Category: Algarve info

Algarve info, Whats on Guide

Algarve, Events you cannot miss this Summer!

It is summer in the Algarve, and there is lots of things to do you cannot miss. Algarve Housing rents special villa’s in the Algarve and will inform you about things to do and not to be missed.

7th INTERNATIONAL SAND SCULPTURE FESTIVAL in PERA
FIESA 2009 this years theme: “DISCOVERIES”

FIESA is a mega exhibition of sculpture in sand held since 2003 in Pera, Algarve. The festival is unique in the Iberian Peninsula and is considered the largest festival of sand sculpture in the world by the size of its sculptures and the area they occupy. In each new edition the exhibition is devoted to a different theme.

FIESA 2009 is a space where the discovery, the encounter and fun, co-exist in total harmony with the art, providing unforgettable moments. FIESA is shown to the public every day till 22 October from 10 am to midnight (from 22 September to 22 October from 10 am to 9 pm).

Due to the heat during the day in the summer, I recommend to visit the Fiesa at night, beautiful lit, stunning! There is a bar for drinks and food, music and entertainment events. Nice for both children and adults.

More information: http://www.fiesa.org/

10 July Esperanza Spalding – Sítio das Fontes, Lagoa

Esperanza Spalding is one of those rare examples of galloping success based on a genuine innate talent. Still only 24 years of age, she has received fulsome praise in the leading jazz magazines and at the same time seen the doors of many of the world’s most prestigious concert venues opening wide for her. All those who have seen her live version of the classic “Body and Soul” will confirm that the high energy and full commitment of her stage performance have helped them to discover the real essence of this jazz theme about the duality of human existence. A double-bass player and singer, Esperanza was to become the youngest ever teacher at the prestigious Berklee School of Music at the age of only 20…

Price: €20

Ticket sales:
Ticketline network
www.ticketline.pt, FNAC, Worten and Agências Abreu
Reservations: T. 00350 707 234 234
Notice: Tickets available at the venue only on the day of the concert (unless sold out).

Never heard of her, please check this video:

16 July, 10 pm

Glenn Miller Orchestra

Centro de Congressos do Arade . Algarve, Lagoa-Portimão

One of the world’s first truly great jazz idols, Glenn Miller was numbered amongst the great “monsters” of the swing period and became the leader of one of the most historical American big bands.

Do you remember his timeless hits as “In the Mood” or “Chattanooga Choo Choo”.

To refresh your mind:

Price: €20
Ticket sales:
www.blueticket.pt

Ticketline network
www.ticketline.pt, FNAC, Worten and Agências Abreu
Reservations: T. 00351 707 234 234

and at the concert venue:

Centro de Congressos do Arade . Algarve
Encosta do Arade, Parchal, Lagoa
T. +351 282 498 577
www.pavilhao-arade.com

18 and 19 July

Iberian Windsurfing Circuit Proam 09 (Lagos)

Meia Praia, Lagos

Officially recognised by the Spanish and Portuguese Windsurfing Federations, this circuit is considered to be the sport’s top competition in the Iberia Peninsula. It is certainly an event that has one of the highest numbers of participants, every year bringing new competitors and fans of this sport to the Algarve.

The three events held in the Algarve are all able to take advantage of the region’s exceptionally favourable conditions for windsurfing and extreme sports in general.

The event is open to all windsurfing enthusiasts, both professionals and amateurs alike.

This year’s entry is undoubtedly the strongest ever, and it promises to be the windsurfing event of the year!

18 and 19 July – Meia Praia, Lagos (Slalom)
14 to 16 August – Praia do Martinhal, Sagres (Slalom, Speed and Long Distance)

Did you enjoy this information? We will publish more information about What’s going on in the Algarve, things to do you cannot miss! Coming up is the Medeival Festival in Silves , Festival do Mariscos in Olhoa, both in August. Information about Dance Festivals, Gastronomic events, more Jazz and other music events and much, much more….

