Portimão Nautical Station

Portimão is today one of the most important cities in the Algarve region and a national reference in terms of activities linked to the sea. According to data from pordata.pt, in 2017, Portimão had 55,392 inhabitants, to which we must add the thousands of visitors that the municipality receives annually, who, in 2018, generated 2,715,226 overnight stays (INE:2019), these figures only relating to the hotel industry. It is therefore abundantly clear how important tourism is as a primary economic activity for the municipality.

A prime tourist destination, Portimão is the Algarve's Maritime Gateway given its port infrastructure. On the one hand, the only Portuguese Navy Naval Support Point on the southern coast of the mainland is located in Portimão. On the other hand, the Port of Portimão, a unique port infrastructure in the region, annually welcomes dozens of cruise ships which, in 2017, brought approximately 45,000 passengers to the region. But, in addition to this activity linked to the cruise sector, the Port of Portimão will now receive the only weekly maritime connection with a ro-pax (ferry) vessel, carrying passengers and cargo, between Funchal (and the Canary Islands) and the mainland.

Portimão also offers an important harbor at the entrance to the Mediterranean, the Portimão Marina, distinguished with several international awards, the stage for the most prestigious nautical events in the world, and facilities with 620 berths that provide all support services to sailors and their vessels, including a shipyard. In addition to the services offered by the Portimão Marina, there are also approximately 300 berths offered by the Bartolomeu Dias and São Francisco Recreational Ports on the Arade River.

But Portimão's maritime offerings are not limited to its port facilities and vessel reception areas. Portimão is also one of the municipalities with the most diverse range of recreational boating activities in the region. According to Turismo de Portugal's records, there are 55 registered maritime tourism companies in the municipality offering visitors a wide variety of programs, such as coastal tours, visits to caves, trips up the Arade River to Silves, dolphin watching, sport fishing, boat rentals with and without crew, and diving.

Diving in Portimão boasts one of the most important national landmarks – the Ocean Revival project – composed of four warships that form a large artificial reef, unique in the world, and offering singular conditions for the proliferation of marine life. The diving offerings are complemented by the availability of the only hyperbaric chamber in the south of the country, located at the Alvor Private Hospital.

With sun and sea as its main tourist product, Portimão boasts 8km of accessible Blue Flag beaches and a range of facilities designed to provide visitors with a high level of well-being, including beach restaurants, beach support services, and nautical centers offering various activities such as pedal boat and jet ski rentals, and opportunities for sailing, windsurfing, and water skiing. For kitesurfing, the best spots are Praia de Alvor, for experienced kitesurfers, and the Ria de Alvor, for beginners, as evidenced by the ever-increasing number of practitioners.

In Portimão, a nautical spirit prevails, making it a privileged location to learn and perfect the art of sailing in the existing Clubs and Associations that offer opportunities to practice various sports such as diving, sailing, kitesurfing, surfing, and bodyboarding, and develop training courses and programs in these activities, as well as for sailors, local skippers, and coastal skippers.

But this connection with the sea, with more than five thousand years of history, is complemented by land-based activities supporting nautical activities. The sale of boats, shipbuilding and repair yards, the sale of nautical, fishing, and diving equipment, and various accessories for water sports are some of the services that can be found.

In a mature tourist destination and international reference, gastronomy is one of the main attractions. It's no coincidence that talking about Portimão is talking about fishing, one of the country's main fishing ports, grilled sardines, and a cuisine based on seafood, served in dozens of restaurants throughout the municipality. The sardine and the canning industry also see their legacy and economic importance preserved in the Portimão Museum, a cultural institution that is part of the national museum network, built in the former Feu Hermanos cannery and which has received international awards, including the 2010 Council of Europe Museum Prize, awarded by the Council of Europe.

In addition to all this offering linked to nautical activities and the maritime economy, Portimão also boasts a diverse range of tourist attractions, including a vast hotel network ranging from exclusive hotels to seasonal rental apartments, four golf courses, and unique features in the Algarve such as the possibility of practicing motorsports at the Algarve International Racetrack Complex, including the karting track, and skydiving at the Portimão Municipal Aerodrome.