| Above: Western Algarve near Cavoeiro |
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Portugal: Algarvian Landscapes |
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The Algarve is subdivided into three main areas, each of which contains some extraordinarily beautiful landscapes:
- The Litoral (coastal area) is where most of the region's economic activity is concentrated. In terms of landscape, the Algarve coast is very diversified, varying between abrupt and jagged coastlines, extensive sandy beaches, inlets formed by lagoons, marshland areas and various formations of sand dunes. The predominant rocks are essentially of the sedimentary type (as is the case with the arenites and conglomerates). Morphologically, the coastal area has a low altitude and mainly consists of plains, divided into fields and meadows;
- The Barrocal area marks the transition between the coast and the mountains, consisting of limestone and schist. This area is also known as the "beira-serra" (literally the mountain edge) and is where most of the agricultural produce of the Algarve originates from;
- The Serra (hills) occupy 50% of the territory and are essentially formed from schist and some granitic rocks (in this latter case, in Monchique, where there is an outcrop of nepheline syenite). The main ranges of hills are the Serra de Espinhaço de Cão, Serra de Monchique (where Foia, the highest point in the Algarve is to be found, at an altitude of 900 metres) and the Serra do Caldeirão or the Serra do Mú. |
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| Serra: view to the barrocal and the sea |
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| Barrocal and Serra: Rocha da Pena |
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