TripAdvisor, the largest online travel website community, now has over 200 million reviews and opinions and the Portugal section shows what people like and dislike about holidaying there.
In fact half of the Portuguese top ten are in the Algarve, starting with Albufeira at number 4, followed by Portimão (6th), Sagres (7th), Lagos (8th) and for the first time in such an important ranking, Olhão is at number 9.
The president of Olhão council, António Pina, already has commented, saying that his city’s ranking, chosen from hundreds of well priced national destinations, "is proof that Olhão is changing for the better and is attracting more and more tourists who are leaving positive scores."
"Olhão is happy to be contributing to tourists’ happiness" and Pina added that the city has "culture, great food and an enormous natural beauty that needs to continue to receive the utmost care and preservation."
Pina is deeply concerned that the Ria Formosa islands in both Olhão and Faro council areas, are being blighted by the current 800 property demolitions which, as announced last weekend by the Minister for the Environment, is just the start of a social engineering policy to rid the islands of its inhabitants and thus the areas' interest and charm “so that all can share their natural beauty.”
TripAdvisor reviewers of Olhão also failed to take into account the smell and view of raw sewage outflows, most noticeable by the ferry terminal entrance, adding to the general unchecked pollution in the Ria Formosa lagoon despite it being trumpeted by the government as a shellfish production zone of quality.
In the case of Albufeira, the Algarve's highest-rated destination, the TripAdvisor tourists highlighted its beaches, especially Falesia Beach, and Zoomarine and the Adventure Park.
Praia do Vau in Portimão, Praia da Rocha, Alvor, the Museum of Portimão, the coastal walks, and trips "on the pirate ship Santa Bernarda" all are listed as family favourites, as is the International Autodrome.
In Sagres, tourists point out the "beautiful and haunted Fortaleza de Sagres" and of course Cabo de São Vicente with its beautiful sunsets.
Lagos is noted for its city walls and heritage, but also Ponta da Piedade, and the controversial Dona Ana beach where recent ‘envirionmental works,’ commissioned by the Ministry of the Envoronment, have changed its character by scraping away the cliffs 'to amke them safer' and dumping dredged sand on the beach to the horror of environmentalists .
Finally, on Olhão, TripAdvisor notes its "many seaside cafes and historic centre," the "fresh local produce in both markets (pictured)" and boating "to explore the protected area of the Natural Park of the Ria Formosa."
Top 10 Destinations - Portugal:
1 Lisbon
2 Funchal
3. Oporto
4 Albufeira
5 Cascais
6 Portimão
7 Sagres
8 Lagos
9 Olhão
10 Sintra
