Algarve

2^nd – 16^th June 2025

 

Another Family Holiday

Following the success of our trip last year to Mallorca, we thought we would repeat the process at a different nearby venue. Never having been to the south of Portugal, a sojourn in the Algarve seemed a natural next step. A villa with a pool was booked near Lagoa, just south of the historic town of Silves. Flights to Faro and car rentals were arranged and off we ventured, our daughter’s family flying Ryanair from Prestwick and Granny and Grandpa once more on EasyJet from Manchester. Because our daughter could not get time off work during the school holidays, she pulled the kids out of school before the end of term, not the best of arrangements but the only way we could get our annual family vacation.

 

The Travel

An early flight time necessitated a very early taxi ride, driven by a retired Gurkha soldier who, at 5.30am, drove the empty streets like a lunatic and delivered us to Terminal 1 in record time, just under 30 minutes. First through check-in and security, we had lots of time for a breakfast whilst waiting for our flight to be called. An incident-free flight got us into Faro on schedule and we were soon in the dreaded queue at passport control. The long-promised e-gates were in one corner of the hall but were not yet installed. The 45-minute wait was shorter than some scare stories that had been circulating. The process of picking up the car was just as long. We were going to have to get used to the Portuguese bureaucratic mindset.

Even after all these delays, we were on the motorway  half way to Lagoa well before our scheduled check-in time at the villa. But a few WhatsApp messages got us an early rendezvous time with David, the owner of the villa. He showed us around the lovely property and then left us with some recommendations for restaurants. After showers and a change of clothes, we chose Restaurant O Barradas on the way to Silves, situated in its own winery. It was a long wait then till midnight, for the arrival of Rachel and the kids.

 

The Villa

We quickly got into a routine for life in Villa Saudade. The serious swimmers in our group sometimes took advantage of the local 25 metre pool which opened to the public at 8am, The local supermarket opened at 8.30am. So, a daily shopping expedition left early each morning to exercise, collect fresh bread and croissants for breakfast and supplies for an evening meal. With super-chef Charlotte in the party, we had lots of ideas for exciting and delicious meals. Meanwhile I kept tabs on wine and beer stocks. Trips to neighbouring towns and the local beaches were confined to the cooler morning temperatures.

We were invariably home for a late lunch followed by siestas, swimming and poolside sunbathing through the heat of the afternoon. Having sporting events on television was a bonus for the sports fans in the party. The second week of Roland Garros and the whole of the Criterium de Dauphine were compulsive viewing in the air-conditioned lounge. Meanwhile the cooks were at work concocting the evening meal. We ate early, between 5 and 6pm most evenings. Then it was a bottle of wine or port to take us into the coolness of a cloudless sunset. the young ones were in bed by 8.30pm and the older ones were into Netflix and late-night viewing.

 

The Beaches

We were fortunate to have a string of beautiful beaches close to us in Lagoa. The first one we explored, Carvoeiro,  rapidly became our favourite and we returned time and time again throughout our two-week stay. The town and sandy cove provided easy access, available parking and lots of coffee shops and ice cream parlours. And it was only ten minutes’ drive from home. We must not of course forget the water park close by. Slide & Splash was such an enjoyable experience for the kids that a second visit was mandatory. Although, I must note, Granny could only take one trip.

One day we ventured farther afield, taking the road around the far side of Portimão down to the huge stretch of sand at Praia del Rocha. Here we found the cafes more of an attraction than the featureless strand. Another day we decided to explore the nearby beaches at Marinha and Benagil but this turned into a nightmare of narrow lanes, overflowing car parks and traffic jams. We were lucky to get out of the Benagil traffic system and it was only a brilliant and patient piece of driving that prevented us from still being there. Such was the trauma of the morning drive that we shot back to our safe haven of Carvoeiro.

 

The Towns

Our home town of Lagoa was a bit of a disappointment. Endless streets of single-story white terraced cottages with a miniscule shopping street and one good pastelaria (bakery and café shop). And most of these were closed on Sundays and holidays. By far the nicest of the nearby towns was Silves with its hill-top castle dominating the landscape. This was an ancient walled citadel with a large flat area of archaeological finds and spaced out with trees and water features consistent with its Moorish heritage. The rather nice café/bar was a regular port of call between the seaside expeditions.

Alan and Carolyn had been travelling in their mobile home around France and Spain for most of the spring and summer and included a stay with us in their schedule. In the blazing heat of their full day with us, we sought the relative coolness of a trip to the local hills. Monchique was our target for the drive and we spend a few ours exploring the hilly village and its ancient church. A lunch in the main square was a necessary appendage to our sight-seeing. It was wonderful to have our meal prepared for us that evening. Carolyn’s spicy wraps were a revelation.

 

The Walks

The natural place for hiking was the hilly area around Monchique but, as our daily activities drew us in the opposite direction towards the coast, no opportunities arose for a good walk. However, a coast path did exist, the Fisherman’s Trail, and a four-mile section of this was featured as one of the best hiking trails in the Algarve. The Seven Hanging Valleys Trail runs from Praia de Marinha to the resort of Centeanes in the outskirts of Carvoeiro. I recced the finish of the trail one morning whilst the kids were paddling in the sea and then came up with an idea of tackling the first half by leaving a car a mile inland and walking between the two beaches that we had failed to find on our abortive drive earlier in the week. This worked out well. I was joined by Rachel and Eleanor for retracing of our unsuccessful attempts at parking, with a long walk into Marinha and a 1½ mile stroll along the cliff tops and ravines to Benagil. Here we found a rather

busy and expensive café that fortified us for the inland excursion back to the car. We saw nothing to match our favourite beach no matter what is written in the guidebooks.

General Comments

A most enjoyable family holiday giving us our annual opportunity of having quality time with our grandchildren. The villa was a great success giving us excellent accommodation and a totally private pool and garden. It was a good mile or so out of the local town but the supermarket, swimming pool and waterpark were very handy. The neatest beach turned out to be ideal with the backdrop of a busy and lively village complete with shops and cafes.

The only criticism we could make was the queuing at Faro airport for passport control. I think it is part of the Portuguese mindset, the endless bureaucracy of forms and paperwork. It was the same at the car hire centre. Nothing happens fast in Portugal and you must get used to queuing. The flights with Easy Jet went well once you could get into the airport.

The Algarve itself was not exciting. Unless you are going on a beach or golf holiday, there is little else we could do. The local towns were not too thrilling except for the citadel at Silves and it was far too hot for a fair skinned Anglo-Saxon to go walking. Maybe we should have gone earlier or later in the year but that would have cause issues with Rachel’s holiday schedules and school terms.

How nice it was to drop through the clouds at Manchester Airport and return to England’s green and pleasant land.