Category: Algarve info

Algarve info

Holiday in the Algarve?

Algarve Housing is the villa rental company for superior villas Algarve. We offer a hand picked selection of unique holiday villas Algarve with private swimming pools at quiet and peaceful locations, south part of Portugal.
Algarve Housing offers you the perfect place to stay if you want to experience the real Algarve but also want to be close to everything the beautiful southern coast of Portugal has to offer. Take a look at our rustic windmills, lovely cottages, restored farmhouses and luxury villas Algarve and choose your own paradise!

Algarve info, Luxury Villa

New on the rental market! Luxury villa Algarve


Casa Charlotte, 5 bedroom luxury villa, looking over Silves medieval castle and river do Arade, with private outdoor AND indoor pool (up to 35º). Child friendly with play ground.

Special play room with among others a pool table, cinema, and piano.
A short drive to lush beaches and renowned golf courses.

Outdoor kitchen, and lots of nice spaces to enjoy sun, shade, relax and enjoy luxury villa Algarve!

Algarve info

Special Offer May AND June, from 500 euros!


Charming Farmhouse, close to the beach (Alvor) with large, secluded gardens, and gigantic private pool.
May AND June promotion:

2-4 persons: € 500

4-6 persons: € 700

6-8 persons: € 900

8-10 persons: € 1000

Click here for more information:
https://www.algarvehousing.net/villas-for-rent-portugal/west-algarve/farm-house-bem-posta-alvor/

Algarve info

Nice villa on offer! May AND June 750 per week!!! Wow!


Villa Monte Boi, that sleeps up to 6 guests, has a special offer now for May AND June! So enjoy this nice villa in the Algarve, close to historic Silves. The views are more the magnificent, and the beach is a 20 minutes drive a way. Country side views, enjoy the real Algarve, and find some piece and relax while working on your sun taint! ONLY 750 per week!!!!!

Algarve info, Whats on Guide

Carnival in the Algarve?

Carnival Algarve

Coming up soon, Carnival in the Algarve! Throughout the Algarve there will be parades, generally this will take place on Sunday the 10th and Tuesday the 12th of February, starting 3pm till approx 5pm. My favourites are Alte and Messines. Why? Because it is very local authentic, and nice ambiance! And looking at the weather forecast….. this will be fantastic! Sun, sun, sunnier, sunniest….

But the biggest and most famous Canrinval of the Algarve is ofcourse Loule!

The celebration of Carnival in Loulé is one of the oldest in the country. This year the Loulé Carnival will take place on February 9th, 10th & 12th of February along the main avenue of José da Costa Mealha.

The theme of this year’s carnival will be the austerity measures imposed by the IMF, the current political situation of Portugal – basically the state of the country!!

The parades will start at 3pm and will include 17 decorated floats, entertainers, samba dancers from various samba schools and stilt walkers.

To complement the parade, Loulé Town Hall has announced it is also organising a number of themed balls and parties, sporting and cultural events throughout the town.

The Loulé carnival attracts thousands of visitors each year both national and international and is a great source of revenue for Loulé at this time of the year.

Tickets to enter the main avenue and watch the parade cost €2 per person each day.

Carnival in the Algarve, do not miss it!

Warm Regards,

Michele

Algarve Housing

 

Algarve info

Christmas-in-the-Algarve?

Have a Christmas break to remember…

Wrap up your Christmas and celebrate your Christmas in style with a nice holiday home in the Algarve!

If you fancy getting away from the hustle and bustle of Christmas, then do try the Algarve!  Christmas decorations go up in the towns and villages and the palm trees along the water front promenades sparkle with Christmas lights. There are plenty of restaurants open offering traditional Christmas dinners or have a nice, cosy Christmas dinner at your holiday villa!

All the traditional foods for Christmas are available – turkey, cranberry sauce, bread sauce (if you don’t make your own!), stuffing mixes and chestnuts aplenty. Turkeys are usually fresh and in all the supermarkets and butchers.

