Things To Do in Carvoeiro

You’ll find at least 5 supermarkets in town, as well as boutiques selling beachwear and souvenirs like the famous handmade terracotta pottery. Plus it’s only a 15-minute drive to the Algarve Mall at Guia, where you can access big names like Zara, H&M and Primark. It’s also got a multiplex, which shows films in English but with Portuguese subtitles.

Carvoeiro isn’t known for its wild nightlife, but the bars and pubs are within easy walking distance of each other and stay open ‘til around 2am. They’re the ideal place to enjoy a glass of port, or the local Lagoa red. And if you’re up for something livelier, Praia de Rocha is a 20-minute drive away. It’s got lots of bars, plus a couple of big clubs.

This 5-day festival, just along the coast in Porches, celebrates the snail’s role as an edible delicacy. Here you’ll find them cooked in imaginative ways, including boiled with oregano or pan-fried with bacon, onions and tomatoes. There’s a free plate included in the entrance fee. It takes place in the open-air recreation ground, a 20-minute drive from Carvoeiro.

This colourful bar on the main road, just off the square, makes the ideal spot for a pre-dinner drink. Cocktails are well priced, coming in at under 5 euros – during happy hour, between 6pm and 8pm, you’ll get 2-for-1. Music-wise, there’s a soundtrack of funky house and lounge classics. And if hunger kicks in, you’ve got burritos and tortillas with dips to munch on.

Just up the hill from town is this place, said to serve the best Italian food in the area. Certainly it’s smarter than your average pizza-pasta joint – you’ll eat dishes like clams in garlic and white wine, or veal parmigiana. There’s a romantic vibe, too – tables are set with linen and candles, and there’s a patio decked with statues. If you get chilly, tell the staff and they’ll bring you a blanket.

With their painted wooden chairs and tables, the restaurants in and around the square deliver old-style charm and sea views, alongside international and Portuguese cooking. You’ll see plenty of fish – look out for the freshly grilled sardines, or cataplana, a local seafood stew named after the pot in which it’s cooked. And veggies can try the various feijoada, or bean stews.

From Carvoeiro beach there are daily cruises to Albufeira and Benagil. There’s no better way to see the Algarve’s white-sand beaches and tour the coastline’s caves and grottos. And the waters round here are home to dolphins, so if you’re lucky you’ll spot a few. Trips are dependent on sea conditions, so you’re best off turning up in the morning and booking for later that day.