High-rise adventures in the alternative Algarve
MichelleWalsh Jackson discovers an altogether different side to the Portuguese hotspot
I’m wandering cobblestoned streets lined with stalls selling sweet aromatic treats from north Africa while I sip on a locally brewed beer. I’ve set out in search of an alternative Algarve and I’ve certainly found it at the Medieval Festival in the charming town of Castro Marim. The Dias Medievas is held annually at the end of August in southeastern Portugal with the Spanish border less than 10 minutes away. A four-day festival ticket is only €15 and well worth it because it’s impossible to get around all the sites in one night.
I’m with my other half, Terry, who is starving as we’ve arrived on an evening flight into Faro and rushed straight here to get on with the merriment – so the baked roll with roasted pig from a spit is our dinner. The local baker has her own version of pasteis de nada which are much larger than the originals found in The Belem Bakery outside Lisbon.
Medieval ceramic mugs are a steal for €2.50 and come filled with beer or wine, and the price of a refill after that is only €1. Along the way locals participate in the fun by dancing and many are dressed in medieval garments. The hum of drums and whistles play over speakers on every street corner as we are whisked back in time. Delicious skewers of pork and vegetables roast on an open grill in the ramshackle food hall and seating is on hay bales next to an open fire burning in the centre of the castle. The atmosphere is relaxed as we revellers soak up the performances, from theatre to flag throwing, in the squares below. See diasmedievais.cm-castromarim.pt/
This eastern part of the Algarve is different to better-known spots such as Vilamoura and Albufeira and the prices are a great deal cheaper. The nearby town of Vila Real de Santo António is where we take our Sunday morning walk. It’s alive with locals stopping to take coffee and pastries in the market square serenaded by the sound of church bells ringing. Seeing how the locals live offers a true taste of Algarve culture. Spain is only a 10-minute ferry ride away so, for €2.10, we take the ferry and wander around Ayamonte. It’s a pretty town with a new boardwalk and marina but after an hour I’m ready to return.
We are staying in Castro Marim Golf Resort, about 5km from Vila Real. Our villa is plush and includes a private pool with three bedrooms and a large living room that easily accommodates six people. Smaller two-bedroom units, kitted out with everything you need for self-catering, are also available to rent.
It’s essential to have a car when staying here. Besides, if you really want to explore the Algarve – and its many hidden secrets – a car is by far the best way to do it.
Golfers will be happy with tips from the club’s golf pro, Peter O’Connor, son of the great Christy O’Connor Sr. He showed us all this challenging 27-hole course has to offer with great patience. In recent years, Peter has formed a golf academy for young people. Views from the clubhouse are spectacular and, with full clubhouse facilities, it’s an ideal complex to hire for an event.
Praia Verde is a 15-minute drive away and to my mind is the best long stretch of golden sand in the Algarve. Exploring more unusual places to stay we take the A22 further along the coast and come to the tiny town of Estombar. Here the winery of Quinta dos Vales offers classy self-catering pods set among the vineyards with every luxury needed for a selfcatering holiday.
We are greeted by brightly painted sculptures of two bulls and giant dancing figures decorate the car park. In the distance, people tend to the vines, and bring in this year’s harvest. It’s a truly unique place with tennis courts and two infinity pools overlooking the valleys and fields of vines. As a destination for a party or wedding the entire resort sparkles with possibility. Artist and owner of the vineyard Karl Heinz Stock has amalgamated his passion for art and wine and created a truly magical place. But the unique opportunity to become your own winemaker is also an option. The Winemaker Experience involves buying small plots of vines with the capacity to make 300 bottles of personalised wine per year on 99-year leases. No other winery has this option and it is certainly a wonderful chance to become a viniculturist with all the help and facilities at hand. Wine-tasting groups gather at different times of the day or you can pop in to the wine shop and do a personalised tasting between 10.30am and 5pm. See quintadosvales.pt/en/the-winemaker-experience/
Estombar is a sleepy village with one convenience store and not the place you expect to find a culinary gem. High up a narrow street is a restaurant that is booked out all year round, attracting people from all over the Algarve.
Offering a seven-course traditional Algarvian meal O Charneco’s tasting menu includes all your wine and water and, at €35, is the best value for a real taste of the region. Slow-roasted pork, squid and fish are cooked in traditional sauces and spices.
The restaurant has been in the same family for 40 years and João’s daughter is now the head chef while her son is one of the waiters with his cousin. This truly magical find is worth taking the trouble to book well in advance. Beg for an early sitting if you can’t get a booking as many Portuguese don’t eat until 9pm. We arrived at 6.30pm and were just finished by 9pm. See thefork.com/restaurant/o-charneco-r613321
It takes something special to wake me at 6am, especially when it’s still dark outside, and then drive for 20 minutes to a
field in the middle of nowhere. However Terry had other plans and I have to give him credit for organising this fantastic bucket-list adventure. It was my first time in a hot-air balloon and I wasn’t sure what to expect but Helena from Algarve Balloons made the entire process incredibly easy.
The sun broke through the clouds with long rays of light as we set off gently into the air in our basket of nine people including the pilot. As the trees below became smaller and buildings mere dots it was a very different perspective to an aircraft. The only noise was when Helena blasted the gas for us to go higher. I didn’t expect the Champagne break mid-flight but it was a lovely addition. Helena explained it’s not easy to chart a flight path as the wind can take a balloon in any direction but with 32 years’ experience under her belt she took us down gently to scrubland next to a golf course. I can’t think of anywhere better to take your first balloon ride than over the Algarve.
Our day couldn’t end there so we set out to sea. At Portimao marina we jumped on a catamaran with Discover Tours. The caves along the burnt umber cliffs are laced with tales of pirates and smugglers. But nowadays you’ve a better chance of seeing dolphins. We were a few minutes out when a pod appeared, including two babies, and they put on a show alongside our craft.
This trip included a huge diversity of visual tastes and sights, sounds and experiences. I’ve visited this part of Portugal countless times but with a bit of extra research I think I’ve finally cracked the alternative Algarve.