Algarve Housing rents special villa’s in the Algarve and will inform you about things to do and not to be missed. If you do not want to miss this information, please subscribe to our blog, and you will never miss things to do in the Algarve!

Warm Regards,

Michele

Algarve info, News, Whats on Guide

What’s on in the Algarve

Algarve Housing rent nice villa’s in the Algarve. Just recovering from the fantastic Festival Med, a five days world music festival in the Centre of Loule, that have attracted 25000 visitors! Don’t miss it next year! It is summer in the Algarve, and lots going on, we just give you a few tips for coming week:
Carvoeiro, till the 31st of August, Monte Santo will welcome the Belgian artist Michele Frederickx´s exhibit, entitled “Nature in Progress”. The Vermissage is scheduled for July 1st,at 6 p.m. and the painter will be on hand to share her inspirations with all guests. Admission to the event is free of charge and includes an enjoyable cocktail.
Call 00351 282 321 000 or visit: www.montesantoalgarve.com

Until 5 July – First gastronomic festival of seafood in Cacela, Vila Real de Santo Antonio. Special seafood and fish dishes on menus at participatin restaurants.

Call 00351 281 952 434


July 3-5 – Algarve classic cars event based at Tivoli Marinotel in Vilamoura. A total of 160 cars will be taking part in this event across the Algarve. For a full programme

visit: www.algarveclassiccars.com or call 00351 289 412 880/00 351 967 165 555


July 10 and 11 – Silves

Fashion weekend at Praca do Municipio de Silves from 10 pm. Catwalk shows with
clothing form local shops and young fashion designers.


July 11 – 25 July Dance of the bears exhibition will be exhibited at Praia do Carvoeiro. Inspired by the Buddy Bears exhibition in Berlin in 2002, Karl Heinz Stock has coordinated the works of a team of sculptors and artists to develop his own Dance of the Bears show. Free to visit. Call 00 351 282 431 036

July 4 – Café Ingles in Silves, Rua do Castelo. At 6 pm there is an opening of an art exhibition of Marion Riddering and sculptures of Petra van Allen . Plus wine tasting Barranco Longo. More information Silvio Silva: 00351 919 766 565



So, if you are on Holiday in Algarve staying at one of our properties or somewhere else we hope that you found this information useful. Why not subscribe to our blog tofind out more.

Warm Regards,

Michele

Algarve info

Pottery, Ceramics and Decorative Tiles in the Algarve.


Algarve Housing rents fantastic villas in the Algarve,
most of them are located inland, where you can enjoy ‘the real Algarve’,
but always less then 30 minutes to the beach. ‘The real Algarve’,
what is that? Among others Ceramics, pottery and decorative tiles!

Every region in Portugal has its own, distinctive style of pottery,
from the finest porcelain, produced in Vista Alegre in the north, to the
homely-style hand-painted pottery from the Algarve’s neighbouring province, the Alentejo. Handicraft shops in the Algarve usually stock a variety of designs from other regions, as well as locally made pottery and the plain or simply decorated brown earthenware produced nation-wide. Small items make superb moments of your holiday; if
carefully packed they will arrive home in one piece! (I recommend transporting as hand luggage!) Candleholders and small plates, for example, can be purchased for a few euros. At the other end of
the scale the sky’s the limit. Many shops will arrange shipping of larger
items.


Ceramic production in the Algarve underwent a revival in the late
1960’s, when the late Patrick Swift, an artist of international repute, made a determined effort to preserve ancient Iberian and Moorish patterns on
hand-glazed pottery. Most commonly painted in shades of blue, green and turquoise, the designs are in a free-flowing style. Patrick Swift’s timing was spot on, coinciding with the advent of mass tourism
in the region. Visitors required then, as they do now, souvenirs typical of the area and the pottery industry flourished. The EN125 (main road that goes along the coast of the Algarve, from Sagres (most west) till Villa Real the St Antonio (most east) is festooned with handicraft shops along its length. The best quality is to be found near Porches (a few kilometres east of Lagoa), where members of Swift’s family still run the
olaria (pottery) he established. Cheaper and more mass-produced handicraft products are sold in roadside ‘artesanato’ shops. Souvenir shops in resorts also stock ranges of pottery.



