While the region of the Algarve is most likely best known for its wonderful top-notch beaches, golf courses and great weather, the area is also well-known for a great amount of traditional crafts and modern arts which are a big part of the overall culture, including the Alvor arts and crafts.
Those of you who find yourselves in Alvor and are interested in art and design in general, you’ll enjoy to discover the galleries, studios, boutique shops and market stalls of this section of the region.
These traditional hand-made artifacts are great mementos of your trip and can be very well received as presents for those you left at home when you return.
The region has a strong tradition of embroidery, with dining sets, bed linen, handkerchiefs and all manner of things being wonderfully embroidered.
Another major characteristic of local crafts is ceramics, another major favorite of the Portuguese culture, you can go from the traditional ‘azulejos’ – decorated tiles – to hand-painted pieces featuring modern and cutting edge design.
Then there’s jewelry, you may not think of it as being a major craft of this beach-centric region, but the Alvor area you’ll find a nice selection of handmade pieces using materials like shells and semi-precious stones. These are obviously aimed at the lower end tourist market but they are still very well-made. This doesn’t mean that you can’t also find higher end stuff, in fact when it comes to gold jewelry, all gold in Portugal must be a minimum of 19.2 carats by law, so you can count on the quality of such an item if you invest in it here. More-so, the prices here are competitive with those around Europe, and tend to be lower than many other shops in Portugal.
For those looking for more functional mementos, there’s basketware, leather goods, hats and all manner of handmade household and other personal items that will work just as well.
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