas and Praia Verde http://www.praiaverde.info/en/.
Vila Real de Santo Antonio and the adjacent Golf resort Castro Marim http://www.castromarimgolfe.com/ are bordering the Spanish territories. The nearby holiday village Monte Gordo  http://portugal.montranet.com/portugal/montegordo/indexuk.htm is very popular with the elderly tourist.

The new A22 highway has improved the accessability of many cities and villages but also facilitated the further development of that section of the Algarve. New condominiums and luxury villas, townhouses and apartments have already been built and there are more to come. The prices of real estate in the Eastern Algarve are still every acceptable and there is a large number to choose from. Here's a sample of a very nice- front line- apartment:http://www.algarvepropertyfinder.org/popupen.php?huis=2934-vm-o in Olhão.