Down in the Algarve region in the south of Portugal, you’ll come across a wonderful small city called Portimao, which about 45,000 people call home.
The city is well known for its shopping and fantastic restaurants as well as its daily catch of fresh sardines which are grilled at lunchtime on the town’s pier.
The sea and sand are also inviting as you can easily walk through the town to the beaches and ocean.
But while Portimao offers a friendly and laid back way of life, it might be most popular with visitors for its numerous world-class sporting events. You’ll find beach football World Cup in the summers as well as Surfing and Kite Surfing along with the Lisbon to Dakar Rally as it passes through town.
Just out of town in the hills is the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve, which is a test and race circuit that’s officially recognized for the highest categories for both motorcycles and cars.
It’s here where F1 tests, Le Mans Series races, and Superbike races are held. In addition, there’s a yearly Rhythmic Gymnastics Grand Prix competition.
Portimao is an ideal spot to enjoy excellent Portuguese cuisine and shop for local crafts and world-class leather products and then head down to the beach to relax. You can also catch a ferry from the city to head over to Funchal, Madeira.
