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Visitors to the Algarve will normally arrive at Faro Airport and head straight for their holiday resort destination. If you arrive on a late flight, or have a little time to spare when you leave the Algarve, the Montenegro district of Faro is worth visiting to get a taste of real Algarve life. Situated about 1 kilometre from the airport, Montenegro is a bustling community comprising mainly of Portuguese, Brazilians and Ukranians, most of whom either work at Faro Airport or for one of the airport service companies such as car rental, catering, airport cleaning, etc.

The Montenegro district is not a tourist area, so don't expect the local people to understand English, although they are very helpful. The main Montenegro shopping street comprises of shops and bars to either side, with a few typical Algarve cafes (in Portugal these are called "Pastelarias") selling traditional Algarve coffee, pastries and cakes. Prices at the cafes and bars here are much lower than in the tourist resorts, so it is a good place to stop for a coffee or beer. The driving here can be a little unconventional, with people performing amazing feats of parking on the busy high street which intersects the rows of shops.

Walking behind the shops in the residential area to the East, there are some spectacular houses and villas, many with immaculately kept gardens containing citrus trees, palms, cactus and other sub-tropical fauna.

The annual Faro Algarve Motorcycle Rally is held in Faro woods just outside of Montengro. The event sees bikers from all around Europe descend on the area, many of whom camp on the rally site in the woods close to the airport. The event is held in mid-July. On the Sunday a bikers parade is held on the local roads, with an amazing assortment of motorcycles stopping traffic on the busy N125. Once a year in August, Montenegro has a sardine festival sponsored by the local government, with music and free sardines for all. It is held in the evening, so may not be ideal for young children.

Montenegro has a couple of good hotels; Hotel Monaco and Hotel Ibis, both of which are located in Montenegro, and are reasonably priced. If you arrive late at night, it could be worth considering a stopover in Montenegro before heading for your destination.

source: http://www.buzzle.com