09 April 2021

I’ve been visiting the Algarve now for almost 20 years and in particular the resorts of Vale do Lobo and neighbouring Quinta da Lago. But, with a coastline that stretches 200km, what led us to choose to return to this particular area of the Algarve time after time? The resorts are just a short 20-minute car journey from Faro airport. With low-cost airlines flying regularly from most regional airports throughout the year, it makes the area easily accessible even if you only have a long weekend to spare. Established in 1962, Vale do Lobo was the first resort development in The Algarve. It covers 450 hectares stretching down to Atlantic and offers luxury villas, apartments and 4 and 5* hotels. As well as 2 championship golf courses, spa and leisure facilities, a multitude of bars and restaurants and a tennis club; it also offers unrivalled family entertainment. The Praca is the heart of Vale do Lobo with numerous restaurants surrounding a central stage where live music is played throughout the summer months and kids and parents dance the night away. There’s also children’s entertainment laid on with face painting and hair braiding and bouncy castles and a recently refurbished crazy golf course – there’s never a dull moment. Just 3km down the road and located on the protected coastal lagoon of the Ria Forma is Quinta da Lago. With yet more beautiful beaches, 3 championship golf courses, gastronomic delights and live music across various venues, Quinta is a real gem. Recently opened, The Campus at Quinta has taken its sports and fitness offering to a new level. As well as serving 'Joe Public', the facilities are used as training grounds for many of the most elite sports teams. Last year we watched on from a bar as Paris Saint Germaine headed off to train and the year before we saw the Irish rugby team. During the summer holidays there are weekly outdoor movie nights sitting on picnic blankets looking down the 1st tee at Quinta or dive in movies by one of the hotel pools. So what else is on offer? Through the summer months there are kids’ football camps run by the likes of Rio Ferdinand, Michael Owen and Joe Cole. If rugby is more your kid’s thing then Brian O Driscoll runs these. Or maybe it is horse riding – pony camps, lessons or treks are available for kids and parents of all abilities. Or perhaps you want to strut your stuff with one of The Strictly professionals – then yep that’s on offer too. Judy Murray offers tennis camps. Or if you’re a water-babe then there are plenty of water sports on offer both at the beach and also at The Lakes where you could try your hand at sailing, windsurfing, kayaking, stand up paddling or just having a mess around on the pedaloes or leaping off the inflatables. Is it just for families? Absolutely not! I have enjoyed many a grown-up weekend away with my husband or girlfriends, especially outside of the school holidays when the beaches are quieter, and the resorts take on a far more grown-up vibe. Sundays are a big deal here and lazy Sundays become crazy Sundays with live music on the beach and dancing till the sun sets. There’s a new ultra-cool beach club opened up but I feel I may have missed my time for that! Late night live music and dancing take over down at the Praca once the family entertainment wraps up and white parties and DJs abound at various spots across the 2 resorts. And of course, there are plenty of places to quietly take stock with cocktail (or mocktail) in hand and watch the sun slowly set for another day. If you love food then you are also in for a treat from Michelin star, to fresh barbecued fish down on the beach, to Portuguese cuisine in beautiful garden settings, Argentine steak in fairy-lit gardens, to tapas, to Italian, to Asian, the list goes on. And let’s not forget the warm and welcoming locals who have hospitality at their very core. It would be difficult to home in on just one highlight with so much on offer, but my favourite place is down at the beach in the early evening when the heat of the sun is a little less fierce and the beach is a little quieter and sit looking out and marvelling at The Atlantic – normally with a glass of something chilled in hand. Any downsides? Perhaps the more cost conscious might want to head a little further up the coast to the heady resort of Albufeira or the beautiful and more tranquil villages that neighbour it. That said, it is still possible to find great food and drinks in the area without breaking the bank – you just need to know where to look! Best time of year to visit? The season really runs from April to October especially as the cooler shoulder months are perfect for golfers. We’ve visited in February and watched the waves crash against the cliffs and sweltered in the blistering August heat of 47c (although this was very unusual). Even in August you will always find a quiet spot to yourself on the beach but, if you can avoid the school holidays, my favourite months are June and September when the sun still bakes your skin but there is just a more relaxed and chilled out feel to the place. The real beauty of this place is that whatever you are looking for, you can likely find it here – even if contentment is doing absolutely nothing, as is mainly my preference!