Five stars for Monte Santo
Europe’s Most Romantic Resort of 2018 has a fresh new look When Monte Santo Resort opened its doors in August 2008, there was a lot of curiosity about the all-suite development behind the gates. Sprawling over a vast eight hectares of manicured and now mature gardens, the salmon-coloured collection of 113 suites and luxury townhouses have set themselves into the landscape and look as if they’ve always been there. In early 2018, the...
Retreat in style
Casa Xyza is a contemporary wellness retreat in Ferragudo Driving along the coastal road from Carvoeiro to Ferragudo, you could easily drive past the beautiful Casa Xyza, perched on the right side of the road, just before the entrance to Praia Grande beach. Architecturally, the façade is hugely sympathetic to the neighbouring properties and seaside location, and from the street view, you wouldn’t really imagine what is contained...
Cooking up a storm
Inside Carvoeiro visits some of the new restaurants in town This year has seen the biggest rush of new openings in Carvoeiro for as long as we can remember, and it’s not just restaurants – global brand Ale Hop also opened a shop in the old newsagents on Rua do Barranco, along with a couple of new wine shops. With around 100 restaurants in and around Carvoeiro, you would think that there were enough already, but it would appear that...
Art with history
Porches Pottery celebrates 50th anniversary. There is a long tradition of pottery in the Algarve. The Phoenicians, the Romans and the Moors, all of whom occupied the region at one point, were masters of the earthenware. There are ceramics shops all over southern Portugal, but the small village of Porches is considered the Algarve’s pottery centre. It’s precisely here that you can find one of the most renowned potteries in the region,...
Summer vibes
Your must-have guide to live music, DJ parties and festivals during July and August – July 19, 2018 | Text Mia Wallace We love to party in Portugal, and although Carvoeiro might look like a sleepy seaside resort during the day, you’ll be spoiled for choice for things to do when the sun goes down. There’s live music every night on the main square in front of the beach with the Arte Viva Duo on Mondays and DJ João Sousa on Tuesdays;...
A family affair
Inside visits the beautiful Quinta Dos Santos Originally from Cape Town, the dos Santos family spent many summer holidays in the Algarve. Three years ago, they began putting into action their plan of living in Portugal, on a farm surrounded by a vineyard, and are now the proud owners of their stunning creation – Quinta Dos Santos, in Sesmarias, Carvoeiro. The family consists of mother and father Ann and Eugene, two sons, Kyle and...
Magnificent mammals
Exciting new sightings of whales off the Algarve coast Historically, whale sightings have not been widespread in the Algarve, and you would typically have to travel to the Azores or Madeira for the opportunity to see the spectacular mammals in Portuguese waters. That is why we were so excited when we received the sightings report from local Marine Biologist, tour operators Wildwatch, in Ferragudo, stating that not only did they have a...
Cruising to Silves
With the heated buzz of summer a distant memory and the beaches and roads back to their normal pace, the Algarve still has a lot to offer in the winter months. Ferragudo and Silves are at their prime in this time of year, with lower temperatures and the children back at school, it’s the perfect time to do a bit of sightseeing and relax from the hubbub of the high season. We were greeted at Ferragudo harbour by Fiona, who explained the...
Sleeping beautifully
Inside looks at the increase of luxury and lifestyle accommodation on offer in the area Hitting the top of the “Best place to retire in the world” list for the fourth year in a row and topping several travellers’ bucket lists, the Algarve is definitely in the spotlight at the moment. Those in the know have been enjoying the best this region has to offer, along with investors who are canny enough to be ahead of the game and strike...
East meets west
Introducing the new menu and cuisine at one of Carvoeiro´s favourite restaurants Earlier this year, Chef Valdemar Guerreiro joined the team of the Pimenta Preta restaurant, at Palm Gardens, and brought his lifetime of world travels and experience with him to create a bright, vibrant and delicious fusion menu to the resort restaurant, formally famed for its white gloves and fine dining. The changes see the introduction of numerous...