Portuguese Christmas

Christmas celebrations in Portugal traditionally start on December 8th, (the day of ‘Our Lady of the Conception’) and end on twelfth night. Christmas itself is celebrated on Christmas Eve night with a big family meal, traditionally of ‘bacalhau’ (salted cod fish), and lots of delicious savoury and sweet nibbles. (‘Fatias Douradas’ – slices of bread dipped in a milk, sugar and egg mix, fried and dusted with cinnamon are one of the favourite Christmas nibbles in Algarvean homes along with various almond sweets.) Presents are opened at midnight and then Christmas Day is for relaxing with family and friends.

Christmas Weather

We cannot guarantee sun, but it will be warmer then in Northern Europe. It can be nice and sunny during the daytime , but from 5pm onwards, it will get fresh. Therefore you need a good, quality holiday villa!

We like to suggest you few villas, but please contact me for more suggestions and any further details!

Casa Lavender

Located between market town Messines and historic Silves. Casa Lavender has 3 en-suite bedrooms, large open lounge, dining and kitchen area. From you doorstep you can make fantastic walks through the green valley, and meet a local farmer or shepherd.

Casa Colina

Located walking distance from some Portuguese bars and restaurants, with superb, magnificent countryside views, Casa Colina,  ideal for large groups, but also fine for a couple. Enjoy every day fresh eggs from the chicken in the garden, the Moroccan style bath rooms, wood burner, large colonial terrace with lounge cushions….

Casa Tootsie

Have your own cinema, gym and pool table, underfloor heating and wood burner…. 8 lucky guests can enjoy  Casa Tootsie, central in the Algarve, close to picturesque Boliquieme.

Casa Arrochela

This luxury villa is a you must seen to believe, as Casa Arrochela is located at the river Arade, just a 5 minutes drive a way from historic Silves. The amazing sunset over the river Arade is not to be missed! Sleeps 8 in 4 en-suite bedrooms.

How may I help you?

Hello, I’m Michele, your contact for Algarvehousing.net.
We pride ourselves in giving individual customer care, so if you have any questions please contact me.

Phone: +351 963 717 094 or Send an e-mail
Algarve info, Whats on Guide

8-12 August: Festival do Marisco Olhao

Today we invite you to visit the Shellfish Festival, taking place in Olhao, in the “Jardim Pescador Olhanense” near the “Ria Formosa”. The huge range of shellfish on offer, cooked in the traditional manner, regional sweets, handicrafts and concerts create a tourist event of the highest quality.
You’ll enjoy it!

The “cubist” town of Olhão is a special landmark on the Algarve tourist route. The typical ways of its people, the town’s exotic architecture, its cuisine and the islands nearby are all good reasons to visit.

Seafood devotees head to the fishing town of Olhão for the Festival do Marisco, for days of fresh cockles, conch, clams, oysters, conquilhas, octopus, squid and cuddle fish. Situated in the southern town in the Algarve region of Portugal, the festival celebrates the town’s history as a seaport and the subsequently delightful local cuisine – for those who love finger-licking good shellfish. Expect stall after stall of hot, grilled, steamed, sautéed and buttery seafood. And plenty of non-fishy smells and sights, too. In addition to the whitewashed walls and flattops of the Moorish architecture, folk dancing and concerts will keep visitors entertained as they eat.

Live music line up:

8 Tony Carreira

9 GNR

10 Beatles Tribute band

11 Rui Veloso

12 Banda Calypso

Opening hours: 7.30 pm – 1.30 am

Price: €8 for adults, children between 7 and 12 years: €3, under 6 years for free.

Algarve Housing rent unique holiday villas in the Algarve, Portugal. Please visit our website for more detailed information regarding the top holiday villas with private pools and gardens.

Warm Regards,

Michèle

Algarve Housing – For Better Holidays In Portugal

Algarve info, Whats on Guide

Medieval Festival Silves starting 28 July!!!

