How Many Days? 4
Food - How Much? €7/Meal
Hotel - How Much? €150/Night for a Boutique Hotel/ Nice Hostel for €20/Night
Overall Experience was... FANTASTIC!
Let’s start... Middle of last year I realized I had not traveled at all yet. It happened because I went to Brazil in May so I basically focused only on that trip and I did not plan anything else. Well, by the time I noticed that I feared I couldn’t enjoy that European Summer anymore, buttt... I started searching places to go and everything was so expensive, excepting Faro, Portugal, BOOM it was just PERFECT for what I was looking for... I always wanted to visit Algarve and the opportunity had just knocked on my door!
So... Done! My first summer trip for 2019 was booked with €75 (return), lovely!
I was so excited as I had never been to Portugal, which means it would not only be a Summer Trip, but also a +1 country to my list! Happy days!
I was not on my own on this adventure, this time I had one of my best friends with me and he was essential for my experience in Algarve became unforgettable!
If I liked it? oh... honestly... I would live there, no problem! The place is magical and I have a feeling that it will become my Summer Getaway from now on...
Where did I stay?
We spent 3 nights on one of my favorite Hotels in the world, Quinta Bonita Boutique Hotel!
Boutique Style is just my favorite, but this one was way over my expectations!
It was perfect in every aspect, I mean, every room was so unique, the decoration was like... WOWWW!
A very special calm atmosphere that fits perfectly with what I was looking for that time...
Rooms are bright and airy with comfy beds. You can also enjoy the yoga classes that happen in the mornings!
Hard to fault, we had a lovely stay here and can’t recommend it highly enough.
Check the Website: https://www.quintabonitaalgarve.com/
The breakfast was SOOO DELICIOUS! Plenty of options every day! They also can prepare hot meals, like some eggs, what was also pretty good!
Breakfast was for sure one of the best parts of the day!
We had such a beautiful area to enjoy the sun in Quinta Bonita Hotel, what made us kinda of... should we go or should we stay (this is a "problem" that I face when staying in amazing Hotels haha), so our everyday plan was waking up around 9 am, have breakfast, get ready, enjoy some time in the Hotel and leave by 1pm... this was the perfect plan!
When traveling with someone, the best you can do is make a plan to cover everything without stress!
Loved how welcoming the staff are!
The hosts have amazing attention to detail! They were so friendly and gave us an individual service!
They were also able to help us find great activities in the area.
I remembered we left Dublin Wednesday after work and we arrived in Faro very late. We got the car and drove to Vilamoura. Our first night was at Longevity Cegonha Country Club, a Wellness and Spa Hotel with a countryside charm.
Such an adorable place, our room was huge, it was basically an apartment to be honest, we had a lovely backyard, perfect for my meditation in the morning!
The place is pink, yeah! PINK! How cool is that? haha I just wanted to live there! The pool area is amazing and very spacious. Highly recommended!
Check the Website: www.longevitywellnessworldwide.com
No, it was not a sea view, but that landscape view gave us the positive energy that we needed to prepare ourselves for the day!
Of course, it was also our favorite spot to create content! I had to add Caio's picture because I want to show you guys, not only him, but I am also a great photographer hahaha
And believe me or not, my content is created with my iPhone XS Max, but all the pics from the previous posts were taken from an Iphone 7S, which was not bad.
1. Parrilla Beach Club, Almancil - if you like great food, cocktails and nice live music...
WITH A VIEW, this is the place for you!
They serve breakfast, lunch and dinner. You can be assured of quality food served with a friendly and efficient service while you enjoy glorious sea views!
What would I recommend? Tuna Carpaccio for starter, for main Spicy prawns with linguine nero and for dessert Strawberry Pavlova! Just Perfect!
Check the Website: https://www.parrillabeachclub.com/en/
2. Salmora Live Kitchen & Bar, Vilamoura - Fine Dining. This place is a must visit when in Vilamoura.
Delicious food! The Menu is designed to be shared between two, based on tapas style sharing platters but on a bigger scale.
The waiter gave a very clear explanation and helped us choose and not over order. He was knowledgeable about every dish and was attentive throughout.
The bartender came to the table explaining all the process to make the cocktails and just prepared amazing ones, exactly what we were looking for!
What would I recommend? Tuna and salmon were perfect, but the wild mushroom red wine risotto was my favorite! Also the apple pie desert was out of this world.
Check the Website: www.salmora.com.pt
On the first 2 days we took it easy, just choosing one beach to stay the entire afternoon, but on Saturday we decided that we were gonna drive around the cost spending 1h in each beach to visit as many places as possible. I think by the end of the day we were able to visit 5 and that’s fine...
because if there is something that I learnt in life is that quantity is not quality, we just wanted to have a good time and relax!
My favorite Beaches in Algarve:
1. Praia da Marinha, Lagoa - It is known as one of the most beautiful beaches of the world. Clear turquoise waters lap up against the orange limestone that forms the cliffs and iconic rock formations. We had an amazing lunch with a great view and a bottle of rose for €27. It is the only restaurant you can find over there, you can see it as soon as you get down to the beach.
2. Praia de Carvalho, Lagoa - I'd say it was my favorite! A staircase through two tunnels in a cliff accesses a
spectacular beach! It is a very small beach, but you will have stunning scenery and crystal clear water.
3. Praia do Zavial, Raposeira - is an area of unspoiled natural beauty. There is no mass transportation. There is a great place for lunch, it is situated on a rise above the beach. Very affordable, we paid €35 for 2 main courses and a bottle of wine.
4. Praia de Dona Ana, Lagoa - is the classic Algarve cove; nestled between the sandstone cliffs on the eastern side of Ponta da Piedade. We rented a set of sun loungers and a parasol for €7 for the entire day, which was pretty good and comfortable, but I did not like the bar over there, the only one available did not have nice cocktails or great options for food at all.
hahahaha this is me waiting for Caio to collect me at the door, he went to get the car, by the way...
HERE IS AN GREAT TIP: get yourself a car, it will give you the freedom to move around, but
BE CAREFUL, use a credit card and get the insurance, it is cheaper and safer than a debit card. We used the debit card as we did not have a credit one, we paid almost the double to rent the car, and after we gave the car back, they did not check anything while we were there and in the next day they charged us €700 for something that we never did, I WENT CRAZY... happily we had the insurance that covered it in a couple if weeks.
Avis Rent a car was the company. I found many complaints later on about the same situation, so definitely DO NOT GO FOR THEM!
That selfie before leaving... hahaha
All my bikinis were from Zozo Couture, I got them online, they were around €20. You will receive them in 5 working days! Good Quality and fair price!
Check Website: https://zozocouture.com/
NOOOOW! After this post full of tips to make your trip the MOST ENJOYABLE possible I am sure if you have never been to Algarve, you will book your flights soon or if you have been you will plan to go back!
What's better than an amazing place with plenty of beaches, great food and drinks, perfect weather and very good value? Literally NOTHING!
So, Thank you so much for your time and for being here!
See you soon!
PS: Unfortunately I lost all my pictures and videos from the past 2 years, but if you want to know more about any of my trips, you can go to my Instagram https://www.instagram.com/marianacalonso/ and check my highlights to more...!
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