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Portugal : Faro - April 2009
Country Code: Dial 1 for PortugalSpring comes early in the Algarve, and April ushers in a season of outdoor events, from air shows and pop concerts to golf tournaments and street festivals, culminating in São Bras de Alportel’s Easter celebrations on 12 April . Paul Rouse steps out for a breath of fresh air
Getting around
Faro International Airport
Bus: Eva Bus connects the airport with the city centre. Services run every 30 minutes from 7.05am to 9.15pm. The journey takes 20 minutes and a return ticket costs €4 while a single ticket costs €1,55.
Train: A single journey from the airport to Faro for up to four passengers costs around €15 and takes 15 minutes.
Tourist information: The main tourist office is at 8-11 Rua da Misericordia (tel. , visitportugal.com).
FARO
Quiet backstreets steeped in history? Traditional hotels in the nearby countryside? Golf courses, marinas and modern luxury resorts? You’ll find them all in and around Faro.
Sleep soundly – The Arabesque architecture and interiors at Vila Monte (Moncarapacho, tel. , vilamonte.com, rooms from €159) make you feel like you’ve arrived in Marrakech. This resort with 53 rooms is just 10 minutes from the airport, but it’s a well hidden, tranquil retreat and an ideal romantic escape. A Colina (Almancil, tel. , acolinahotel.com, rooms from €75) is run by the former head chef of the Savoy in London. With just 11 rooms and a great location, this friendly, comfortable hotel is great for families and those in search of a relaxed atmosphere and good food.
Culture vultures – If there’s a budding Tiger Woods in you family, send them to the Easter Junior Golf School operated by Robin Wilson Golf, run by PGA professional golfer Robin Wilson from 6–9 and 14–17 April (robinwilsongolf. com). Alternatively, head for the hills to celebrate Easter Sunday. An unusual ceremony in São Bras de Alportel sees men with decorated torches running through the streets before laying flowers on the church floor.
Must eat – The harbourfront restaurant Faro e Benfica (Doca de Faro, tel. ) serves fresh fish and seafood specialities, including the trademark açorda de mariscos (seafood stew). Elegant Vila Adentro (17 Largo Afonso III, tel. ) is perfect for special occasions. Be adventurous with the delicious traditional dishes, including Moorish chicken, xerém (ground corn) with local mussels and eel stew with mint.
Dance the night away – One of Faro’s most fashionable nightspots, Millennium III (23 Rua do Prior, tel. ) is a large, warehousestyle club which hosts DJs and live acts and plays a mix of mainstream dance and Latin sets. But beware – nothing much happens here until after midnight.
Shop til you drop – Spring cleaning your holiday home? Looking for a perfect gift? Dunas and its sister shop Quintessence (Quinta Shopping, Quinta do Lago) specialise in beautiful lifestyle and fashion accessories, including selected scented candles, stunning jewellery and embroidered silk kaftans.
FURTHER AFIELD – WEST ALGARVE
Faro airport serves the entire Algarve, so heading out to Sagres and Cabo de Sao Vincente – the most southwesterly corner of Europe – with its wild, rugged coastline and laid-back feel, is a treat not to be missed.
Sleep soundly – Perched on a clifftop with incredible views of the small port of Baleeira and the western coastline, Memmo Baleeira (Sagres, tel. , memmohotels.com, rooms from €65) is like a minimalist art gallery. The all-white hotel allows the scenery to be the star by not giving the eye anything to detract from its stunning location. It has a small spa, a great bar and a simplicity that’s mesmerising.
Culture vultures – Culture here is all about the outdoors. Surfing reigns supreme. Watching the sunset from Cabo de Sao Vincente while listening to the crashing waves of the Atlantic is de rigueur. The old fort in Sagres is where Henry the Navigator set up a seafaring school to prove that the world didn’t end here. Next stop America.
Must eat – Aligned to the slow-food movement, Eira do Mel (Estrada do Castelejo, Vila do Bispo, tel. ) offers the taste of authentic Algarvian food in a pared-back, rustic setting. Try wild boar cooked in red wine, rabbit stew and great fish, or the signature wild prawn, pork and chorizo cataplana (cooked in a copper pot with onions, peppers and garlic). Pizza Pazza (Pedralva Village, tel. ) reflects the hip – or is that hippie? – atmosphere that permeates the wild west. Seemingly in the middle of nowhere, everyone raves about the pizza here (the best in the Algarve), which makes the 15km journey from Sagres more than worth it.
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Previous issues for Faro
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| Whilst every effort is made to ensure accuracy, please confirm event/venue details in advance. |
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