East meets west
Introducing the new menu and cuisine at one of Carvoeiro´s favourite restaurants Earlier this year, Chef Valdemar Guerreiro joined the team of the Pimenta Preta restaurant, at Palm Gardens, and brought his lifetime of world travels and experience with him to create a bright, vibrant and delicious fusion menu to the resort restaurant, formally famed for its white gloves and fine dining. The changes see the introduction of numerous...
Musical versatility
There’s more to the Portuguese guitar than fado, says master player and teacher José Alegre José Alegre says he never planned to become a musician: “It just happened. Music chose and surrounded me,” he said, smiling. But it was José who chose the Portuguese guitar and made it into his instrument of choice. “It is the most important thing in my life, my partner, the box where I keep my dreams.” There were no music schools in his...
Hungry for history
Discovering the historical and gastronomic treasures of Silves When friends Joana Cabrita and António Guerreiro left University to travel to far away lands and follow their professional careers in international television production, arts and branding, they never imagined being back in Faro in 2017 and operating Eating Algarve Tours. Both passionate about culture, tradition and gastronomy, they decided to return to their homeland and...
The Way it was… A personal account
Photographer Tim Motion documented the Algarve during the ´60s and ´70s London-based photographer Tim Motion documented the Algarve, where he lived, in the ‘60s and ‘70s. A fascinating exhibition of his photographs, entitled ‘ALGARVE 63’, is on display at the Parque Municipal das Fontes de Estômbar (Lagoa), until September 16. In addition to this, a photobook featuring his works will be on sale at the exhibition (€30) and...
Free as a bird
A new wave of camper van tourists arrives in the Algarve The freedom of touring around and finding the perfect spot to spend the night has always been very attractive to me, so I was thrilled to come across a company called Soul Campers, here in the Algarve, who offered exactly what I was looking for. Not being a fan of being caught short or camping in general, popping a tent in the back of the car has never had much appeal but having...
Eating with your eyes
Ana Remígio´s wonderful edible art An artist from Lagoa, practically unknown in her hometown, is steadily making a name for herself in the world of cake art. Ana Remígio, a housewife with two children of 9 and 11, only practices this craft as an artistic occupation, since from a commercial standpoint “people only see a cake. They are not prepared to pay for the many hours spent studying and building the structure, confectioning and...
Oceans of vision
A look at the history of Zoomarine with its founder In 1991 Portuguese-Argentinean businessman, Pedro Lavia, opened the doors to what has been his lifelong dream and an absolutely innovative project in Portugal and a defining element in the Algarve: Zoomarine. Boasting a haul of tourism and scientific awards, the team was the first to introduce dolphins to the country and, in 2002, opened the first marine species rehabilitation centre...
Top 10 Algarve wines
For the 10th anniversary of Inside Carvoeiro, Algarve-based wine writer, Patrick Stuart, shares his list of 10 favourite Algarve wines as prepared for the special 100th edition of our sister magazine Essential Algarve A) Barranco Longo Blush Rosé A difficult rosé to beat in the sub 10-euro price range, there are fresh and delicate red fruit notes on the nose and a slight creaminess in the mouth with good acidity with a dry yet fruity...
Perfectly Stela
Abstract art for all Well-known in the Algarve art scene, Stela Barreto is a colourful, friendly, authentically creative artist and teacher preparing for a solo exhibition at the Galeria de Arte in the Lagoa Adega (winery) from April 2017. As she prepared for the exhibition at her Portimão studio, Atelier 34, she described the long journey, via classical training, which has lead to her love of expressionism and abstract art. Aged...
Setting the wheels in motion
Getting around the parish of Lagoa has never been easier The comfortable, flexible hop-on, hop-off Rota das Falésias (cliffs’ route) minibus service is a great way to see the sights of Carvoeiro, Ferragudo and Lagoa. The 20-seater, air-conditioned Mercedes Benz minibus runs every half hour, seven days a week, with passengers able to hop on and off as many times as they like, buying either a 24- or 48-hour ticket. So, for an...
