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TRAVELLER
DISCOVERIES
WORDS MATTHEW HANCOCK
See past the sandcastles and golf courses as we plot a route to Faro for
some of the finer things to do on Portugal’s south coast
ESSENTIALS
OLD FAITHFUL
– 01
The walls of its castle
dominate the skyline of
the small inland town
of Silves. You may wish
to stay away from the
internal water cistern, as
it’s said to be haunted by
the ghost of a Moorish
maiden, but you can stroll
around and admire the
statues of conquistadors
and the massive
sandstone walls, which
kept out the Crusaders.
NEW TASTE
– 02
Gisela Matthjis has kept
the Algarve’s A-list
visitors deliciously full
for 25 years by way of
her catering company.
So when the owners of
Vale do Lobo decided
they wanted a fine-
dining restaurant in
the golf resort’s Praça
area there was but one
person to turn to. Her
new restaurant, called,
naturally, ‘Gisela’s’
(
Vale do Lobo Praça,
giselasrestaurante.com
),
offers something quite
unique on this beach
promenade: it’s fine
dining with a modern
twist, as Chef Philipp Glas
de Sousa cooks deliciously
light Portuguese fare
worthy of the great view.
DISH OF THE DAY
– 03
The Portuguese love
seafood and around 80%
of it derives from the salt
flats around the eastern
Algarve. For seafood at
its best, try an
arroz de
marisco
, a rich broth of
rice, vegetables and a
medley of whatever’s
been harvested locally
that day. In Faro, the
top place to sample it is
the Marisqueira Faro e
Benfica (
Doca de Faro,
tel: +351 289 821422
),
facing the marina, which
has satisfied the appetites
of various celebrities and
prime ministers.
DO NOW
– 04
Sagres is the surfing
capital of the Algarve and
those in the know put it
on a par with California.
In August, swells aren’t
always constant, but
have a day at one of
the surf schools (such
as
nomadsurfers.com)
and they’ll take you to a
beach to suit your level.
The south coast tends to
have calmer waters, but
the west coast, with its
backdrop of soaring cliffs,
is something of a swell
magnet, with waves of up
to 1.5m, even in summer.
BUY THIS
– 05
Portuguese wines have
a burgeoning reputation,
and though the Algarve
isn’t the main wine region,
modern harvesting
techniques have allowed
some of the region’s
small vineyards to
flourish. Look out for the
award-winning Marquês
dos Vales Grace Viognier
Blanc from Quinta
dos Vales in Estombar
(
quintadosvales.eu
) or the
Cabrita Reserva Branco
from near Silves.
SWEET STAY
– 06
This year, the boutique
Martinhal Beach Resort
(
martinhal.com
) offers
a new family and teens
spa treatment, one of
its many family-friendly
facilities that include
pools and a diverse range
of children’s activities.
Although, as it sits on one
of the Algarve’s loveliest
beaches, you may just
want to lie on the sand
and enjoy the scenery.
06
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ALGARVE