Ceramic tiles are a specialist area of the industry, introduced to Iberia by the Moors and, by the 18th century, produced in greater quantities in Portugal than anywhere else in Europe. The facades of many traditional houses are fully tiled (a long-lasting, low-maintenance alternative to paint) but individual decorative panels, comprising any number of tiles from four upwards, are more in vogue today.

Would you enjoy ‘the real Algarve’ and its nice, cheap pottery, and watch those beautiful tiled with Ceramic, buildings? Have a look at our website, for special villa’s for rent in the Algarve.

You can contact me for more information. Subscribe to our blog to keep updated about Things to do in the Algarve, Special Offers, new villa’s we take on and more.

Warm Regards,

Michele

Algarve info, Algarve Places, News

Festival Med – 5 day Music Festival held in Loule (24 – 28 Jun 2009)

The best of the Mediterranean comes to Loulé in the Algarve every summer for a music, dance and arts extravaganza. Festival Med welcomes renowned world music stars from Morocco, Spain, Italy, Greece and Portugal for this cultural concoction.

This is a fantastic event, especially for tourists seeking versatility in what the Algarve lifestyle can offer. Additionally to great music, expect to see plenty of other forms of art including hand-crafts, dance performances and street theatre. For 5 days, the historic surroundings of Loulé will tempt you with scents from traditional cuisine from each of the countries taking part in the event.

The MED festival, organized by Loulé Municipal Council, plays host this year to some well renowned music figures, including the Orquestra Buena Vista Social Club ®, La Notte della Tarranta feat. Stewart Copeland and Horace Andy & Dub Asante.

Orquesta Buena Vista Social Club

 

Music, or more specifically World Music, forms the basis of the festival and, after six editions of the event, definitely takes pride of place at the MED. Apart from the two main stages, there will be a further three secondary stages where promising artists will be performing.

To further entice you with this annual event, Festival Med has also been nominated into the category ‘Best Cultural Events’ at the Gala of Events 2009. Decked out with its’ multicoloured decorations, Loulé opens welcoming arms, inviting you to this 5 day festival for you to enjoy during your stay within the Algarve… expect it to be one of the events of the summer!!

Click this previous posting to find out more about the area of Loule itself http://algarvehousing.net/news/2009/03/11/loule-place-to-be/

When:

24 – 28 Jun 2009 (annual)

Where:

Loulé

Algarve info, Algarve Places, Villa

Algarve, Great Place to Stay in Portugal, Villa near the Beach

Burgau Beach
Burgau Beach

Algarve is a great place to stay, to spent you holiday and Algarve Housing has a nice villa for rent near the beach, in the centre of Burgau, between Lagos and Sagres.

Casa da Praia, is a basic 2 storey villa, has 4 bedrooms, a private little pool and is 1 minute walk form the beach in the centre of Burgau.

Master Bedroom
Master Bedroom Casa da Praia

Burgau is a friendly and peaceful fishing village, ideal for families, nature lovers and walkers. Nestled on the edge of a national park, still a working fishing village, and watching the boats bobbing on the moonlit waters, makes Burgau a place you will never forget.

Casa da Praia
Casa da Praia - Open kitchen

Burgau and its unique charm is the village ability to appeal to everyone, regardless of age or interests. People who have been once usually come back time after time. It has an X factor that has to be experienced.

Heading west from Burgau, the next village is Salema. There’s an interesting coastal road from Burgau, or an alternative access route down an old river valley from the main road. Facing the glorious beach is a small jumble of restaurants and an occasional shop. The old village extends eastwards up a cliff-hugging road. There are several other beaches along this stretch of coast, most with a beach bar and all of them accessible by road. Surfers are recommended to try ‘Boca do Rio’ or ‘Zavial’.

