The Algarve has an amazing variety of wild flowers that creating a changing landscape throughout the year. Spring comes very early to this southern part of Portugal and by January the cliffs are already a mass of colour. The year starts with a carpet of yellow 'Bermuda buttercups' on the cliffs and in the fields and white 'Sweet Alison' edges the paths. Delicate pink 'Storks Bills' and purple 'Barbary Nuts' (like miniature irises) quickly join in the show. By February the roadsides are a blaze of yellow Mimosa and in March the pale yellow flowers of the 'Hottentot Figs' open, along with ' Large Blue Alkanets', 'Purple Viper's Burgloss', 'Yellow Sea Asters' and 'Narrow leaved lupins' to name just a few. By April Giant fennel plants on the cliff tops create a strange sight with their yellow flowers on stems that tower feet above everything else.
Insect life is also in abundance in the Algarve and in August dragonflies of all colours descend on the region and stick around until well into November. Praying mantis’ can also sometimes be spotted if you look very carefully. Oddly enough hedgehogs are also quite common and can be found along the coastal cliffs! Lizards and geckos are often spotted sunning themselves and if you look carefully in the pine forests around Monte Gordo you may spot a chameleon too.
Marine life - Guia/Albufeira, photo by Henrique Ahnfelt
In the rivers and streams otters, Mediterranean turtles and water snakes may be spotted as well as salamanders as well as the white stork. The Algarve is also home to a few species of snakes; The Montpellier snake which can grow up to 2 metres long, Lataste's viper, the False Smooth Snake and the more common grass snakes. However, don’t panic! They are harmless and snakes normally do a quick disappearing act at the first sign of anyone, so chances are that you won't ever see one!
ATOP members: Algarve Select, Destination Portugal, Keytel International
