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Albufeira History
The southern Portuguese city of Albufeira is rich in culture and history. However, before being named as Albufeira, the town was Baltum. This was a Roman settlement that was the first part of the town and during the time that the town was Baltum, the first aqueducts were set in place, some of which still remain today. When trade between Africa and the town began, the town gained the name Albufeira, which comes from the Arab word Al-Buheria, meaning “Castle of the Sea.” The town thrived due in part to the Arab influence. Townspeople were taught about agriculture to accompany the fishing, which up until then was the sole means of survival in the town. During the middle ages, the Christian conquest reached Albufeira near the end of the 12th century. It was in 1249 that the Moors were driven out of Albufeira by armies under the reign of Kind D Alfonso III. This is when the town joined as a part of Portugal and Algarve. The town received its charter as a town on August 20 1504 by King D Manuel I. Albufeira has seen the largest number of natural disasters of all the southern Portuguese settlements. In 1755, an earthquake ravaged the town and caused a massive tidal flood, taking down much of the structure with it. The rebuilding of the town after this was slow and difficult. The fishing industry in Albufeira saved the town during the 19th century, when the export of local fish as well as dried fruit became the main income for the area. The town thrived further after the boom of tourism beginning in 1960. As the number of tourists grew, so did Albufeira, finally officially becoming a city in 1986. On average, over the year, about five million tourists visit Albufeira. Car hire makes it possible to go all over the region with full freedom as to your schedule. Cheap car hire from Faro airport is a great way to explore the city and see all the historical sites and get a real taste of the local flavour of the Algarve.
Travel guide to Albufeira
Albufeira History
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