According to Postal, Monchique is the highest village in the Algarve, it is 450 metres above sea level and is the seat of a municipality with just over 5,000 inhabitants. Medronho brandy is one of the village's typical products which is produced by the medronheiro tree, which is typical of the Algarve mountains.
Additionally, the houses are also the image of the village, not just because of their architecture, which is very similar to traditional Algarve architecture, but because of the famous skirt chimneys that rise on top of the houses.
The famous village of Monchique was built in the heart of the mountain range, this municipality in the western Algarve is known for its narrow, steep streets that "allow us to see new perspectives on the green mountain range at every step, showing a certain exoticism, increased by the presence of vegetable trees, fruit trees and orchards", according to Visit Portugal.
The houses follow traditional Algarve architecture, marked by white walls and spots of colour on the doors and windows, but what sets Monchique's houses apart from the rest of the Algarve are the chimneys. They are called skirt chimneys and their base is usually the width of the entire kitchen. This is because, in the past, families spent most of their time in the kitchen. The fire under these chimneys was used as a fireplace for heating, a stove and also as a smokehouse for sausages.