The Algarve – More than its package holiday reputation

We spent a relaxing month in the Algarve, on Portugal’s southern coast. It has a reputation as a package holiday or “stag and hen party” destination, especially for Brits. It is a bit of that, but a lot more.

Faro – Capital of the Algarve

We based ourselves in Faro, capital of the region. It is often overlooked by tourists as it does not have the big hotels, and the beach is 10 km away. The beach can only be reached by ferry (€2.00) through the Ría Formosa, a system of barrier islands, designated a World Heritage site, or a 25 minute bus ride.

It was perfect for us. There is a lot to see and do, yet is quieter than many of the more popular tourist destinations. The old town with its cobbled streets is very well preserved, as are the Roman walls dating back 2,000 years. For the macabre, there is the Nossa Senhora do Carmo church containing the Capela dos Ossos (Chapel of Skulls).

Faro is ideally situated in the centre of the Algarve. The train network connects to all the major towns along the coast. Buses connect to the nearby hill villages. From Faro we were able to explore from Lagos in the west to the Spanish border town of Ayamonte in the east, as well as the nearby hill towns of Estoi and Loulé.

Western Algarve

The Western Algarve is best known for tourism, especially Albufeira and Lagos. Tourists are attracted to their wide, golden beaches, golf courses and massive all-inclusive hotels with discount package deals. Albufeira has the reputation of being the region’s party central. There are beaches steps from the town centre and bars and night clubs open into the early hours of the morning. During the day cafes and restaurants abound, with loud music competing with English Premier League football matches on big-screen TVs. If you like to party, this will be the town for you.

In addition to its resort atmosphere, Lagos is renowned for the Ponta da Piedade, its coastline of limestone cliffs, caves and arches. The red-hued, sheer cliffs with turquoise waves crashing into them are spectacular.

The highlights for us were the hill towns of Monchique and Silves. Monchique is reminiscent of an Austrian alpine village, high in the hills above Portimão and Lagos. Castillo de Silves, the castle looming over the town of Silves from atop the cliffs, makes the 2 km walk from the train station (to our dismay Portuguese rail stations are often nowhere near the towns they are named for) worthwhile.

Eastern Algarve

The Eastern Algarve – from Faro to the Spanish border – is less touristic. The coastline is more rugged, with limited access to beaches and the towns we visited – Olhão, Tavira, Fuseta and Vila Real de Santo António – retain more local character. For a more laid-back vacation, head to the Eastern Algarve.

Convento de Nossa Senhora do Desterro, Monchique

A deserted convent on the hillside above Monchique offers great views of the surrounding countryside and the town below, yet does not appear in most mainstream guidebooks. It was built in 1631, destroyed by the great earthquake in 1755, rebuilt, then permanently closed in 1834. In 1842 it was sold off in in segments to different families. As the building deteriorated, most of the families abandoned it. In the 1980’s the town started to buy back ownership from the families, but unfortunately they cannot find descendants for all the owners, so the property remains in limbo.

As we took pictures of the dilapidated structure an eccentric, grizzled old man beckoned at us to follow him inside. We were a bit apprehensive but curiosity got the better of us. The inside was dimly lit, the place was in ruins and should have been condemned. Part of the roof was missing, while the walls and other parts of the roof had some serious looking cracks in them. There was a strange alter, a cloister that was home to chickens and cats; the convent was in ruins. Seems that the man who beckoned us in is a descendent of one of the owners (or just a squatter, hard to know). He lives there with his brother and scrapes a living from the “donations” tourist leave when exiting. Hard to believe anyone would want to live in such a spooky place.

Home-Cooking

There is no shortage of restaurants or bars in Faro, with local food at affordable prices. However, if you feel like trying your hand at cooking, they have a fabulous fresh market. The fish monger will dress and fillet your fish at no extra cost. As a result, we cooked a lot of our meals at home, searching out traditional Portuguese recipes. Friday and Saturday are the best days to buy fish at the market as the selection increases substantially from other days. The local advice to never buy fish on Mondays is very wise.

We cooked a lot of fish, including Dourada (sea bream), Robalo (sea bass), choco (cuttlefish) and polvo (octopus). Hard to go wrong when the fish is super fresh. We also had possibly the best meal of our travels at a small cervejaria (literally a beer bar, but really a restaurant) run by two sisters on the waterfront in Olhão. It’s called seafood rice, but don’t be fooled by the simple name.

To view more photos click here to go to the Algarve Photo Album.