Monchique
Municipality in Algarve, Portugal
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Portugal (2011)
date varies
Monchique (Portuguese pronunciation: [mõˈʃikɨ] ⓘ) is a municipality of southern Portugal, in Faro District (province of Algarve).[1] The population in 2011 was 6,045,[2] in an area of 395.30 km2.[3]
The Municipality of Monchique is situated in the Serra de Monchique and together with the town of Monchique is a tourist destination. Attractions include a historic town centre, views from the two peaks of Foia and Picota, hiking, bird watching and biking. There are hot sulfur springs, with baths and health spas 6 kilometres (4 mi) south in 'Caldas de Monchique' (Spring of Monchique). Eucalyptus, cork oak, oranges, lemons, honey, olive oil, chestnuts, scissor chairs made from chestnut wood, black pork and black pork ham and sausages are the chief products. There are several small industries producing tourist artifacts that are sold in local shops, and medronho, a local brew made from distilled medronho berries (Arbutus/Strawberry Tree), is produced.[4]
Parishes
Administratively, the municipality is divided into 3 civil parishes (freguesias):[5]
- Alferce
- Marmelete
- Monchique
Climate
Monchique has a Mediterranean climate with warm to hot summers and mild, wet winters. Due to its altitude and location, right between the valley formed by the Serra de Monchique, precipitation in the winter is much larger than anywhere else on the Algarve. Its position on the southwest corner of Portugal gives it very mild temperatures in the winter, especially for its altitude.
| Climate data for Monchique, 1954-1980 normals, 1981-2021 precipitation, altitude: 465 m (1,526 ft) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 21.5 (70.7) | 24.0 (75.2) | 23.5 (74.3) | 28.5 (83.3) | 33.5 (92.3) | 34.5 (94.1) | 38.0 (100.4) | 35.9 (96.6) | 36.0 (96.8) | 31.5 (88.7) | 26.0 (78.8) | 23.5 (74.3) | 38.0 (100.4) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 12.6 (54.7) | 13.0 (55.4) | 14.5 (58.1) | 16.8 (62.2) | 20.0 (68.0) | 23.2 (73.8) | 27.0 (80.6) | 27.3 (81.1) | 24.8 (76.6) | 20.3 (68.5) | 15.7 (60.3) | 13.1 (55.6) | 19.0 (66.2) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 9.8 (49.6) | 10.0 (50.0) | 11.2 (52.2) | 12.9 (55.2) | 15.6 (60.1) | 18.4 (65.1) | 21.4 (70.5) | 21.8 (71.2) | 20.2 (68.4) | 16.6 (61.9) | 12.6 (54.7) | 10.2 (50.4) | 15.1 (59.1) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 7.0 (44.6) | 7.0 (44.6) | 7.9 (46.2) | 9.0 (48.2) | 11.2 (52.2) | 13.6 (56.5) | 15.8 (60.4) | 16.3 (61.3) | 15.6 (60.1) | 12.9 (55.2) | 9.5 (49.1) | 7.3 (45.1) | 11.1 (52.0) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 129.7 (5.11) | 130.6 (5.14) | 83.8 (3.30) | 104.6 (4.12) | 62.5 (2.46) | 18.3 (0.72) | 3.2 (0.13) | 6.6 (0.26) | 40.5 (1.59) | 128.4 (5.06) | 180.2 (7.09) | 186.4 (7.34) | 1,074.8 (42.32) |
| Average relative humidity (%) | 86 | 82 | 80 | 74 | 73 | 70 | 63 | 63 | 71 | 76 | 82 | 83 | 75 |
| Source 1: Instituto de Meteorologia[6] | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: Portuguese Environment Agency (precipitation)[7] | |||||||||||||
| Climate data for Caldas de Monchique, 1951-1980, altitude: 203 m (666 ft) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 23.8 (74.8) | 25.8 (78.4) | 28.3 (82.9) | 31.7 (89.1) | 36.9 (98.4) | 36.8 (98.2) | 40.8 (105.4) | 40.5 (104.9) | 38.6 (101.5) | 35.6 (96.1) | 28.8 (83.8) | 26.5 (79.7) | 40.8 (105.4) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 15.2 (59.4) | 15.8 (60.4) | 17.4 (63.3) | 19.8 (67.6) | 23.1 (73.6) | 26.3 (79.3) | 30.0 (86.0) | 30.5 (86.9) | 28.1 (82.6) | 23.3 (73.9) | 18.6 (65.5) | 16.0 (60.8) | 22.0 (71.6) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 11.4 (52.5) | 11.8 (53.2) | 13.0 (55.4) | 15.0 (59.0) | 17.8 (64.0) | 20.6 (69.1) | 23.7 (74.7) | 24.2 (75.6) | 22.2 (72.0) | 18.4 (65.1) | 14.4 (57.9) | 12.0 (53.6) | 17.0 (62.7) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 7.6 (45.7) | 7.8 (46.0) | 8.6 (47.5) | 10.2 (50.4) | 12.5 (54.5) | 14.9 (58.8) | 17.4 (63.3) | 17.9 (64.2) | 16.3 (61.3) | 13.5 (56.3) | 10.2 (50.4) | 8.0 (46.4) | 12.1 (53.7) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 165.5 (6.52) | 158.1 (6.22) | 150.0 (5.91) | 80.4 (3.17) | 55.4 (2.18) | 23.8 (0.94) | 0.9 (0.04) | 6.3 (0.25) | 25.2 (0.99) | 117.4 (4.62) | 131.0 (5.16) | 162.9 (6.41) | 1,076.9 (42.41) |
| Average relative humidity (%) | 84 | 81 | 76 | 70 | 65 | 62 | 57 | 56 | 65 | 75 | 80 | 82 | 71 |
| Source: Instituto de Meteorologia[6] | |||||||||||||
References
- ^ Detail Regional Map, Algarve- Southern Portugal, ISBN 3-8297-6235-6
- ^ Instituto Nacional de Estatística
- ^ "Áreas das freguesias, concelhos, distritos e país". Archived from the original on 2018-11-05. Retrieved 2018-11-05.
- ^ "Medronho - an Algarve strong fruit brandy". U4portugal.co.uk. Retrieved 2013-03-24.
- ^ Diário da República. "Law nr. 11-A/2013, page 552 76" (pdf) (in Portuguese). Retrieved 28 July 2014.
- ^ a b "Plano Municipal de Defesa da Floresta Contra Incêndios dos concelhos de Aljezur, Lagos e Vila do Bispo" (PDF). Entroncamento Municipality. Retrieved 10 June 2021.
- ^ "Monchique (30F/01C), 1981-2021". snirh.apambiente.pt. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
External links
Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Monchique.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Monchique.
- official Monchique Municipality website
- Monchiqueportugal.info
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Monchique". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 18 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 693.
| Municipality of Faro District (Algarve) |
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| Albufeira | Alcoutim | Aljezur | Castro Marim | Faro | Lagoa | Lagos | Loulé | Monchique | Olhão | Portimão | São Brás de Alportel | Silves | Tavira | Vila do Bispo | Vila Real de Santo António |
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