Musical versatility
There’s more to the Portuguese guitar than fado, says master player and teacher José Alegre José Alegre says he never planned to become a musician: “It just happened. Music chose and surrounded me,” he said, smiling. But it was José who chose the Portuguese guitar and made it into his instrument of choice. “It is the most important thing in my life, my partner, the box where I keep my dreams.” There were no music schools in his...
Hungry for history
Discovering the historical and gastronomic treasures of Silves When friends Joana Cabrita and António Guerreiro left University to travel to far away lands and follow their professional careers in international television production, arts and branding, they never imagined being back in Faro in 2017 and operating Eating Algarve Tours. Both passionate about culture, tradition and gastronomy, they decided to return to their homeland and...
The Way it was… A personal account
Photographer Tim Motion documented the Algarve during the ´60s and ´70s London-based photographer Tim Motion documented the Algarve, where he lived, in the ‘60s and ‘70s. A fascinating exhibition of his photographs, entitled ‘ALGARVE 63’, is on display at the Parque Municipal das Fontes de Estômbar (Lagoa), until September 16. In addition to this, a photobook featuring his works will be on sale at the exhibition (€30) and...
Free as a bird
A new wave of camper van tourists arrives in the Algarve The freedom of touring around and finding the perfect spot to spend the night has always been very attractive to me, so I was thrilled to come across a company called Soul Campers, here in the Algarve, who offered exactly what I was looking for. Not being a fan of being caught short or camping in general, popping a tent in the back of the car has never had much appeal but having...
Eating with your eyes
Ana Remígio´s wonderful edible art An artist from Lagoa, practically unknown in her hometown, is steadily making a name for herself in the world of cake art. Ana Remígio, a housewife with two children of 9 and 11, only practices this craft as an artistic occupation, since from a commercial standpoint “people only see a cake. They are not prepared to pay for the many hours spent studying and building the structure, confectioning and...
Oceans of vision
A look at the history of Zoomarine with its founder In 1991 Portuguese-Argentinean businessman, Pedro Lavia, opened the doors to what has been his lifelong dream and an absolutely innovative project in Portugal and a defining element in the Algarve: Zoomarine. Boasting a haul of tourism and scientific awards, the team was the first to introduce dolphins to the country and, in 2002, opened the first marine species rehabilitation centre...
Top 10 Algarve wines
For the 10th anniversary of Inside Carvoeiro, Algarve-based wine writer, Patrick Stuart, shares his list of 10 favourite Algarve wines as prepared for the special 100th edition of our sister magazine Essential Algarve A) Barranco Longo Blush Rosé A difficult rosé to beat in the sub 10-euro price range, there are fresh and delicate red fruit notes on the nose and a slight creaminess in the mouth with good acidity with a dry yet fruity...
Perfectly Stela
Abstract art for all Well-known in the Algarve art scene, Stela Barreto is a colourful, friendly, authentically creative artist and teacher preparing for a solo exhibition at the Galeria de Arte in the Lagoa Adega (winery) from April 2017. As she prepared for the exhibition at her Portimão studio, Atelier 34, she described the long journey, via classical training, which has lead to her love of expressionism and abstract art. Aged...
Setting the wheels in motion
Getting around the parish of Lagoa has never been easier The comfortable, flexible hop-on, hop-off Rota das Falésias (cliffs’ route) minibus service is a great way to see the sights of Carvoeiro, Ferragudo and Lagoa. The 20-seater, air-conditioned Mercedes Benz minibus runs every half hour, seven days a week, with passengers able to hop on and off as many times as they like, buying either a 24- or 48-hour ticket. So, for an...
Floating fun, a first in Portugal
Hovertrack Portugal brings three fabulous hovercrafts to Portimão Some people take the expression “New Year, new beginnings” to a whole new level and it’s safe to say that for Nuno and Fernanda Mourão, opening their dream, Hovertrack Portugal, on December 31, 2016 fits that phrase perfectly. The first of its kind in Portugal, with three hovercrafts on site and an ever- changing track, the hovertrack has been purposebuilt and the...
