At the time of writing, it is 20°C and the sun is shining on the Algarve, here it is raining and 6°C so maybe it is time to have a look at a short break or a few days at Easter. Lagos, in particular, is lovely at this time of the year and we have some special prices at everybody's favourite, the Marina Club, for the Carnival at the beginning of February or in March, for Easter. If you like the Marina area, also have a look at apartments at Dom Manuel, Dom Duarte, Dom Afonso, Vasco da Gama and Gil Eanes. Algarve Retreats also has a special offer at the ever popular Vilabranca . We are also very pleased to welcome the Rio Arade Guest House to the portfolio: this beautiful old manor house has been voted number 1 bed and breakfast by Tripadvisor.
Rio Arade Manor House: Looked after by host John O'Neil, you will have a great time in this comfortable old Manor house which has 9 bedrooms and is ideal for a stay of a day or two or much longer. John takes pride in making sure that all his guests at Rio Arade have everything they need to ensure that they have a good stay in this interesting accommodation.
Take a look at www.algarve-retreats.co.uk for our full range of villas, apartments and 4/5* hotels in the Algarve.
This month, we learn about Prince Henrique, known as “the Navigator”, who brought together cartographers, geographers, astronomers and ship's pilots and pioneered improvement in map making and navigational aids. His centres of operations were both in our bit of the Western Algarve at Sagres and Lagos. David also talks about Dom Duarte, Dom Pedro and Dom Afonso V to his death in 1481. So read on for more about Portugal's colourful history.
Amici is situated towards the top of Rua 25 de Abril, on the right hand side, beneath St James. Jackie, Tony and friends dined there last October, on only their second night open and enjoyed an excellent Italian meal in stylish & modern surroundings. Owned and run by Italian, Luciano Cancherini - Dono, Amici Ristorante Italiano - Bar is a must for those who enjoy real Italian food.
We are delighted to welcome Chef Peter, who has joined us this month to share his recipe for the traditional Portuguese dish of Figs in Port Wine. Fresh figs are plentiful in Portugal in early autumn and, as the tree is native, it is possible to find “hedgerow” fruit to pick. Figs in Port Wine is delicious anytime but it makes an elegant dinner party dessert, as we know only too well from dining with Chef Peter!
This month, there are walks starting at Figueira (the one between Lagos and Alvor), a moderate walk on the slopes of Foia starting at Monchique, a fascinating walk from Vale Fuzeiros, where there are ancient tombs and menhirs from 3000BC to see and, lastly, from Bensafrim through beautiful countryside under threat from the developers. The February walks programme has all the details you need.
