A Relaxing Cruise Port Visit Wandering In Portimao For A Day
We enjoyed a relaxing cruise port visit wandering in Portimao for a day. Portimao was the first stop in Portugal on our cruise from Barcelona to Lisbon with Oceania Cruises. We enjoyed our walking tour so much on our previous port stop in Cadiz that we knew we would find lots to see on our own.
Portimão was one of the largest towns on the Algarve Coast with a population of about 50,000. The waterfront city grew around the Rio Arade. As such this port city historically was dependent on fishing. Although tourism has taken over as the top economic driver.
The shoreline around Portimao gave us a glimpse of the amazing cliffs and caves along the Algarve Coast. And we saw Ferragudo perched on the cliff sides. When we wandered in the town, we enjoyed the promenade views and the colourful stops in the old town. We certainly saw enough to draw us back for a longer visit.
Docking In Portimao
As we cruised into the port, we got a stunning look at the cliffs and caves that the Algarve Coast was known for. At the point, we went past the lighthouse (the Farol da Ponta do Altar).
We cruised in past the Portimão Marina and the beach at Praia da Rocha in the morning sunrise light. In the distance we saw the Fort of Santa Catarina. The buildings along the shore glowed with colour. This looked like a great spot to stay for a longer visit.
The ship berthed at the dock outside of the town. From the ship we saw the town along the waterfront. We were excited to spend our time wandering in Portimao for a day.
Options For Cruise Port Excursions In Portimao
There were many excursions available for our stop in Portimao on the Algarve Coast. But we had a long stay planned for the Algarve Coast and knew we would head back to this area on our own.
One of the cruise excursions from Portimao was a day trip to the Benagil Caves. Many different kinds of tour boats waited for our ship to dock. We hoped to check out that attraction when we stayed in the Algarve later on our trip.
Several excursions went to Carvoeiro, Sagres and Lagos. During this stay on the Algarve Coast we planned to visit Carvoeiro and enjoy the Algo Seco boardwalk. We explored Sagres and the Cabo de São Vicente at the southwestern tip of Portugal on our first visit to the Algarve. And on this trip we planned to wander in Lagos and along the Ponta da Piedade cliff walk on our own.
Other cruise ship excursions headed high above the Algarve Coast. But on our first visit to the Algarve we started our visit staying in Monchique and discovered the great views from Mount Foia.
We had already seen so many great spots on the Algarve Coast and had lots of plans for our coming 2 week stay on the Algarve Coast. So we did not need to book cruise excursions to many of the great Algarve sights. For this day we learned a little about Portimao and this part of the Algarve.
For those without booked cruise excursions, shuttle buses were available to Praia da Rocha and to the old town area of this small city. This was a great way for us to head out wandering in Portimao for a day.
Walking Along The Promenade
The shuttle bus dropped us in the older part of town and we immediately headed for the promenade along the water. When we looked back towards the sea at several points, we saw our cruise ship.
As we walked along we stopped and looked at the stone art in the walkway. And read the plaques on the various statues we found.
When we hit the main square we went in search of gelato. There were several different options to choose from. But we finally found the perfect flavours and gelato texture when we stopped at Nosolo Italia.
Wandering in Portimao for a day started at a lazy pace along the harbour promenade.
Heading Into Old Town
We wandered through the cobblestone streets. Interesting street views and large piazza squares kept us meandering.
In the old part of town we found the Igreja da Nossa Senhora da Conceição (Igreja Matriz de Portimão). This church suffered extensive damage in the great earthquake of 1755. We walked around the outside but sadly could not get inside to see what remained and what we re-built.
Wandering In Portimao For A Day For Colourful Art
As we found when we explored other small towns in the Algarve, there were lots of buildings fully decorated in tiles. On some buildings, the tile work was done just for decoration. And we even found colourful tiles decorating the utility boxes.
But not all of the colourful art was tile work. We found fun statues to take home as souvenirs. And in several places we found street art murals that caused us to stop and ponder.
We were glad we found so many interesting sights wandering in Portimao for a day. We slowly made our way back to the shuttle bus stop. But sadly did not have time to get off the shuttle bus at the Portimao Marino to visit the Praia da Rocha beach before we returned to the ship.
More Sights Cruising Out Of Portimao
There was much to discover wandering in Portimao for a day. But as we cruised out we saw more sights for a return visit. The traditional fishing village of Ferragudo sat perched on the cliffs across from Portimao. We saw sandy beaches, docks, whitewashed cottages, the local church and larger villas as we cruised past.
