The Algarve. Part 1 - Albufeira

For us November means a week long holiday. More often it's a trip to Spain, but this year we decided to explore the beautiful Algarve in Portugal.

Starting the holiday, everything perfectly planned by my husband we had a very early start as our flight to Faro left at six in the morning. With the car fully loaded, we are ready to go. Everything has run so perfectly until we turn the key to start the car. Nothing! The battery is dead. Yesterday the car was still working fine, so why wouldn't the battery be working today.

We have a few attempts to push start the car without making to much noise, but no such luck. I quickly call our local cabby to book a cab. £63 later and a 45 minute drive in a car that smelled like a mix of late night kabab and fabric softener, with a hint of pine. Escaping the car I'm excited to take a deep breath of fresh air, but it was not to be. Four ladies walking ahead were leaving a cloud of cigarettes smoke and cherry flavoured vapes as we make our way through a none smoking area to the entrance of Bristol Airport. Once we made our way through the thick smoky fog and through the doors of the entrance of the airport the morning eventually turned around.

Getting off the plain I was greeted with a familiar seaside humidity, which reminds me of my childhood getting out of our car after a four hours drive from our Home to Ballito. The only thing missing is the smell of Nivea sunblock. Funnily my hand cream is Nivea which vaguely smells like the sunblock . The 2 1/2 hour flight to Faro felt short and the airport itself is nice if you can avoid getting stuck behind the never ending stream of people pulling golf bags.

We rented a car and driving away from Faro to Albufeira felt like leaving an airport in Spain or Italy. The roads itself are in a fare condition and traffic is minimal. It takes my husband only a few minutes to get used to driving on the wrong side of the road. I am very thankful I don't have to drive.

ALBUFEIRA

Our first location was Albufeira. This is a former fishing village which has become a major holiday destination. Holiday goers enjoy things like diving, dolphin watching and taking boat trips.

We rented a generous one bedroom apartment, a bit outside Albufeira, and had a huge balcony overlooking the ocean, the harbour and the massive mansions on the sides of the mountains. Over the next few days we took long morning walks, had a few dips in the cold ocean, ate some delicious food and had stunning cocktails with a sunset view over the ocean. Here is a breakdown:

BE ACTIVE

Albufeira and it's surrounding areas are very walkable and are known for their many beautiful, picturesque beaches. The beaches are sandy and the water is blue. In many areas the waves are good for surfing. Places like Gale have surf schools where you can take surfing lessons.

Hire a sea canoe and stand-up boards and take it out of the ocean to explore hidden beaches and caves.

Take a drive to the start Praia da Gale (in Gale) and walk the stunning boardwalk all the way to Armacao de Pera. The boardwalk goes through marshlands and nature reserves which has many birds. It also connect to walking trails and beach accesses. Every morning we did a seven kilometre walk just on the boardwalk and it was so peaceful and so beautiful. I loved starting my days like this.

After a walk on the boardwalk back to Gale, stop at Zimzala Cafe and treat yourself to a fresh juice and a an Acai bowl or toasted sandwich.

Hire a bicycle. The boardwalk can also used for cycling. the Algarve has many cycling areas and you will come across many people on cycling tours.

RESTAURANTS

Vegan food is not really on the radar on most restaurant menus, but I did find some good options.

SUGAR RABBIT

Based in Albufeira this is a vegan/vegetarian restaurant with a vibrant menu. From juices to smoothies, colourful salads, burgers, superfood bowls, interesting pancakes and desserts. They also have wines, beers and cocktails and have a G&T but made with Kombucha! Great for take aways or to eat in. Perfect for brunch or a delicious lunch.

VEGGIE MOMI

Also based in Albufeira, however I did not have the opportunity to eat there but I have ready many good reviews about this restaurant. Their menu includes breakfasts, wraps, burgers, stews, curries and pizzas.

RESTAURANTE HOUSE OF STEWS

Based in Vale Faro. When searching on google this also comes up as Restaurante stews and more.

I had one of the best stews here. Their vegetable stew on their menu is served with feta, but without the feta it's completely vegan. The stew is served with roasted potatoes and bread. It was incredible. Ask the owner to suggest a wine to compliment the stew. We left feeling very happy.

ZIMZALA

Based in Gale (the start of the boardwalk), treat yourself to a fresh juice and a an Acai bowl or toasted sandwich after a long walk.

ARTE NAUTICA

This is a restaurant right on the beach in Armacao de Pera. They have a few vegan options and everything I tried was really delicious! If you aren't hungry it's still a great place to enjoy a coffee or a cocktail with the view of the beach and the ocean. (photo below)

COCKTAILS

Even though there are lots of places to go for drinks in Albufeira, we only went out for cocktails ones and this is where we went.

SAL ROSA

This is one of the best cocktail bars I have been too. It's definitely worth making your way here for sundowners.

Not only do they have a very interesting, original cocktail menu, but they also have the most spectacular view.

Sitting at a low table on a comfortable couch, dimmed table lamps creating a romantic atmosphere, all whilst overlooking the sunset over the ocean. It feels like you are floating above the water. It's only when you stand closer to the large window that you realise that there is actually a beach between you and the sea.

I had the sticky mango cocktail made with jasmine rice, sesame seeds, coconut, cognac, lime and mango. It is sooo delicious! They also serve tapas, but we already had dinner plans so we didn't try any of their food.

The staff are also really friendly and attentive.

GROCERIES

Albufeira and the surrounding areas have shops like Lidl, Intermarche and Spars which have all the basics you need.

HORTA DA ORADA

This one is worth mentioning as it's is a beautiful little farm shop that grow almost all their produce on their own farm right behind the shop. They have an excellent selection of gorgeous, seasonal produce, but also sell wines, honey and some touristy souvenirs. They are on the pricier side, but so worth it as the quality is so good. They are located close to the harbour.

EXPLORE THE SURROUNDING AREAS - TAKE DAY TRIPS

We took several day trips to other nearby fisherman towns.

My advice is to go explore. Best yet is to get lost and find something unexpected.

BEST TIME TO GO

Out of season! It is a lot quieter than during season. We were there in November and we had incredible weather with up to 25 C some of the days. Most days I was wearing shorts and strappy dresses during the day. The evenings are a bit chilly though.

Some of the restaurants close during out of season, but most of them do stay open.

HOW TO GET THERE

The closest Airport is Faro Airport, only about 30 minutes drive. We rented a car, which was very inexpensive, which made everything a lot easier trying to get around.

HAVE YOU BEEN TO ALBUFEIRA?

Let me know what your favourite place to eat is, where you recommend to go and what to do.