The Aljezur Sweet Potato Festival: Worth a Visit

Each autumn, Aljezur celebrates the sweet potato and its importance to the community by holding a Festival.

The 2011 event ran from Thursday to Sunday, from midday to midnight, except on the Sunday, when it closed at 9 pm. It takes place in the Espaço Multiusos, a vast, one hundred metre long metal shed set among steep wooded hills with views across the valley to the old town and castle.

Aljezur was founded in the tenth century by the Arabs, but in 1249 was taken by a band of knights of the Order of Santiago. They attacked the castle so suddenly that the moors had no time to defend themselves.

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A22 tolls a reality: Guide to Payment Options and Charges now available in English

The long-anticipated toll charging system for the Algarve’s A22 motorway came into effect on 8^th December 2011. The system covers the length of the A22, but some toll-free, short journeys can be made, particularly between adjacent exits. For example, it is possible to cross the bridge from Spain using the A22 and transfer to the N125, or to travel from Bensafrim to Lagos, without incurring a charge.

The normal toll rate for class 1 small cars is 9c/km. The class 1 journey from Lagos to the airport currently costs €6.60 including IVA. Toll rates for 9-seaters, SUVs and other larger vehicles are higher. There are no toll booths as such. The system captures number plate information using cameras mounted on overhead gantries, and automatically creates or updates an account for each vehicle identified.

Originally scheduled to be introduced in April, the A22 tolls have been strongly resisted by local residents and businesses. This is despite the exemptions and discounts being offered temporarily to people living or working in adjacent council areas. Visitors to the Algarve, particularly the Spanish, have also opposed the measure, going so far as joining with the locals in demonstrations involving hundreds of vehicles.

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