Do you want to know more about Casa da Praia, please contact me for more information and availability.

Algarve Housing has more nice holiday villas in the Algarve, please check our website.

Don’t want to miss any news from Algarve Housing, our special offers or information about any of the beautiful holiday homes of Algarve Housing, SUBSCRIBE to our blog, if is for free, and you get it automatically delivered in your email inbox!

Warm Regards,

Michele


Algarve info, Algarve Places, Farmhouse

Alvor with its wide, fine sandy beach, one of the best in the Algarve

Alvor wide, sandy Beach

Alvor, close to Lagos has a wide, fine sandy beach, one of the best in the Algarve.

Algarve Housing rent very special villas in the Algarve, the most southern part of Portugal. One of our special villas is Quinta Bem Posta, close to Alvor.

Alvor

Due to Alvor’s peculiar and sensitive ecology, attempts have been made to protect the surrounding area from tourist development, which have only been partially successful. Alvor has, however, managed to retain much of its original style, with low buildings and open surroundings and the lagoon, which is a specially protected area of natural beauty.
The area around the old fishermen’s market has been developed greatly over the past five years. It now has a wide waterfront promenade, with restaurants and bars where one can sit and watch the fishing boats.
Behind the fish market is the old lifeboat station, which is well worth a visit.
Alvor’s main beach is just five minutes’ walk from the town. A favourite among windsurfers, it is four and half miles of wide open sand, offering enough space for beach volleyball, football, frisbee and walking. The beach is backed by dunes and has plenty of facilities.

Alvor, Beach front

Facilities
There are usually life guards on duty and sun umbrellas and sun loungers can be hired at a daily rate. Car parks are close to the beach. Several beach restaurants offer traditional grilled fish, lamb, piri-piri chicken and other delicious foods.
The beach is popular with Portuguese holidaymakers from the north who usually arrive in the Algarve in September, but due to its size Alvor Praia is never packed.
Tres Irmaos Beach, further east, is mostly backed by cliffs, with huge rocks scattered along the shoreline. It leads to Praia da Vau and Praia da Rocha. “Praia” is the Portuguese for “beach”.

Alvor, Church

Still a fishing village
Remember that Alvor is still a fishing village, talk to locals and find out what time the fisherman return from the sea. It’s well worth getting up early and watching them work with their catch. The Octopus is a real speciality.

Algarve Housing rent nice holiday homes in the Algarve, and also near Alvor with its wide, sandy beach! Quinta Bem Posta is only 5 minutes from Alvor. Contact me for availability and more information.

We regularly write articles about our holiday properties, special offers, information about the region and Things to do in the Algarve.

If you don’t want to miss it, subscribe to our News Blog, and keep updated!

Warm Regards,

Michele

Algarve info, News, Whats on Guide

Pack your Picnic and enjoy May Day in the Algarve

Gather your family and friends and experience the Portuguese May Day tradition.

The first of May is May Day, an international celebration of workers’ solidarity and has always been a festival of fun, right from its early beginnings and, despite isolated outbreaks of violence during political May Day rallies around the world, in modern times, it continues to be celebrated as a day to enjoy the open air, and a day to air opinions.

For the Portuguese it is a day to enjoy a good picnic, on the beach, in the forest, by a river, and sometimes just at the roadside. It is the one day of the year that normally unused roadside picnic spots fill with families and friends to enjoy simple food and wine, and cheer at the day long parades of fire engines, ambulances and police vehicles that animate the roads of every county. April in Portugal marks the change from winter to spring, bringing warmer weather and blue skies, and May Day is the perfect opportunity to get out and enjoy the first picnic of the year.

If you live here, or on holiday in the Algarve, we give you some popular places to go.

Most popular are the Fontes that can be found near Estombar (Lagoa), Alte and Benamola (Loule) and Caldas de Monchique. The rivers are very popular too, like the Arada and the Guardiana (river between Portugal and Spain) and the Baragems (dam lakes) which there are many, both large and small, throughout the Algarve.

