A week on the Algarve

Posted on October 8, 2013 Updated on March 25, 2014

Up until recently I’d only ever visited the mainland areas of Portugal, these being Lisbon and Leixoes.

We decided that as we hadn’t been for a relaxing holiday overseas since New Zealand in 2009 we’d treat ourselves to a week of late summer sun.

The first thing I had to sort out was my Passport as it lapsed early August. I’d also at this stage like to say what an amazing job the UKPA do, a few years ago they received so much bad press for the time scales for a new passport. Nothing has been said though recently, this year alone, both Laura and I, and many friends have sent off for new passports and had them back in under six weeks. I’d also highly recommend using the online form completion. Complete the form and it’s sent through to you sign it, and send it back, the only thing you need are upto date pictures and in our case they didn’t even need counter signing.

Anyway we started looking, and for me this was something which was still moderately new. I’d only ever once before been on holiday overseas in a “package” sense of the word holiday. There is so much garbage out there though, and so many “cheap” options, I’ve always been blessed with the fact that the majority of my adult life I’ve been working overseas, and therefore travelled for very little. It makes it that much more difficult now though to spend hundreds of pounds for a week away when I’ve heard and seen so many horror stories. The joys of the media. The other side of it as well is I usually prefer to plan my own trips and explore and do my own thing, lying on a beach usually wouldn’t be my cup of tea.

So we searched for a couple of evenings and looked at reviews, and tried looking at prices, we even ended up on the verge of booking with one company, but once they added on their “additions” we decided against that. To say it sounded sketchy would be an understatement. Bags, Check In, Meals, Seats, Tickets, Transfers, Booking fees, erm I don’t think so. I’m not objecting to some of the charges but some of them were double what we actually paid. This alleged cheap break away was going to end up costing us way over what we planned for. Jetline Travel, just walk away. Likewise IcedLolly.com

We decided on the Algarve which meant flying into Faro, an airport I knew nothing about other than it was a small airport compared to most I had been through.

We booked through expedia and flew with monarch, the only three things we had to pay for in addition were baggage, transfers and pre-booked seats. The transfers were easy enough we booked these through the hotel and it cost I think 25 Euros return. The baggage I booked through monarchs web site and was something like £15 each way, and the seats which I’m still not convinced should be chargeable after paying what we paid for the flights were about £8pp per flight.

So anyway enough of the pre—holiday talk we got the train to Manchester airport as we’d lucked in with the flight times, or arranged to travel the Sunday instead of the Saturday because of the flight times. Either way we got the train and even when we set off we knew there was a delay on the flight. It takes a little over an hour from Huddersfield to Manchester airport but the main annoyance of that journey is the trans Pennine “express” and it’s lack of space for luggage which is a complete pain.

We got to the airport and the check in was quick and seamless, there were queues through security but nothing major and considering it was around lunch time. One of the best things I’ve seen implemented in airports are the passport chip and scan machines which I’ll come back to shortly. We made our way through and Laura set herself busy in duty free, although to be fair she didn’t spend a penny which I’m not really surprised by as she rarely spends money on herself in that way.

Before long we picked up some supplies and found ourselves a quiet spot to relax before the flight was called and we made our way to the gate. I never understand why people race to the gate to get in line when you know full well it’s going to be a whilst before you are allowed to board, and even then they do it in a certain order. Still people are people and they will do as they wish.

Once we were sat on board (or shoe horned into our seats) I started “bricking it” due to my fear of heights and things that go really fast. I have no problem with being in the air as long as there is no turbulence but I hate the take-off and landing parts. Luckily for me the flight was short and sweet, but in the end the delay had quite an impact as we were late arriving into Faro and our case more or less the last one through we were both pretty shattered by the time we got to the hotel.

Our driver seemed in a hurry to get somewhere I’m guessing given the state of his driving, but we arrived I’m happy to say in one piece at Clube Praia Da Oura which was literally a 5 minute walk down to the beach.

After we checked in I grabbed a beer and then we went and grabbed a bite to eat. Our room was right by the pool, the complex was open meaning anyone could walk through so I’ll be honest it made me slightly nervous but at the same time we made sure everything was locked up before we went anywhere. It had a small kitchenette and the main thing a fridge for the beer haha, otherwise it was what we needed, somewhere to sleep.

The beach was pretty much where we spent most of our time and it’s sorted of split into three sections, the area we chose was the smallest section with beds for hire, and a beach side café right next to us.

We pretty much ate lunch everyday we were there at the café and went back there a couple of nights for dinner, the staff were really friendly and the service was amazingly quick, also the Daiquiris were amazing.

The beach is the beach, but the good thing was there was always a lifeguard on duty, meaning if you are there with kids there is peace of mind for the parents.

So anyway the resort area itself is very British, it has a strip, an abundance of places offering “British” food, and generally has a very British feel to it. It’s not really my cup of tea in a sense, but the week away certainly hit the spot when it came to forgetting about work.

A couple of main highlights were definitely the waterpark and the bullfight, the latter of course will always spark controversy, but even Laura said she enjoyed it, though I feel if the bull had been killed in the ring I think she would have felt differently.

The waterpark was well worth the trip, personally I wish we’d been there from when the gates opened, and don’t believe the transfer which arrived 20 minutes late in the morning did us any favours, but we did still get about 5 hours at the park.

It was about 40 minute’s drive away from Albufeira and I’d have happily gone two or three times as entrance I think was about 20 euros each.

Again having being picked up late in the morning the driver didn’t endear himself in the afternoon by arriving late (another hour) to pick up the group, and then to make up time driving on the highway on an open top bus. *I should add to this that it was a single decker open top bus – no cover at all.

The tickets for both we purchased from the ticket office at the top of the road, but they are scattered around town so getting tickets shouldn’t be an issue.

In terms of eateries, The beach side café was awesome but the best place I think was the sunset restaurant where steak on a stone (I’d had this before in Madeira) was served. For those wondering it’s raw steak served on a sizzling stone, which then cooks in front of you. Out of this world!!

As for the beach side café, I had the kebab special one night which was beef hanging on a skewer which was cooked to perfection and highly recommended.

Finally the last night we took a walk down the beach back towards the hotel (or the steps upto it from the beach) and stumbled – not literally – upon a couple, as the bloodhound gang would put it, doing it like they do on the discovery channel. We swiftly made our way off the beach and back upto the hotel in a fit of laughter.

It was a great week and one where Laura managed to work on her tan, I finally got to see a bull fight and we both got some well earned R&R.