Property for sale Portimão - West Algarve

Certainly by the time of the Romans, Portimão was a significant port town, which they dubbed Portus Magnus. However, during the decadence of the Visigothic era, the town dwindled, so that by the Islamic period it was little more than small Moorish fishing settlement. Frequent pirate raids caused a new town, endowed with stout defensive walls, to be constructed, “Vila Nova de Portimãao” during the reign of King Afonso V in the 15th century. The town went on to prosper through the increase in foreign maritime trade as a result of Portuguese voyages of exploration down the West African Coast.

Unfortunately the 1755 earthquake destroyed it and the town remained almost deserted until its fortunes revived during the 19th century when the establishment of fish canning factories near the Portimão quayside and across the estuary at Ferragudo caused the town to develop into the modern city of today.

Plans have recently been finalised for the conversion of one of the old fish-canning factories, the Fabrica Feu, on the commercial quay, famous for producing the “La Rose” brand of tinned sardines, into a major museum complex, scheduled for opening in 2005.

As well as displaying an impressive wealth of artefacts spanning all historical periods from as far back as the Neolithic and even the Pleistocene Ages, the museum will also house the support station for the extensive sub-aquatic archaeological operations that are currently underway in the River Arade.