At the water level we saw an old stone fort (the Castelo de São João do Arade). With the Fort of Santa Catarina on the other side, these two forts originally protected the mouth of the River Arade from incursions by pirates further inland to Silves.
We loved our last views on our day in Portimao. The ship turned south and we cruised back out along the stunning cliffs headed for the final port on our cruise from Barcelona to Lisbon.
Great To Enjoy Wandering In Portimao For A Day
We were glad we enjoyed a slower day just wandering in Portimao for a day. We got a first glimpse of this lovely port city. And found many reasons for a return visit.
We saw many of the cliffs and caves of the Algarve on our visits. But a day trip to the Benagil Caves would definitely draw us back. A visit to the Museum of Portimão would provide some historical perspective on this area as far back as the Roman and Islamic periods. Visits to the forts on either side of the harbour would give us more historical context. We loved visiting all the small towns in the Algarve. So on a return visit we would not want to miss heading over to enjoy the charming village of Ferragudo.
Lots of reasons to spend more time in Portimao on a visit to the Algarve in Portugal.
Did you enjoy wandering in Portimao for a day? What should we add for our return visit?
Copyright Notice: All material on this travel blog site is the sole property of RetiredAndTravelling. This includes blog posts, pages, design and all photos (whether watermarked or not). Any use of materials from this site without express written consent will be considered copyright infringement.
This sounds like a lovely place to explore. It is such an attractive city with great views. So interesting how it is situated along cliffs on the ocean!
Our first visit to Portimao did give us a quick view of the things we need to explore more.
That is just a bucket list trip for me! Thanks for sharing.
I hope you do get to visit Portimao.
Great post and photos as usual!! So funny because we just spent 2 weeks in a tiny village next to Portimao in late Dec and Jan. On this New Years Eve, it was in the 70’s F in Portimao, and we did an all day barefoot beach hike on one of Europe’s most beautiful & longest beaches – Praia Da Rocha & Tres Castelos Beach! This area gets so popular in summer, but is amazingly empty in winter. We had not been in a while and really enjoyed our road trip from Barcelona to Portugal and revisiting some of our fave places in Spain and Portugal. Wonderful winter destination!!
We love Portugal and the Algarve area has always sounded like a great winter destination. Need to get there more and escape winter in Toronto.
This looks like a beautiful place to visit. I love the tile on the buildings. So beautiful and unique!
The tile work in Portugal is always a treat to find.
This list is good! The next time you visit, you should do a tour of the Bengali Caves. You can even see dolphins sometimes!
We were sad we missed the Bengali Caves on our visit due to weather. But we certainly have them on our list for a return visit.
Looks like it was a nice way to spend the day. Viewing the cliffs and caves of the Algarve looks like a highlight.
Every trip to the Algarve gives us a new treat. We were glad to spend a day wandering in Portimao.
I like to discover new places and Portimao could be my next destination. There are many things to discover about the place, especially the old churches and of course eating places.
It was great to have a day to wander in Portimao. Enough to see we need to go back and explore more.
Portimao looks like the perfect cruise port to explore for a day! I love all things history so would definitely wander through Old Town.
It was great to visit Portimao on our cruise. A nice taste test of this new spot in Portugal.
We spent a week in Albufeira this past year, but only had a short time in Portimão itself. i would love to have a chance to visit again and explore more of the old town.
So many great spots in the Algarve to visit. Each time we are happy to add a few more like Portimao.
I really love to see outdoor sculptures and “stone art” when I traveled in Portugal. It is stunning. I would love to visit this beach town.
We love all the great small towns we find when we wander in Portugal. Portimao was a great new discovery.
Really lovely post (as always!) Portimao is so beautiful; I am a huge fan of the buildings covered in tiles. It makes me wish more modern architecture was decorated so beautifully!
We always love when we find the beautiful Portuguese tiles decorating buildings. Just one of the lovely things we found wandering in Portimao.
The only time I went into Portimao was to get my campervan serviced. Fortunately, some friends led the way in, got their groceries while the van was being worked on, and then led us back out to their place in Monchique. I still keep out of towns and cities as much as possible, but I can certainly recommend visiting some of the other places you mentioned.
There is lots for everyone when you wander around Portugal.
Portimao definitely looks worth visiting. I’ve been planning a trip to Portugal, but haven’t thought about Portimao. Now I think that it’s really worth the visit!
I hope you do get to explore some of the great small towns along the Algarve Coast when you visit Portugal. So many gems like Portimao.
