The Algave in Portugal
We went to Portugal mid April 2024 and here is our experience.
The plane left from Luton London Airport and landed in Faro Airport. As soon as we stepped outside we could feel the hot air with a fresh breeze of sea. The airport was crowded and had one of the longest queues I experienced. Most people in the aiport were tourists which came over for a long weekend. By looking around we noticed that the biometric check was closed, hence the queue. Ironically, a few week after. comeing back from Portugal, a coleague at work complained about the airport too.
From there we took a bus for about 20 minutes to Faro Bus station. It costed us 2,95 euros per person. Faro bus station is located close to the city center and it took us roughly 10 minutes walk to the accomodation accomodation was.
For 4 nights we slept at Faro Central Gueshouse. It is located in the city center and had a low cost price, which is exactly what we were looking for. The Guesthouse had colourful pieces of furniture inspired by the local traditional patterns. We booked a double beed room with private shower and balocny. The bathroom wasn’t contemporary, and the rest of the room had a coastal vibe. From the balocny we could see nature and the city center.
For mid April the weather was amazing. During the day was hot, perfect for a chique summer dress and sunglasses. There was a light summer breeze around. To our surpise the nights were cold and the breeze was not gentle anymore. From 6pm the weather changed drastically and we suddently had to get get dressed coasier.
First day in Faro was all about the city itself. We sometimes like to be surprised by a new city by walking around without any quide. The best way to describe is a small colorful city. The pavement around the city is stone, which gives carachter to the surroundings. The buildings had a minimalism design, most of them were white, with lots of pops of colours. The Algave region is known for it’s artistic tiles, which you can notice all around the city. Most of the buildings are a perfect subject for an artistic Instagram page. We went around Faro Castle which was surrounded by large cacti, suculents and trees. It had one of the biggest cati I’ve ever seen. The entire city can be easily viewed in one day. Vina Adentro was our choice for dinner. Great resturant on the exteonsive side. Me and my boyfriend had each one glass of wine, and a large bottle of water to share. All start dishes souded delicious but in the end we shared a portion of octopus carpacio with rocket. The dish was rich in flavour and light. As a main course I had the monk fish with bacon and veggie-rice. The fish was cooked to perection and the back complemented the dish well. Damiano had a sea food curry. Interesting taste combination and a great variety of seafood. The total bill was aroun 90 euros.
The busy work life in London didn’t give us too much time for trip organisation so the second day actually spent it by stay in Faro again and make a plan for the next days. We had breakfast at Yellow Burbon and we can easily agreed that it was one of the best breakfas we have ever had. We ordered a portuion of Brushettas and a Ham & Cheese Toast with tapioca flour. Everything was spotless from the beginning until the end. Just behind the castle we came across an art exhibition. It was hosted in an abandoned building and had free entrance. Paintings, crafts, sculputers and lots others. At lunch time we relaxed at a rooftop terrace over a glass of Sangri, a few olives to nibble and an Uno game.
For dinner we went to Ado Pinto where we shared 4 dishes. Frieq Squid, Fried Octopus, Shrimp with lemongrass and orange sauce, traditional fish with breadcrumbs. The service was fantastic and had great communication. Dishes were brought together in a way that they match and they offered us great wine. The bill was just a bit over 100 euros.
