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The huge, sparsely populated plains of the Alentejo , to the southeast of Lisbon, are overwhelmingly agricultural, dominated by vast cork plantations well suited to the low rainfall, sweltering heat and arid soil. This impoverished province is divided into vast estates which provide nearly half of the world's cork but only a sparse living for its rural inhabitants. Visitors to the Alentejo often head for Evora , the province's dominant and most historic city. But the Portalegre hills north of Evora and the Alentejo's Costa Azul are a breath of fresh air to the stifling plains of the inland landscape. With its long, sandy beaches and picturesque rocky coves, the southern coastal region of the Algarve has attracted more tourist development than the rest of the country put together, turning much of the coast into a shabby concrete jungle. The coastline has two different characters. West of Faro , the lively capital of the Algarve, you'll find the classic postcard images of the province - a series of tiny bays and coves, broken up by weird rocky outcrops and fantastic grottoes, at their most exotic around the resort of Lagos . To the east of Faro you encounter the first of a series of sandy offshore islets, the Ilhas , which front the coastline for some 25 miles, and the lower-key resorts of Olhao and Tavira . Not only is this the quieter section of the coast but it has the bonus of much warmer water than further west. Throughout the Algarve accommodation can be a major problem in summer, with hotels block-booked by package companies and pensions filling up early in the day; private rooms or campsites help fill in the gaps, but if you're unlucky you might find yourself sleeping out for the odd night. If you fancy something a little less touristy, head inland where you'll find a more Portuguese way of life at Silves , the impressive former capital of the Moors.
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