Looking for a recipe for a typical Portuguese celebration? So take a look at the Pingo Doce website and find the recipe that suits you best.
And if you want to experience Portuguese Christmas first-hand, book with us.

Source: Pingo Doce

Route of the Seven Hanging Valleys

Parish: Lagoa and Carvoeiro
Municipality: Lagoa
Location: coastal strip between Praia da Marinha and Vale Centeanes.
Access: leaving Faro: take the A22 (Via do Infante) to Lagoa, then head towards the beaches towards Praia da Marinha.
Type: pedestrian
Circular route: no
Distance: 6 km (12 km round trip)
Average duration: 3 hours (6 hours round trip).
Accumulated climb: 360 meters D+ (start at Praia da Marinha), 370 meters D+ (start at Praia de Vale Centeanes).
Type of path: dirt paths and somewhat rocky.
When to visit: all year round, except very rainy and/or windy days.
Approved: yes
Signposted: yes and with information panels.
Points of interest: karst landscape, including arches, sinkholes, shallows and hanging valleys; flora and fauna of the coastal cliffs; cultural heritage.
Owners: public paths.
Responsible entity: Lagoa City Council.

Observations: the cliffs on this coastline are unstable, so you should keep a safe distance from their edge (crest).

Source: Visit Algarve

What you will find here

Idyllic settings to enjoy.

First, the sea and the famous beaches, the many shades of rocks and cliffs. Here, life has the rhythm of tourist metropolises, where bodies that tan during the day move when the sun sets, in the restaurants, bars and clubs that light up the night.
A few kilometres inland and everything changes. Almond trees, fig-trees, pine trees and orange trees dot the landscape with greenery. The tracery of the chimneys stands out against the ocher red of the roofs. Bucolic villages invite you to discover a daily life made of nature and tranquillity. So that the holidays have a total dimension.
Sky, sea, soft golden sand. Then, an ocher cliff crowned by the sparkling white of the houses. Perspective of Albufeira, which remains in the memory of those who visit it.

How to get to Albufeira

Car
The most used access is the A2, which crosses the centre south of Portugal.
To travel along the coast, the N120 is the main north-south axis and connects to the A22 in Lagos, continuing from there to Albufeira.
If travelling along the border with Spain, the IC27 to Castro Marim and the A22 complete the route to Albufeira.

Bus
Departing from Lisbon (Sete Rios or Av. Liberdade), there are several bus operators, such as Rede Expresso, RenEx, Flixbus, ALSA and others, which provide transport to Albufeira.
“O Giro – Transportes Urbanos de Albufeira” is ideal for travelling within the city.

Train
Albufeira station is about 10km from the city centre, in Ferreiras; the only transport options to the centre of Albufeira are taxis (e.g. Freenow), or rent-a-car (e.g. Europcar).

Plane
Faro International Airport is the closest air connection (about 35kms, 50 minutes, by car).

Useful contacts

General

Albufeira City Council
Municipal Street
8201-863 Albufeira
T. +351 289 599 500
geral@cm-albufeira.pt

Security

Civil Protection
Rua das Escolas – Caliços
8200-126 Albufeira
T. +351 289 599 503/694 / +351 808 202 274
protecao.civil@cm-albufeira.pt

GNR – Albufeira Territorial Post
Vale Pedras – T. +351 289 590 790
Av. 25 de Abril, Old Town – T. +351 289 583 310
Olhos de Água – T. +351 289 501 478
Paderne – T. +351 289 367 115

Maritime Police – Deleg.Marít. from Albufeira
R. Sacadura Cabral 8200,
8200-176 Albufeira
T. +351 289 079 001 /+351 289 514 255 / +351
916 613 540 (picket)
dgam@amn.pt

Maritime Search and Rescue Center
T. 214 401 919

Tourism

Municipal Post 1
Santa Eulália Road
Areias S. João
8200-269 Albufeira,
T. +351 289 515 973,
post.turismo@cm-albufeira.pt

Municipal Post 2
EN 395 – entrance to the city
8200-109 Albufeira
T. +351 289 599 502
post.turismo2@cm-albufeira

Algarve Regional Tourism Authority Post
5th of October Street
8200-000 Albufeira
T. +351 289 585 279
turismo.albufeira@turismodoalgarve.pt

Health

Health Center
SUB – Basic Emergency Services
Alto dos Caliços Urbanization,
8200-200 Albufeira
T. +351 289 598 400 / +351 289 588 770
usfalbufeira@acescentral.min-saude.pt

Shopping Pharmacy (open until 11pm)
Algarve Shopping, Store 0.162, Floor 0
8200-417 – Tavagueira – Guide -Albufeira
T. +351 289 561 776 / +351 912 070 534
orders@farmacidoshopping.com

Where to stay

Take a look at our website and find the perfect home for your vacation.

Want to know more? See the complete guide at this link.

Source: Visit Algarve

Looking for a place to know in 2024? Then download this guide for Albufeira Council and fall in love with this charming and inviting place in the heart of the Algarve.

And, if you want a place to stay in Albufeira, stay with us.