For the 9th year in a row the Town Hall of Silves will host the Silves Medieval Fair. Silves goes back to the medieval times!

9 days of entertainment are promised and this year the dates have been chosen not to coincide with any other major event in the Algarve. So there is no reason for you to miss out on this epic event.

Get into the mood of the time and hire a costume, wander the streets and alleyway where scenes of medieval times will be recreated. Use the money of the time and barter at the stalls. Eat and drink typical dishes of years gone by.

The Silves Medieval Festival is one of the most popular summer festivals in the Algarve and attracts thousands of visitors each year. This year promises to be a memorable event with lots of street entertainment and animation.

Tickets can be purchased at the castle or on entering Silves.

€2 – Day Ticket

€3 / €4 Bracelet

Start: 5pm

End: 1 am

Silves

Situated 15 kilometres from the coast and nestling in the valley of the Arade river, the fairy-like town of Silves Portugal is dominated by one of the largest and best preserved castles in southern Portugal – a constant reminder of almost 5 centuries of Moorish rule. This inspiring setting of Silves Portugal is a natural backdrop to a town steeped in history and the prize of successive conquerors. Silves is one of the most beautiful places to visit of the Algarve, Algarve Housing rent unique villas in the area of Silves.

Please visit our website for more information regarding Silves and the unique holiday villas in the area of Silves and the Algarve.

Warm Regards,

Michele

Algarve Housing

Algarve info, Whats on Guide

Livelike Dinoraurs in Portimao

The largest exhibition in Europe about dinosaurs, “O Mundo dos Dinossauros’ is on show this summer at the exhibition center in Portimão, the Portimão Arena. Not only the large-scale exhibition but also the dinosaurs themselves, like the T-Rex, Brachiosaurus and Oviraptor, life-size!!!!

Why takes this event place in Portugal? Not so surprising…. Portugal is in fact very active in identifying and preserving fossil remains of dinosaurs. Portugal is also famous for its many found traces of dinosaurs, such as those on the rocks on the beach of Salema in the Algarve.

 

A discovery in the world of the dinosaur
The website of the exhibition promises a spectacular journey into the world of the dinosaurs millions years back. First have a look in the cinema to see a short documentary, so you know more about the backgrounds of dinosaurs before you step into the exhibition space. Teeth, bones and even complete skeletons of dinosaurs can be seen in the “Fossil Gallery. The life-size dinosaurs you can discover yourself between the waterfalls, forests and deserts. And do not be surprised when the prehistoric creatures come to life itself: they can move and make sounds. At the end of the trip through the dinosaur era, you can still follow a workshop of paleontology.

Entrance prices and opening hours

This exhibition is on until September 9 th . Open daily from 17:00 to 24:00. A ticket for an adult costs € 7.00. Children under 3 are admitted free, between 3 and 11 years will cost € 5.00. There are also special rates for the cinema and for families and groups.

More information on the website (only portuguese)

This news is brought by you by Alagarve Housing, for better holidays in Portugal. Please visit our website for unique villas in the Algarve.

Warm Regards,

Michèle

Algarve Housing

Algarve info

Do you know the Algarve nature is stunning and beautiful?

Algarvehousing rent unique villas in the Algarve, but what do you know about the nature of the Algarve ?  

Some facts and figures about the Algarve

With an area of 4,996 km2 and a resident population of 430 084 inhabitants, spread throughout 16 municipalities, the Algarve is located at Europe’s westernmost tip, in the south of Portugal. It has an average population density of roughly 80 inhabitants per Km2 and an entirely Atlantic coastline that measures roughly 150Km in length.

