Carvoeiro

Carvoeiro Beach

Carvoeiros' name is in fact "Praia do Carvoeiro" which means "Beach of the Charcoal man".

Originally, the village was a settlement of only a few houses on the side of a small river flowing down the valley from Lagoa. 'The people living there -were mostly fishermen and charcoal men from which the settlement took its name.

The river, in reality, was only a gully filled by the winter rains and a progressive change in climate resulted in a steady reduction of rainfall, until finally the river dried up. RJ

The only remaining reminder of its existence, is the name of one of the streets: "Rua do Barranco" which translated means "The Gully". As time went by the settlement expanded until the centre reached its present size some twenty years ago.

Carvoeiro was then discovered by holiday makers who were seduced by the beauty of the coastline and the friendliness of the people. Here and there villas began to appear and this original trickle slowly gained momentum culminating in the present large, well planned developments being built. The hills surrounding Carvoeiro have now become a showcase for estates which are an example of planning with foresight.

Because of its quiet elegance, Carvoeiro is now becoming a centre for good restaurants, lively discos and well stocked shops of all kinds.