Download now.

Source: Visit Algarve

The Ria Formosa Natural Park (PNRF) extends along 60 km of the Algarve coast, from the Ancão Peninsula to Manta Rota and occupies around 18,400 ha, spread across the municipalities of Loulé, Faro, Olhão, Tavira and Vila Real de Santo António.

Most of this area (11,000 ha) corresponds to the Ria Formosa lagoon system, a string of islands and sandy peninsulas that extends more or less parallel to the coast, protecting a lagoon where a labyrinth of channels develops – uncovered at tide. low – salt marshes, mudflat areas, islets, salt marshes and freshwater inlet areas (mouths of the watercourses that flow into it, such as the Gilão River and the Almargem, Cacela and São Lourenço streams).

Part of the lagoon system is always submerged while another part emerges during low tide. The average depth of the lagoon is 2 meters.

The PNRF also has a continental land strip (7000 ha), made up mainly of urban settlements, pine forests and agricultural areas.

The entire area is part of a region with a Mediterranean climate, with light and irregular rainfall, mild temperatures and high sunshine.

Various peoples have sought out the Algarve coast or have settled here since the Paleolithic period – Conians, Romans, Visigoths and Arabs. This Man-Nature relationship, when balanced, can produce landscapes of great beauty combined with sustainable economic activities, as is the case of the village and promontory of Cacela Velha, the salt flats in the Ria Formosa salt marshes or the rainfed orchard on the continental strip.

However, when this fragile balance is broken, the wounds in the landscape are evident and the impacts on natural and cultural heritage are quite negative. This is what happened from the 1960s onwards with the growth of tourism in the Algarve, which took place in a disorderly manner, with the entire coastal strip being built and degraded inexorably.

The creation of the Ria Formosa Natural Reserve in 1978 (Dec. no. 45/78, of May 2) aimed precisely to protect the lagoon area from urban and tourist growth, given its great ecological, scientific, economic and social, as well as defending the surrounding good agricultural soils from other uses.

In 1987 it was reclassified as a Natural Park (DL no. 373/87, of December 9), as it was recognized that almost the entire area was subject to exploitation of its natural resources and was partially humanized, which does not fit the status. “nature reserve”.

The purposes of creating the Ria Formosa Natural Park were:

» The preservation and defence of the lagoon system;
» The protection of fauna and flora and their respective habitats;
» The orderly use of the territory and its natural resources in order to ensure their continuity;
» The promotion of economic activities compatible with the rational use of natural resources;
» The ordering and discipline of recreational activities, in order to avoid the degradation of the natural, semi-natural and landscape, aesthetic and cultural elements of the region.

More than 40 years after the national classification of the area, other international protection statuses were added, the most relevant being the Wetland of International Importance granted in 1981 by the Ramsar Convention and its integration into the European nature conservation network. , Natura 2000 Network, as a Special Protection Zone for wild birds (DL no. 384-B/99, of September 23) and Special Conservation Zone (DR no. 1/2020 of March 16), as a habitat natural flora and fauna.

Are you curious about this? So take a look at your map and next time you come to the Algarve, pay it a visit, and if you need accommodation, book one of our properties.

Source: visitalgarve.pt

Algarve tourism isn’t just about the sun and beaches these days! Golf is played and infrastructures associated with MI (Meeting Industry) emerge. Go on an adventure in search of outdoor activities, whether at sea – in underwater tourism activities, or in the Ria Formosa – with tours and bird watching.

In Barrocal, or in the mountains, the offer associated with Cycling & Walking proliferates! Cultural programs are being promoted throughout the year and there is more talk than ever about the binomial gastronomy and wine which, under the umbrella of the Mediterranean Diet, drives economic development throughout the entire production process. Traditional gastronomy goes hand in hand with gastronomic acculturation, typical of successful tourist regions.

Special emphasis on the innovation and use of indigenous products in the gourmet version, which gives rise to the recognition of the current 10 Michelin stars that distinguish the Algarve. Such is the diversity of the offer, that we easily find suggestions for gastronomic and wine itineraries. Wine tourism days are promoted and enogastronomy is approached as an art of combining food and wine, on the path to complete satisfaction. The experts’ suggestions are valuable, just as the group opinions that proliferate on social networks and mobile applications based on artificial intelligence are valuable. Just like tourism, Algarve wine is now a famous secret!

This edition of the Algarve Wine Guide is an initiative of the Algarve Tourism Region, with the specialized contribution of the Algarve Hotel and Tourism School and the Algarve Wine Commission, in the relationship with economic agents. It arises within the scope of the Algarve Cooking Vacations project, whose objective is to affirm the Algarve as a destination of excellence for learning programs in culinary and winemaking, through the creation of tourist routes for this purpose.

The guide gains special relevance at a time when wine production in the region is experiencing a real quantitative and qualitative rise. The most recent information shows that wine production in the Algarve has grown by more than 50%, well above the national average.

Let’s say that this new investment in the Algarve wine region is approaching its maturity and is now preparing for a new challenge – the investment in wine tourism, in its true rise of the word, assisted by the improvement of access, reception and installation infrastructure adequate signage.

