Portugal: tourism in Algarve has beach and good food – 06/09/2023 – Tourism

The rocky walls that reach out into the sea are reminiscent of the most breathtaking dreams, or nightmares, of a Salvador Dalí. They are escarpments eroded by the Atlantic waves that frame the horizon, filter the sunlight, form small caves, alcoves and secret beaches, strange sculptures that seem on the verge of collapsing.

But the cliffs of the Algarve are there, firm and strong, in a setting not far away on the map of the coast that inspired the Spanish surrealist, after all, we are in the extreme south of Portugal, the neighboring country.

The spectacle of the crystalline sea swept by gusts of wind proves that the villages of Loulé and Lagoa, two privileged points of exploration in the region, are much more than the real estate advertisements —almost all in English— that dominate the arrival of those who disembark in the well-connected Faro airport.

Past the golf courses, the buildings under construction, the land allotted to British retirees, the landscape reveals itself to be from another planet. And nothing like a hotel in the right place, and a good selection of Portuguese wines —alvarinho, Madeira, viognier from the Algarve, labels from Alentejo— to sharpen your gaze towards the cliffs.

The balconies of the Tivoli Carvoeiro, one of the most luxurious hotels in the Algarve, overlook the stone walls. You can hear the waves crashing against them from inside the room, but also from the pool, with an efficient bar service. At night, a restaurant on the roof of the hotel serves classics from Lusitanian cuisine and what some would call fusion, with reinterpretations of sushi, ceviche and other delicacies that take advantage of the local seafood.

In this wildest spot in the Algarve, Carvoeiro is cozy, a horseshoe-shaped structure that turns its back on the frenetic real estate speculation right behind it and embraces the view of the sea intersected by rocks —the beach here is the lagoons formed by nature, discreet, hidden, without great aquatic emotions for surf lovers and alike.

These may feel more comfortable in, say, the most developed part of the region, where Vilamoura, a hotel belonging to the same group, is located. In a more resort style, it is a mastodonic structure glued to the marina of the same name, full of yachts.

Facing the hotel, the stretch of sand on the beach is gigantic, unusual for European resorts. The cliffs are already a little distant on the horizon, but the color of the sea does not disappoint. All it takes is courage to face the icy open Atlantic, quite different from the warm pool the Mediterranean becomes right there in these European summer months.

More impersonal and full of families vacationing with children, Vilamoura has its more Ibiza side, so to speak, with a space reserved for parties and a great restaurant built on the very sand of the beach. Anyone who wants to escape the hustle and bustle, be it the partygoers listening to house music, or the euphoric children, can enjoy the view of the sea while devouring a lobster with a glass of champagne. Relax.

Tivoli Marina Vilamoura
Rates from BRL 2,400 (breakfast included), at tivolihotels.com

Tivoli Carvoeiro
Rates from BRL 1,892.56 (breakfast included), at tivolihotels.com

The journalist stayed at the invitation of the Tivoli hotels