Have not been to this port of call but I have been to the Algarve – it’s one of the places we talk about returning to. It’s definitely a place I could live too. So beautiful and the fresh seafood was incredible . Sounds like you guys had a great time.
We have found so many great small town spots like Portimao in the Algarve. Keeps calling us back!
Portugal is on my list but it’s so hard to know where exactly to go. This looks so pretty. I love the art and the architecture. I’m saving this for when I’m ready to make some decisions.
There are indeed so many great spots to visit in Portugal. One trip won’t be enough!
Portimão was also my first stop when I first went to the Algarve! A friend lives there so I keep coming back from time to time. I never ventured out much though so this guide is great! Next time I’ll look at your tips again to explore.
I hope you do get to discover some of the gems in Portimao on a return trip.
This sounds like a fabulous cruise! I’ve been to the Algarve and loved it, but I’ve never been to Portimao.
I hope you do get to visit Portimao one day. A great small town in the Algarve.
What a lovely day you had in Portimao! I enjoyed reading about your discoveries along the waterfront and the old town. The photos of the cliffs and caves are stunning. Thanks for sharing your travel tips!” 😊
We enjoyed our first visit to Portimao. A lovely discovery on the Algarve Coast in Portugal.
The only town in the Algarve I’ve been to is Lagos, but Portimao looks very similar! The cute old town, beautiful cliffs. What a great spot for a cruise stop!
There are indeed so many great small towns along the coast in the Algarve. A charming spot to wander in Portimao.
We were in the Algarve last year and missed Portimao! I love having reasons to return!
Glad to provide you with another reason to head back to the Algarve!
That blue sea and even more beautiful boats. I loved the different types of boats you have photographed. Certainly, I would like to see the cliffs and caves. A day’s walk along the marina would be good too with all those artscapes. The statue pix looks cute also. And definitely, a sweet end with a gelato. My wish list keeps growing with your posts.
It was great to wander in Portimao and discover all the things to see and do.
Nice pictures of Portimao! I spent half a day in this picturesque little town on the Algarve a few years ago. Definitely a relaxing experience – I can see why you want to go back.
We were glad we got to spend a little time wandering in Portimao. A great new discovery in the Algarve.
You have seen so many places on the Algarve Coast, that’s pretty impressive! I can understand why you chose not to go on a cruise excursion and just discover Portimão at your own pace. The town looks so beautiful, especially with those gorgeous tiled facades and the surprising murals. Sailing away from Portimão seems dreamy as well, definitely a reason to come back and explore more of this area.
A short visit on a port day was a great way to taste test the lovely town of Portimao. And know we want to go back.
This looks like a great place to explore! The tiles on the building is interesting and unique bringing out its own charm.
I heard that the Benagil Caves is a must-visit so, this might be something you’d like for your return trip.
We were sad to miss the Benagil Caves but we know we will be back in the Algarve another time and can visit later. A great day in Portimao.
The tiles are always so captivating to me – they’re beautiful! How nice that you also didn’t have to worry about booking excursions since you’ll be back in the area. Such a luxury! I think the caves sound like a great experience as I really like nature and all it has to offer (even underground!). Portimao is such a pretty stop, and it sounds like you had a great time!
It was indeed great that we did not feel like we had to book a cruise excursion. Love to just wander in great small towns like Portimao.
I have long wanted to visit the Algarve Coast. Thus far i have not heard of Portimao – and from what I read now: it just is a lovely town to just potter around enjoying the vibe of small towns. It looks very artistic with the very beautiful murals around. The portugese tiles are always interesting to see and admire as well. Your post just spurns me on to place the Algarve Coast higher on my list of places to finally go to!!
We loved all the things we found just wandering in Portimao. The Portuguese tiles are always a big draw. Hope you do get to explore the Algarve in Portugal.
Your vivid account of wandering in Portimao for a day captivates the allure of this Algarve gem. The scenic cruise port, with its cliffs, caves, and historic forts, set a picturesque backdrop. Your leisurely exploration, from the promenade to the charming old town, unveils the city’s cultural and architectural richness. The vibrant Portuguese tile art and street murals add a delightful touch. Your enthusiasm for a return visit, exploring Benagil Caves, the Museum of Portimão, and the village of Ferragudo, reflects the myriad treasures awaiting discovery. Thanks for sharing this delightful journey!
It was definitely great to enjoy a leisurely wander around Portimao. But our quick visit will definitely inspire another visit.