Floating fun, a first in Portugal
Hovertrack Portugal brings three fabulous hovercrafts to Portimão Some people take the expression “New Year, new beginnings” to a whole new level and it’s safe to say that for Nuno and Fernanda Mourão, opening their dream, Hovertrack Portugal, on December 31, 2016 fits that phrase perfectly. The first of its kind in Portugal, with three hovercrafts on site and an ever- changing track, the hovertrack has been purposebuilt and the...
Júlia´s jams
The best ingredients and traditional recipes make the jams from Doces da Julinha absolutely unforgettable. They´re also the perfect gift They say that every cloud has a silver lining. This could well apply to the story of Júlia Inácio: born and bred in Monchique, she worked in the hotel industry on the Algarve coast, and later in the Alentejo, until some years ago. However, the ill-fated financial crisis led to sackings everywhere,...
Mizu at Vila Vita Parc
Japanese fine dining arrives in the Algarve, including authentic robata-grilled food The new Japanese restaurant, Mizu, at Vila Vita Parc opened in February, following a brief closure for some fine-tuning after a soft opening in December. And, if the initial reaction from hotel guests and outside visitors is anything to go by, this is set to become another top spot at Vila Vita Parc for serious foodies. Having sampled a few of the...
One night in Casa do Serro
Inside magazine visited the magnificent, centennial, palatial guesthouse in Silves for an unforgettable getaway For many years, I’ve driven past the beautiful old building and thought how wonderful it would be to have a look inside the imposing house on the hill. I finally got the chance following the charming owners’, Jorge and Manuela Craveirinha, decision in August 2015 to turn a selection of the rooms into four en-suite bedrooms...
Cave kayaking for everyone
A seascape of grottoes, there´s more to see from the sea It’s a common human pastime to sit by water and enjoy its peaceful motion and the calming reflections. Inside Carvoeiro thought it was about time to get out of our comfort zone and join one of the local, beautiful seacave kayak tours. Egged on by images of the now world-famous cave in Benagil, we set ourselves the challenge of finding other less known secret spots. The first...
A picture perfect passage
Strolling through the picturesque Algarve on a photography tour with Dave Sheldrake When Dave and Alyson Sheldrake retired to Portugal in 2011, the artistic couple couldn’t have foreseen how their lives would pan out or know the extent to which they would become such well-known and loved local artists. Based in the Algarve for six years now, being a professional photographer has been a dream come true for Dave. Having learnt the art...
Carvoeiro the village
From quintessential fishing village to flourishing resort town Standing on the cliff top above Carvoeiro beach, it’s surprisingly difficult to pinpoint the changes that have taken place over the last three decades. The white houses that dot the hillsides still look the same – but there are more of them. The view of the beach below me has changed even less, except for the disappearance of the old fishing boats and the addition of the...
Makeover for Tivoli Almansor Hotel
Makeover for Tivoli Almansor Hotel The Tivoli Almansor hotel is undergoing major refurbishment this winter and aims to be open at the beginning of April 2017. Having been open for 25 years, the four-star hotel was showing signs of aging when the new owners, Minor International, closed its doors in November 2016. The new and improved plans will no doubt boost the hotel’s status to five stars, which are certainly more fitting to its...
Facelift for Ferragudo
The picture postcard village of Ferragudo is becoming increasingly popular and their forward thinking local council have unveiled some very ambitious plans that will breathe a new lease of life into the traditional village. A multi-million euro plan includes the renovation of the main northern entrance to the village, as well as the construction of a three-storey car park (with a capacity for 120 vehicles) that will also boast a...
Stronger together
Following last summer’s devastating forest fires, a group of around 40 volunteers gathered in Silves in November to plant nearly 6000 new trees as part of a reforestation initiative entitled Operação Montanha Verde, promoted and funded by Zoomarine and Silves council. The young trees were planted in Herdade do São Bom Homem and should go some way to replenishing the area. With special thanks going to the volunteers who included...
