Have you ever wondered how our towns and cities got their names? Across the Algarve, the names of numerous towns and cities are etched in history. Some can trace their names back to the Moorish era, often keeping a variation of their Arabic name today. Even the name Algarve derives from the Arabic term Al-Gharb’ meaning ‘the west’. Others take their names from Latin, thanks to the reach of the Roman Empire, and possibly from local legends.
The name Portugal was first mentioned in the 9th century and was widely used to refer to the region between the rivers Douro and Minho. Portugal is derived from the Latin words portus (meaning port) and cale (tranquil), which were used to describe an area around the modern-day city of Porto. It evolved into the name Portucale during the Visigothic period, then Condado de Portucal around 868 AD when Christian nobleman Vímara Peres reconquered the region from the Moors. Finally, the name changed to Portugale before becoming Portugal.
If you’re not already confused with the evolution of Latin, you might want to prepare yourselves for its Arabian counterpart, which plays a prominent role in many Algarvian names. Whilst it would be lengthy to include every town and village, we can at least shed some light on the origins of the names of some of the region’s most popular towns and cities. Maybe you might find the origins of where you are based.
Loulé
I’ve always thought Loulé has a slight Parisian atmosphere combined with its Moorish architecture, but if you think its name sounds a little French you’d be mistaken. Loulé is actually another remnant of the Algarve’s Arabian past. Deriving from the word al-ulyã meaning height, it refers to its surrounding hills. The name slowly formed into the modern-day name Loulé.
Faro
Starting with the region’s capital. Faro is often translated to lighthouse, but its name actually derives from the Arabic word harūn, related to the given name Aaron. According to José Pedro Machado (Dictionary of the Portuguese Language), the name was of an Arab family that controlled the city between 1016 and 1052. Harūn was later adapted to Old Portuguese and formed the name Fárom, which later evolved into Fárão and, finally, Faro.
Alcantarilha
Apart from being a tongue-twister of a name, Alcantarilha takes its roots from the Arabic word al-quanTarâ, which can be loosely translated to ‘viaduct’ or ‘aqueduct’. The ilha part of the name possibly came from the Romans, indicating a small bridge. Could this name have originated as ‘a small bridge over an aqueduct’?
Lagoa and Lagos
At first glance, the name Lagoa shares a similarity with the name Lagos and there is some truth to this. Lagoa, in fact, originates from the Portuguese word for lake. More specifically, a small one that most likely existed in the area at some point.
On the other hand, the name Lagos is indeed the counterpart of Lagoa, despite the cities themselves being 27 km apart. Lagos literally means lakes in Portuguese and is derived from the Latin word Lacobriga, which was given to the area by the Romans. It would be far more accurate to say that the name refers to a ‘bigger lake’ than Lagoa. Founded in around 2,000 BC, Lagos has been ruled by the Carthaginians, Romans, and Moors, and as many of you know, its heritage is widely preserved today. You could say that Lagoa means ‘small lake’ and Lagos means ‘big lake’.
Albufeira
One could say that Albufeira is arguably the Algarve’s tourist Mecca. This may seem fitting given that the name Albufeira comes from the Arabic word al-buhera, which means ‘castle by the sea’. The name could relate to a former fortress that was situated upon a cliff that overlooked a lagoon in the lower part of Albufeira, possibly near what we know today as downtown Albufeira. Occupied by the Moors in around 716, the region was once rich in agriculture and was a thriving trading post. It was one of the first places in the area to use fertiliser to enhance crop growth. Although the original fortress that created the name Albufeira has been lost in time, its name has become one of the most recognisable in Portugal.
Armação de Pêra
Prior to the tourist boom, Armação de Pêra had always been known as a typical fishing town. However, its name derives from the nearby town of Pêra (meaning ‘pear’). Originally, Pêra was divided into two parts: the town, known as Pêra de Cima (Upper Pêra), and the seaside district of Armação de Pêra, which was then called Pêra de Baixo (Lower Pêra). With its connection to the fishing industry, and the fishing nets, which were known as armação, that once dotted the coastline, the town eventually adopted the name Armação de Pêra, loosely translating as ‘trap of pears’. Ironically, Armação de Pêra is now larger than the village of Pêra, which gave the town its original name.
Silves
Silves, formerly the Moorish capital of the Algarve, is a prime example of the Arabian Algarve, given its splendidly preserved castle and rabbit-warren of streets. The name Silves can be traced back to the Latin word silva, meaning a forest or wood. Given that the surrounding area was once covered with trees, the name seems quite fitting, despite the terrain having changed quite a bit since the days of old.
Mexilhoeira Grande
This small town may have a name that many of us struggle to pronounce, but its meaning is an odd one. Mexilhoeira Grande is derived from the Portuguese word mexilhão, which means ‘mussel’ and grande meaning ‘big’. Literally, Mexilhoeira Grande is a ‘big mussel’ despite it being some 3 km inland and only a relatively small town. That said, the town does have a cluster of mussels inscribed on its coat of arms.
Odiáxere
One of the most unusual town names in my opinion is Odiáxere (pronounced: oh-dee-AH-sheh-reh), which derives from, you’ve guessed it, Arabic. The word wadi (or uadi) means ‘river’ or ‘valley’, however, the áxere element of Odiáxere remains somewhat unclear.
Monchique
The name Monchique appears to have been given by the Moorish occupiers. Known as Munt Šāqir in Arabic, the name refers to the rolling hills and the peaks of Fóia and Picota. Munt Šāqir, meaning ‘sacred mountain’, would eventually become Mons Săcĕr or Mons Cicus as Latin swept the area. This, in turn, would transform the name into Monchique.
Quarteira
Popular with tourists, Quarteira is far older than what meets the eye. The name Quarteira comes from the Latin word quartārius, which means ‘fourth part’. It is thought that at some point in history, the area was divided into parts but gradually joined to form the current town. Founded in 504 BC and first named Carteira, the former Roman town once thrived with a large trade in salt and fish. Nothing remains of the former town, which vanished soon after the earthquake of 1755; however, its name lives on as one of the Algarve’s best-loved tourist destinations.
Sagres
Finally, at the southwestern-most edge of the Algarve, we have Sagres, which played an important role in Portugal’s Age of Discoveries. Named after Prince Henry the Navigator’s nautical school, Escola de Sagres, the Latin name can be translated to ‘sacred place’ or ‘sanctuary’. Given its strategic position and armoured fortress, it definitely is a sanctuary of the Algarve.
Portimão
The seaport city of Portimão has the Romans to thank for its name. Originally called by its Latin name Portus Hannibalis, the city eventually took on the name Portus Magonis or Portus Magnus, meaning ‘great port’, thanks to its lucrative trade route to Africa via the Arade river. Eventually, Portus Magnus evolved into Portimão, the second largest city after Faro.
Main image: Algarve Map c. 1730 – Public Domain