It is subdivided into three main areas, each of which contains some extraordinarily beautiful landscapes:

Beach algarve

 

The coastal area

The coastal area is where most of the region’s economic activity is concentrated. In terms of landscape, the Algarve coast is very diversified, varying between abrupt and jagged coastlines, extensive sandy beaches, inlets formed by lagoons, marshland areas and various formations of sand dunes. The predominant rocks are essentially of the sedimentary type (as is the case with the arenites and conglomerates). Morphologically, the coastal area has a low altitude and mainly consists of plains, divided into fields and meadows;

Limestone_cliffs algarve

 

The“Barrocal”area

The Barrocal area marks the transition between the coast and the mountains, consisting of limestone and schist. This area is also known as the “beira-serra” (literally the mountain edge) and is where most of the agricultural produce of the Algarve originates from;

Monchique mountains

 

The hills

The Hills occupy 50% of the territory and are essentially formed from schist and some granitic rocks (in this latter case, in Monchique, where there is an outcrop of nepheline syenite). The main ranges of hills are the Serra de Espinhaço de Cão, Serra de Monchique (where Foia, the highest point in the Algarve is to be found, at an altitude of 900 metres) and the Serra do Caldeirão or the Serra do Mú.

The Algarve’s geographical position gives it some special bioclimatic features. Although situated by the Atlantic Ocean, it has a temperate climate with Mediterranean characteristics, more than 3,000 hours of sunlight per year and a low annual average rainfall.

The most important sector of activity is the tertiary sector (retail and services), resulting from the region’s main economic activity – tourism. This sub sector of activity is so important in the Algarve that it accounts, both directly and indirectly, for roughly 60% of total employment and 66% of the regional GDP. It should be stressed that the Algarve receives roughly 5 million tourists per year.

Municipalities

No.ofinhabitantsin2008

Area(Km2)

Albufeira

38 966

140,6

Alcoutim

3 104

575,4

Aljezur

5 323

323,5

Castro Marim

6 472

300,9

Faro

58 698

201,6

Lagoa

24 875

88,3

Lagos

28 890

212,8

Loulé

65 444

764,2

Monchique

6 024

395,3

Olhão

44 319

130,9

Portimão

49 881

182,1

S. Brás de Alportel

12 569

153,4

Silves

36 165

680,0

Tavira

25 394

607,0

Vila do Bispo

5 421

179,0

Vila Real de Stº António

18 539

61,3

Total

430084 

4996,0

 Source: visitalgarve.pt

This is brought to you by Algarve Housing, THE company for better holidays in Portugal. We rent unique holiday villas in the Algarve, hand picked and careful selected for YOU! From luxury villas till rustic windmills. Please contact us for more information regarding the unique holiday villas in the Algarve and the nature of the Algarve.

Warm regards,

Michele

Algarve Housing

 

Algarve info

Cliff Walking Algarve

The Algarve has beautiful beaches, weather, nature and the Atlantic Ocean. The Algarve is the most southern part of Portugal. An ideal way to enjoy all this is a cliff walk!

Praia do Marinho

When you drive to Praia do Marinho (take the turn off from the EN125 opposite International school Lagoa, and follow the signs Praia do Marinho), park you car at the rather large parking space. From here you already have some spectacular views of the golden rock formations and the Atlantic Ocean.

Long and short walks

You can choose to follow the cliff paths to the left, direction Armacao da Pera, or to the right direction Carvoeiro. The paths are sign posted and very easy to find. During these walks you find amazing scenery’s of the magnificent rock formations, and the information boards told me they were between 160 and 180 million years old, amazing! The colours are stunning, and at the moment you find a lot of flowers, among others the blooming Mimosa (see picture). You can make the walk as long or as short as you want!

So get your walking shoes and enjoy some cliff walking in the Algarve.

Warm Regards,

Michele

Algarve Housing

Algarve info

Spring in the Algarve!

Can’t believe it is already January! January in the Algarve means start of the feeling of spring, as the beautiful Almond blossom is starting to come out, which gives some beautiful pictures! Next to the colourful oranges on the trees, and the lambs jumping up and down in the fields, this is always a nice start of the year! We just had a bit of rain, but looking at the forecast, the sun is back in the Algarve! It has been sunny since end of November last year!

