LeRefuge

South of Portugal - Algarve

Algarve is the southernmost region of Portugal and is mostly frequented for its many beaches. As our trip to Portugal lasted 9 days, we decided to split our time between the south, the capital and Porto. Our choice of accommodation in the Algarve ended on the Tivoli Carvoeiro hotel, firstly for its location not too far from the A2 road to Lisbon, thus facilitating travel between these two regions. It should be noted, for those traveling by car, that the A22 road that runs through the Algarve region is an electronic toll road only. So to avoid unpleasant surprises, it is possible to reserve tolls on the website www.portugaltolls.com. Finally, the simply spectacular location at the edge of the Vale Como cliff of the hotel justifies the expenses associated with the stay. The village of Carvoeiro, located within walking distance of the accommodation, has several restaurants and its small beach is the starting point for boat tours that visit the caves of the region. The hotel is equipped with a beautiful oceanfront pool, gym and spa. In addition, it is possible to have breakfast on a terrace overlooking the sea, as well as a cocktail at sunset on the roof terrace of the hotel.

Accommodation: Tivoli Carvoeiro Algarve Resort, 1299 Apartado, Vale de Como, Praia do Carvoeiro ( www.tivolihotels.com ).

Activities:

As the area is known for its beaches, it is recommended to enjoy some of the most beautiful nearby the hotel such as Praia do Vale de Centeanes beach and Praia da Marinha. It is possible to hike on the seaside path directly from the hotel. Nearby, you can find the boardwalk that goes to the village of Carvoeiro, where you can also enjoy the incredible rock formation of the Algar Seco.

Another very popular activity is the small boat cruise which visits the many caves that endow the coast. We enjoyed our cruise with Carvoeiro Caves. Lasting one and a half hours, the departure from the beach of Carvoeiro allows the visit of numerous caves, including the well-known Benagil cave up to Da Marinha beach with its spectacular rock formations. Reservations are possible on www.carvoeirocaves.com, with a 30 euro cost per person.

We also visited the city of Lagos, as well as the southern end of the bay which is Ponta da Piedade. Located 3 km from the city, the cape as only a single road that passes through the beautiful beaches of Camilo and Dona Ana before reaching the lighthouse parking. To get to the bottom of the cliff, you have to go down 182 steps ... but it's worth the effort. Finally, it is possible to kayak among the caves and the beautiful rock formations.