It's not just you! I can't understand how that design was allowed. The cliffs and rock pillar used to look quite imposing, but now the lift structure has completely dwarfed them and ruined the view looking westwards along the beach. It's totally out of scale and incongruous in its design!

Some lovely photos there though. I particularly like the roofscapes. Really nice idea which I'd like to copy if I could work out where some of them were taken from!

Great photos, thank you.

Regarding the lift, the local council want everything to look modern (in the same way they have ruined the town square), because the Algarve's image in Portugal is traditionally that of the slightly backward country bumpkins. In their desparation to disprove this, they only make themselves look more stupid by ruining what they already have, thereby showing their true ignorance.

The horribly painted Marina is another example. Despite 99% of people hating it, the council still insist that it is popular and that everyone likes it...

I am glad it is not just me that thought that then about those horrible lifts
The square is nice modern and functional for those that like that style, but I think all this modernisation is ruining the very heart & soul of the old town, imho of course.

The roof top pictures were taken from a small quiet and very pleasent garden that sits high up near the far end of the beach close to those lifts.

Lovely pictures Graham, I really enjoyed them.

As you say pity about the lift.

Good pictures. The roofscapes are something I like as a means of blotting out some of the more horrible excesses lower down!

The 'modernisation' and prettification are designed to attract more and more high-spending tourists. The local councils depend on the money they get from developers to do this. Without a 'modern' image (ie hotels and golf courses) it is perceived that visitors will not want to come. There would be no money in the Algarve were it not for tourists. The traditional industries have all but disappeared.

But, as many have said, you can see concrete anywhere. But who cares, as long as the beer is cheap and the sun is shining?

Try visiting Lagos for an example of overdoing it! Cranes and concrete everywhere. Or should I say breeze blocks with a thin skim over the top.

So there will be plenty of accommodation for the hordes who are expected to descend once the new airport is built, but will anyone have any money?

Time to get off that hobby-horse now. Chores need doing.

Hi Graham, very nice photographs but you might not have noticed that because you spelt the town's name as Albufera instead of Albufeira they aren't showing up in the right place on Webshots photo database. Instead, your photos are in amongst the photos of the Lake Albufera nature reserve near Valencia, Spain.

thanks Robbo well spotted, all sorted now

Thanks for sharing your photo's with us Graham.