Algarve West Tourism Guide - Porches

Porches Holiday Guide Algarve & nearby Historic Lagoa

Many of the houses in Porches are painted white, adding to its rural charm and character. As well as being a pretty rural Algarve holiday base, Porches is most renowned for its pottery and ceramics. Many a daytripper heads up here to the Pottery factory to purchase the delightful and distinctive blue, green and turquoise pottery made here.

If you're looking for a good base from which to explore the main wine region on the Algarve - Lagoa and its vineyards, then Porches will do just fine. Not as prevalent now as in the past, many of the vineyards around Lagoa have closed. Vineyard owners found it more lucrative to sell off the land mostly for holiday homes and villas! It's a turnaround from the once thriving co-operative here run for and by vineyard owners.

Some Algarve wines are still produced in this area however, specifically full bodied reds. Historic attractions in Lagoa include the Igreja de Misericordia church dating from the mid-18th century and the Convento do Sao Jose built in 1713 (buildings that survived the 1755 earthquake are of interest just for that fact!)

Every August Lagoa becomes a hive of activity revolving around the Fatacil - a rural produce fair. Well worth a visit during this period, you'll find products from all over Portugal sold here in Lagoa during this summer month. Lots of live music, general celebrations and nightly entertainment too. Checkout too the flea market in Lagoa on the 14th of every month.

Porches Algarve Pottery

Olaria Algarve Porches Pottery, Freitas & Swift Lda. E.N. 125 Alqueves, Porches, 8400-451 Lagoa, Algarve, Portugal. Tel. (351) 282 352 858. See weblink right for details - you can view their choice of products on the website too, which includes of course beautiful Azulejos tiles. Open from 9am to 6pm, Mondays to Fridays, and 10am to 2pm on Saturdays, closed Sundays. The stylish Cafe Bar Bacchus, open 11am to 3pm from Monday to Saturday, is also on-site.

Even better on the Azulejos tiles front is the magical Olaria Pequena Pottery centre, EN 125 Porches, 8400-489 Lagoa, Algarve, Portugal. Tel: (351) 282 381213. Not to be missed this pottery outlet, Olaria only sell direct to the public now so you'll have to visit the centre to view and buy their sublime pottery work. Check the weblink right for details and photos of some of their pottery pieces - beautiful designs at an affordable price.

A must visit for that Algarve gift, although you'll probably end up keeping it for yourself, they're so good!