Algarve Summer Holiday

As the school holidays had been so cold and wet, and daughter wasn't returning to school until the 6th September, we decided to head off to the sunshine for a week to re-charge the batteries. So on Sunday 29th August we took an early flight out to the Algarve.

This was our first visit to the Algarve and won't be the last - we loved it! We collected our hire car from the airport and set off for Alvor in the Western Central part of the Algarve. The roads are great and we managed to find our way without any problems....or map disputes!

Our base for the next seven nights was the Prainha Club in a one bedroom apartment. The accommodation was a good 20/25 minutes walk down into Alvor village (taxi back!!), but we loved it for it's peaceful location and direct access down (111 steps!) to the beach, where we had the choice of lovely little coves with crashing waves - bliss! There was also a lift which took you down to a wonderful little beach bar/restaurant which was built into the cliff, so by evening you couldn't wish for a better location to be sat overlooking the beach with a lovely chilled glass of wine and a traditional fish dinner in front of you!

We ventured West one day with our final destination being the headland at Cabo de Sao Vicente - the most south-westerly point of mainland Europe. En route we visited Lagos - the beach and the Marina, Praia da Luz and various small coves and villages along the way. We ate our picnic lunch on a small beach between Burgau and Salema listening to the waves and watching a surfer....it was wonderful.

Another day we ventured into the mountains, visiting Caldas de Monchique - a pretty little village with a spa and woodland area, before driving through Monchique and eventually reaching Foia - the highest point of the Algarve. The views were amazing and well worth the trip out. We took lunch at a little cafe and sat on the terrace overlooking spectacular scenery, whilst eating the traditional Chicken Piri-Piri !

We had a great holiday and will definitely return to the Algarve.....sometime soon, I hope!