The real Portuguese adventure began on the third day: the vespa tour. The first destination was Fonte Ferea, a natural reservation nearby. The nature was incredible, and we even saw the famous Portugues cork trees. A small river was going around the reservation. Water was crisp and crystal clear. It was quiet and plenty of birds were singing. It was a perfect place to have a coffee and enjoy the nature. The second stop was Salir, a city on a cliff. We parked the vespa almost at the top of the hill and went around the city for around 30min. Each house had a unique garden rich with diverse plant and decorations. The city was small, chique and gave the vibe of a Disney village. On the way to Silves, we had a quick stop in Alte. We discovered a small shop and atelier where 3 artists are contribuiting and working. It was one of the most peaceful moments I’ve had. Only one of the artists was present. She was working on a pair of earrings and her website mentenance. Butterfiles were flying around the room as if they were celebrating the good weather. I couldn’t leave empty handed from there and got a pear of earrings, soap and socks. Silves was built around a cstle. We had a beer at the castle, warmed up and enjoyed the fort view around. From here to Portimao was the longest Vespa route without a break which was around 45 minutes. Portimao has impressed me the most. It was around 4pm when we arrived there and the sun was already fading away. The massive rock were guarding the agitated ocean. The sun was moving from a rock to another one revealing beautful places. All rocks had caves where you could go around. From some you could see a massive Agave plan or the sky. Each one of them was unique and misterious. The water was cold and the wind was getting strionger but still spent enough time at the beach. The views of the rocks and the ocean was intimidating. It made me realise how small we are in this world and how precious the nature is.
Albuferia was a total surprise. We parked the vespa close to the city center and started walking towards it. Small cute streets with light above and romantic restaurant were on the way to the main square was just like Las Vegas of Portugal. The centre was packed with tourists partying loudly . It was a lively city which we didn’t expect. We had a longer stop there and had a few nibbles as dinner and then headed back home.
Between all destination the road was incredible. We came across long lands of oranges plantations and cultivations, large dessert plants. Cacti were around each coner, all of them with unique personality. As a plant lover, it was heaven with me.
In total we did almost 200km with the Vespa. It was a beautiful experience and here are some key informations:
We rented the vespa from Soulful Bikes and it costed us 75 euro for the entire day. This included the vespa, 2 helmets and a phone support. The reservoir was full and we had to bring it back. The seller was honest with us and explained well all T&C, there are no hidden costs. The shop had plenty of bikes of which you can choose, but for us Vespa was the best option.
The Vespa road was inspired from Soulful Bikes and was called The 1 day Vespa tour. We had slight modifications because in some places we spent more time.
The vespa had a tracker and at the end of the journey the company sent us the route. This was all part of the price.
In the first part of the day we were cold on the Vespa. The wind was stronger than expected and we were cold for the first 2 hours. On the way back we came on the motorway (which coested us 80 cents when we returned the Vespa) and the wind was harsh again.
In the morning we shopped for some nibbles and prepared 4 sandiches with us, a snack, water and orange juice. The Vespa had enough storage space for the food and beach equipment. Was perfect to have food with us and snack something at each stop.
4th day in Faro was around the lagues Ria Formosa. We purchased a ticket from one of the experience stands by the castle in Faro. The ticket was 45 euros per person and with it went to 3 different icelands around. It lasted around 5 hours and we spent around 45 minuted in each iceland.
The first stop was Baretta Iceland. Small iceland with only one resident and his job was to study the wildlife around. The beach had a soft sand and large shells. Second Iceland was farol Island. It had a lightouse in the center of the city. I loved the private gardens as each of the looked like it was a succulent exposition. I recognised many plants which are house plants in the UK. In the last island. Culatra Island which is known for fishing. At the last stop we had the most time and had lunch. As we walked around the finish zone we noticed hundreds of dead sea aminals, such as stars, fish, sea urchins. To us it felt an excesive amount of dead wildlife and had worried us about the impacts on the ecosystem.
Our last dinner in Faro was at Cantinho where we tried a few interesting dishes. As starter we had squid filled with pork. The filling reminded me of a few traditional Romanian dishes. We shared a fish with vegetables. The fish was melting in your mounth and the vegetables were crunchy. the second portion was lam chops with gilled vegetables. It was jucy and rich in flavour. After a long day we needed a fewsh desert and had the mango sorbet. As drinks a pitch of Sangria and water. The total bill was around 100 euros. The food and atmosphere was romantic and peaceful. But and extra jacket would have been better as it got cold.
We enjoyed our time spent in Faro. From the beginning until the end we felt welcomed by the locals and everyione was keen on giving ua a great experience. Was easy to navigate around as locals speak great english and understand spanish. I hope to come back one day!