So Pack your picnic and enjoy May Day in the Algarve!

For more information you can contact me.

This information is brought by you by Algarve Housing, which rents luxury holiday villas in the Algarve.

If you don’t want to miss our updates about what to do in the Algarve, last minute deals on our dream holiday homes or information about the area, subscribe to our blog, it is free, and you will never miss anything.

Warm Regards,

Michele

Algarve info, Algarve Places

Silves, a place in the Algarve not to miss!


Silves is a place not to be missed when you visit the Algarve, the most southern part of Portugal. Most of our villas for rent located close to Silves, time to write about historic town Silves.

Once the capital of the Arab kingdom. A once flourishing city of palaces, gardens and bazaars, Silves may have lost its influence but not its interest. The surrounding area is comprised of mile after mile of orchards – peach, almond and orange trees. The redsand stone fortress is open daily (09:00-19:00). A 13th century cathedral built of red and white sandstone has fine emblazoned tombs and should not be missed.

The best way to start your visit to the city is by going to Silves market in the morning. You will enjoy the aroma of the fruit, vegetables and fresh fish at this crowded, noisy but charming venue where you can buy everything you need to cook a delicious meal.

Silves, with its terraces, minarets, the façade of the Arabic palaces and streets complete with bazaars, make the city a great attraction for all visitors.

Walking on foot over the hills around the city, you will see flourishing orchards of almond, orange and fig trees.

Nowadays, Silves still maintains this medieval charm: from the 7-arched Roman bridge winding cobbled streets lead to picturesque squares fronted by churches and colourful cafes. Bars, shops and restaurants where local cuisine can be sampled at leisure, are interspersed with typical red roofed houses. The Fabrica do Ingles is a more recent social gathering point, offering restaurants, conference and exhibition facilities and during the summer months, concerts, laser shows, and theatrical re-enactments.

Silves has a great deal to offer, blending past and present to create its own unique atmosphere. Magnificent surroundings and the accompanying gentle pace of life combine to provide a memorable and truly remarkable visit.

AlgarveHousing rent various holiday homes in the Silves area, I just mention a few;

Casa Lavender, Casa Vilarinha, Casa Ceramica, Casa da Pedra, Casa Laranha, The Windmills, Casa Eucalyptus,Casa Barradas and Monte Boi.

Please contact me for more information regarding prices, availability or more information.

We regularly write articles about new holiday properties, special offers, information about the region and ‘Things to do in the Algarve’.

If you don’t want to miss it, subscribe to our News Blog, and keep updated!

Warm Regards,

Michele

Algarve info

Spring in the Algarve-don’t miss it!

Wild Flowers in the Algarve

Spring in the Algarve is something you cannot miss! Fabulous displays of wildflowers that colonise every available piece of Algarve ground no matter how small. In Portugal you do not need to travel far to see wildflowers. In the Algarve in springtime, the flowers are everywhere- on roadside verges, in abandoned and fallow farmland, in the forests and beside the sea.

We all know the Algarve from the beautiful cliffs and coves and beautiful white sandy beaches, but within a short drive of the coast there is a very different Algarve to be experienced. In the spring you see millions upon millions daisies, poppies and many other colourful flowers…like the Wild Roses (Cistus) in the mountains.

Daiseys
Field of Daiseys

Poppeys
Field of Poppeys

Cistus or Rock Rose
Rock Rose

Algarve Housing has a variety of nice holiday homes for rent away from the coast, in rural, private areas, still only a short drive to the coast, with private pool and garden.

If you don’t want to miss the beautiful spring in the Algarve, please have a look at our website for nice self catering villas and contact me for availability, prices and more information.

We will publish more about the things to see and things to do in the Algarve, last minute super deals on our holiday homes, so why not subscribe to our News Blog.

Warm Regards,

Michele

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