Tip for coming weekend:
Querenca Sausage Festival 21 and 22 January
The Querença sausage auction in the church square in picturesque village of Querenca, is one of the highlights of the Querença Sausage Festival on the 21st and 22nd of January, continuing a long tradition for this traditional Algarvean village.

The festival is in honor of São Luís, protector of animals, and is considered one of the most important rural gastronomic events held in the region.
The celebrations on Saturday night start with fado in the ballroom of the Casa do Povo de Querença.

But the real meaty action takes place on Sunday, from 11.00am in the Church Square, with the opening of the exhibition ‘Tradições Serranas, a Matança do Porco’ or ‘killing of the pig’.

The exhibition aims to recreate this tradition, ranging from the rearing of the pigs, through to the time the animal is killed, and the various ways the animal is prepared for food. Starting early, the public is encouraged to taste the grilled sausages.

At 15.00pm there is a church service followed by a procession through the streets of the village. Then at 16.30 there will be the auction of sausages in Church Square.

This festival continues a centuries-old tradition and is the flagship festival of its kind in the Algarve and, as such, “is an important tourist attraction at this time of year, highlighting the religious aspects of food,” according to Loulé Câmara.

The roots of this event go back to a time when families used the pig for food throughout the year. It was also a tradition to ask São Luís, patron saint of animals, to keep the pigs in good condition to ensure a supply of food for the household.

In gratitude, families offer the best home-made sausages to the church if the animals have had a good life up until slaughter, the remainder being auctioned. (text: Algarve Daily News)

Enjoy the Algarve!
Warm Regards,
Michele

Algarve Housing – for better holidays in the Algarve

Algarve info

How to pay the toll on the A22 in the Algarve?

This article contains information about how to pay the toll for residents of Portugal and visitors to the Algarve.

From December 8 (2011) motorists using the A22 in the Algarve will be charged electronically each time they pass a toll camera.

This system involves a series of cameras placed along the motorway which will record all vehicles travelling the road.

Residents must buy a transponder which is fixed to the windscreen of the car behind the rear view mirror and sends a signal to the cameras.

Travellers are charged 0.07 euro per kilometre, so 128km would cost €8.96.

Locally registered residents with Portuguese registered car

The transponder costs €27.50 and can be bought from the issuers, Via Verde (www.viaverde.pt) or from local post offices (www.ctt.pt) in person.

Users can then pay by a linked bank account (Portuguese only) or by pre or post pay at the post office or payshops and Via Verde shops. The system is similar to how mobile phones are used.

If a charge is unpaid, the users then have up to five days to pay before additional fines are added. A minimum of €10 can be pre-paid.

In order to buy the device and register an account, residents will need the proof of residency status, fiscal number, car registration details and if using the automatic payment, a Portuguese bank account.

There are also discounts that will apply. Residents will be exempt for 10 uses each month and a further 15% on all other uses.

Foreign registered vehicles for residents and visitors

Users can pre-pay with their vehicle registration number at the post office (www.ctt.pt)

There will also be temporary devices available for hire, costing €27 and with additional administrative charges. These will be valid for up to 90 days after which they can be re-registered as they must be linked to an individual vehicle.

Registering for a device is possible online at Via Verde but currently it is only in Portuguese, English speakers should visit their local post office for assistance.

Rental car users

Visitors to the Algarve using rental cars can ask for instructions from the rental company.

Rental cars will be fitted with a transponder and charges will happen automatically.

Currently, visitors will be asked to pay for their use at the post offices and at pay shops or online using the post office website (www.ctt.pt).

In future there are plans to offer places to pay at service stations.

This news is brought by you by Algarve Housing. Algarve Housing rent luxury villas in the Algarve. Unique properties with private pools and gardens. From rustic windmills till luxury villas and town houses.

Next article we will inform you about Christmas in the Algarve.

Warm regards,

Michele

Algarve Housing

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