From north to south, many people inhabited the Iberian Peninsula, from the Celts, Suevi, Visigoths, Lusitanians, Romans, Arabs and Christians. Focusing more on Portugal and going south, to the Algarve, this region has a vast heritage left by these people, which is still being studied today.

Despite the different peoples that passed through the Algarve, the one that stood out most was the Arab people, and these people were the creators of its name, which means “the west”. Long before the Christian Reconquista, the Algarve was part of Muslim Andalusia, which gave rise to the expression Algarbe Andaluz which means “Western Andalusian”.

In addition to the name of the region, the Arabs left us a vast heritage that ranges from the utensils used in everyday life, to architecture and the legends and stories that characterize each place in the Algarve region.

Regarding the legends, the best known is the Legend of the Almond Trees in Bloom, which presents the emergence of the Almond Tree by the Arab people and also gives us knowledge of the famous Algarve Spring, which occurs in mid-February, where the fields of They dress in white, reminiscent of snow, where you can be dazzled by the almond trees in bloom.

Legend of the Almond Trees in Blossom

Many centuries ago, in the city of Chelb (Silves) there lived an Arab king Ibn-Almundim, distinguished by the people as victorious - it was said that he had never suffered a defeat. Of all the battles won, the one he faced with the people of Northern Europe was the most remarkable. It was there that he met Gilda, a blonde, blue-eyed princess who had been imprisoned. Enchanted, the king gave her back her freedom, having nurtured a strong affection that, over time, turned into a beautiful love story.

The couple lived very happily, until Gilda started to get sick. Mages and sages from around the world visited the kingdom to find a cure for the princess - without success. Being Gilda from the North, used to a climate opposite to the temperature of the Algarve, there seemed to be no way to stop her pain. An old captive from the northern lands asked to be received by the king, revealing to him what the princess suffered was nostalgia for the snow in her country. For this reason, King Ibn-Almundim had almond trees planted throughout the kingdom, to cover the land with white petals and simulate the tone of the snow.

This was done, and by the following Spring the kingdom was already covered with blossoming almond trees. The king took Gilda to the garden and she, seeing the white tone that painted the city, began to feel better. The princess was cured of her sadness.

Time has passed, but even today it is possible to be enchanted by Spring in the Algarve and discover the almond trees that make this destination so remarkable.

Come and discover the legends of the enchanted Moors that the Algarve has to offer through our friendly guides. For more information click here