Popular Saints Parades
Portugal does festivals with style and Alvor is no exception. If you’re in town in June, check out this saints parade – it’s called popular for a reason. It used to a bit of a religious number, but these days it’s more about the wine, sardines and dancing. Handily, that makes for a pretty good party.By day, you can watch the local fishermen hauling in nets filled with cockles, clams and oysters – and at night you can sit down at one of the lagoon-side restaurants to taste their catch. Talking of all things fresh, sardines are another firm favourite round these parts – they’re grilled and served up with corn bread and olives. And should you want a post-dinner drink, try the chocolate-flavoured Alfarroba liqueur.
Read MoreBuzio is a classy restaurant perched on a cliff overlooking the beach. Customers sit round tables covered in crisp white tablecloths while friendly waiters serve up specialities like strawberry soup, confit of turbot, and monkfish and mussel risotto. Dine on the terrace and you’ll also get fantastic views.
Read MoreLagos – half-an-hour’s drive away – has a rather spectacular church. The Igreja de Santo Antonio might not look much from the outside, but the interior is a vision of ornately carved gilded woodwork and religious paintings – well deserving its nickname, ‘Golden Church’. While you’re in town, you could also visit the well-preserved fort and the old slave market, part of which is now an art gallery.
Read MoreMourisco has been serving cocktails in Alvor for more than 20 years so they’re pretty good at it. In fact, the mixologists here like to put on a bit of a show while they work. They do all the classics, plus refreshing vodka with fresh lychees and smooth numbers like cookies and ice-cream. And they’ll happily mix up something tasty for the kids, too.
Read MoreAt Torralta Beach, the sand gently slopes into the shallow waters of the lagoon. You’ve got lots of nooks and crannies to explore along the stretch, or you can get some windsurfing lessons and have a go. And when you’re hungry, the beachside cafés and restaurants serve up piri-piri chicken and grilled fish.
Read MoreAt this family-friendly restaurant next to the village church, there’s an open kitchen so you can see chef Richard in action. He rustles up some pretty good dishes – like honey-glazed goats’ cheese with tomato salsa and fillet of beef in a potato basket. And you can enjoy it all from the terrace that looks down to the waterfront.
Read MoreAround the resort, you’ve got places to buy holiday essentials and souvenirs – look out for brightly-coloured pottery, embroidered linen and leather goods. It might not be enough to please serious shoppers, but you’ve always got Portimao, a 15-minute drive away. This place has a good quota of retail parks as well as smaller shops selling hand-knitted jumpers, local pottery and hand-painted porcelain.
Read MoreIf you like things relaxed, you can spend your evening on the quayside having a chilled drink while you watch the bobbing boats. But if you want things a bit livelier, the resort also has plenty of bars scattered around town and in the hotels – they’ll sort you out for karaoke, live music and tribute acts.
Read MoreA 25-minute drive will get you to the Slide and Splash Waterpark at Albufeira. Here you can zoom down slides, swirl down the Fast River and whizz along tubes and tunnels like the Black Hole. And when you want to dry off, you’ve got falconry, parrot and reptile shows to keep you entertained.
Read MoreAlvor is pretty big on restaurants. Most popular are the ones with views over the lagoon so it’s best to book ahead, especially if you want to sit outside. You’ll really need to try the cockles, clams and oysters, which come fresh from the estuary. And another speciality is the sardines, with corn bread.
Read MoreEvenings here tend to start early, with cocktails and people-watching in the village centre before moving onto the harbour for a relaxed meal. Post-dinner, some people like to linger over an almond liqueur, while others seek out live music and karaoke in the bars and hotels. Sometimes, those who want it might even get to dance on the beach.
Read MoreThe aroma of freshly grilled sardines leaves you in no doubt that this festival really is all about the fish. For around 10 days in August, each evening begins with a parade along the riverfront then lots of eating – with tapas and local cheeses and sausages, too. Entertainment is courtesy of live Fado music and Portuguese pop and rock, and there are cooking demonstrations, children’s entertainment and craft stalls.
Read MoreCheerful and super-friendly, the Chill Out Bar does exactly what it says on the tin. Cheap beer, legendary giant toasties and the biggest welcome in town from owners Lionel and Andrea are the hallmarks of this place. Seats are mainly outdoors, making it perfect for a lunchtime snack or early evening drinks – and children are made just as welcome as the grown-ups.
Read MoreAlvor does a good line in brightly coloured local pottery and embroidered linen, but if you’re looking for more than souvenirs the nearest shopping hub is Portimao, around 15 minutes’ drive away. The place comes with lots of retail parks, where Primark sits alongside homeware and electrical stores. You’ll also find clothes at Portimao’s market, daily except Sundays.
Read MoreGently sloping sand and safe, shallow waters are what you get at Torralta Beach. The lagoon on this Blue Flag stretch is perfect for swimming, and it’s also a big hit with the wind- and kitesurfers who glide over the water in friendly competition. For eats, the beachside restaurants serve up deliciously simple grilled fish and piri piri chicken.
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