Innovative ideas emerge, such as the invitation to create your own wine, personalization of labels, and the invitation to adopt a vineyard or beauty treatments based on grape and wine derivatives. Let us combine the quality of the “wine” product with the quality of the service offering and we will have the formula for success.

Given the typicality that soil and climatic conditions confer on wines, there are four Designations of Origin in the Algarve: Lagoa, Lagos, Portimão and Tavira. However, most producers currently choose to certify a large part of their references as regional wine. The Algarve Geographical Indication Wine is produced throughout the region, so it makes sense that producers and their wines are presented here by municipalities.

Honour is due to the Algarve Tourism Region and its partners, for the initiative to update information about the Algarve wine panorama. Whether for the less attentive, or other connoisseurs, here is an invitation to taste the whims of Baco, in the South of Portugal.

Manuel Serra
Technical Area Coordinator at the School of Hotel and Tourism in the Algarve

Source: visitalgarve.pt

The tradition, the stories and the memory of many generations of knowledge.

Talking about the Mediterranean diet is talking about a lifestyle. More than a dietary pattern, this experience is a feeling: the tradition, the stories and the memory of many generations of knowledge.
Originating in the various countries bathed by the Mediterranean Sea, its essence is respect for biodiversity, the land and, above all, its rhythms.

The Mediterranean diet invites you to sit at the table and promotes conviviality, where food is shared, but also knowledge among communities. It is a way of life that nurtures human relationships, the great cornerstone of social customs and the celebration of dates that have been perpetuated over centuries. It is in this transmission of legacies to present and future generations that we still see the female figure as having a fundamental role, in what is the most genuine way of passing on to descendants the practices and knowledge of all traditional rituals, techniques and celebrations.

The Mediterranean diet was classified in 2013 as an intangible cultural heritage of humanity by UNESCO and has the city of Tavira as its representative community.

Through Tavira, Portugal was one of seven states with millionaire Mediterranean cultures that signed the candidacy, along with Cyprus, Croatia, Greece, Spain, Italy and Morocco.

In the transnational application, the strengths of this diet were highlighted, which promotes greater visibility of the diversity of intangible cultural heritage and encourages intercultural dialogue at an international and regional level.

Keywords: Mediterranean, Diet, Algarve

Source: Visit Algarve

Each council in the Algarve has its own charm and peculiarity. Silves is very famous for its sightseen locations and the Silves’ Castle must be its biggest attraction but there is more to offer than just its historic side. Take a look below at this Visit Algarve review of Armação de Pêra Beach.

Armação de Pêra Beach

The western end of the beach is still marked by the limestone cliffs that characterize the windward Algarve. To the east, however, begins a wide sandy bay framed by the urban tourist centre of Armação de Pêra, which offers numerous services to beach users.

A pedestrian promenade overlooking the sea, with garden spaces and a panoramic view over the coastline, runs along the central sector of the beach offering sunny terraces. To the east of the beach and doing justice to Armação de Pêra’s long fishing tradition, the sand is occupied by colourful fishing boats and outfitting houses. The name of the beach comes from this being the place where fishermen from the village of Pera (located further inland) set up the “armação” (fishing equipment) that was the basis of their subsistence. After passing Pescadores beach, the human marks fade away and the horizon opens up.

You can then see dunes as far as the eye can see and the wetland that forms at the mouth of the Alcantarilha stream, with its typical vegetation and countless water birds, such as the enormous grey heron or the small and tireless plovers.

Book now

Did you like it? Then explore our website and find the perfect spot in the Algarve to create life-lasting memories and soak in the sun.

Keywords: Algarve, Silves, Pera

Source: visitalrgarve.pt

2023 is already ending and 2024 is knocking on our door. It is time to make plans and decide your next vacation dreamy destination. As always, Algarve is one of the most wished ones and Gabi Miguel is here to help you.

Do you already know the Galé Beach? Although the Golden Triangle is one of the most renowned destinations in the Algarve, Albufeira is the place to find the most beautiful beaches and Galé Beach highlights among all options.

See below the text written by Visit Portugal and have an idea of what is waiting for you.

Praia da Galé forms the eastern end of the wide sandy bay of Armação de Pêra and Albufeira. On this beach, the rock formations characteristic of the western Algarve emerge again from the sand, providing nooks and shelters for bathers, especially in the eastern section, with the western sector being more exposed. These warm-coloured carbonate rocks, very rich in marine fossils, also called shells, bear witness to a past time when sea levels were further inland. Currently, they are heavily sculpted by rainwater and polished by the sea, covered by plants adapted to salsuge, such as soybean. In areas where sand accumulates, mainly in the western sector, typical dune plants can still be seen, especially the estorno, the clove-of-the-sand and the aromatic perpetual-of-the-areas, in the continuity of the dune system of Salgados and from Praia Grande. To the east, rock formations dominate and an area of stone pine crowns the orange cliff.

Key words: Albufeira, Galé, Vale da Parra, Guia

Source: visitalgarve.pt