Simon Says: Go to the Algarve, Portugal May 21, 2001
Portugal seemed like a good
idea. We wanted warm weather in Europe in May, and someone, I'm afraid I
can't recall who, thought
Portugal would be better than Spain; so we put it on our itinerary. Then
one day an e-mail arrived from a Brit named Simon. Lucky for us, he'd stumbled onto DickandWitta.com. After checking our itinerary, he wrote
to offer some suggestions. Here's what Simon says!
"Do let me know where in Portugal you are heading. I have spent the last 8 years visiting mainly for the golf and birdlife (feathered) and could offer some up-to-date course reviews and restaurant tips for the Alamancil and Quinta areas."
Checking a map, we found the suggested areas to be in the Algarve, the southern Portuguese coast, near the town of Faro. As we've since discovered, the Algarve is well known to Europeans, as it's full of golden-sand beaches and world-class golf resorts. It's an A-1 destination for golfers, the affluent, and anyone looking for a good deal on a European vacation in the sun.
Regarding lodging,
Simon says:
"We stay in Quinta do Lago, which is a large private resort with four championship golf courses. We have always stayed at the same place, Victory Village (V.V.), which are a series of apartments right in the middle of this beautiful complex... The real reason we stay though is the value."
As we're always looking for value, that sold us. We LOVE value! And at Quinto we have it. Because of the strength of the U.S. dollar (0.86 US$/Euro), our attractive 1-bedroom, 2-balcony apartment costs $63 a day, daily cleaning and tax included! The V.V. complex includes a large, lovely pool with comfy lounge chairs and a snack bar.
If you're
a low handicapper looking for
excellent and challenging golf, the Algarve is the place; highly recommend.
There
are 8 championship golf courses near Quinta.
They cost between $45 and $70 a round, so long as you walk. Since carts run between $30 and 40
per person, get in shape or be prepared to pay! The European PGA competed
at the Quinto de Lago course in April
(walking cost = $55). San
Lorenzo, the primiero Portuguese golf course, is also here. Golf Digest rated it number 2
(or maybe number 5) in continental
Europe. It really is marvelous, with scenic, interesting
holes, some cut around a marsh and overlooking the headlands, the ocean
visible beyond. FYI, discounted cost here is $86 for walkers; MUCH cheaper than an equivalent U.S.
course.
For the non-golfer, Quinto de
Lago is a brilliant place to relax. There's little traffic in the resort
complex, though there is some noise from planes departing Faro airport,
5 miles east. The complex is adjacent to a wild life preserve with
miles of pristine beaches. There are hiking trails along the 
bordering estuary. Of course there's always shopping and exploring the local daily markets for fresh
fish, local fruit, peasant breads and assorted cheeses. If we were
adding to our possessions, we'd buy some hand-painted pottery in traditional blue and white or
in more modern,
colorful designs . Fine tablecloths, towels, linens, etc. are also
popular.
Along the 110-mile Algarve coast, there are cities and towns to explore, Loule, just north, Faro with high rises, traffic and bustle, and the picturesque marina in nearby Vilamoura. At Lagos (Lagosh), we wandered around the cliffs, took an almost unmarked stairway down to the ocean, and hired a private small boat to take us along the shoreline and weave through the grottos.
Simon says: "Restaurants abound." That's an understatement. It would take many weeks to try out all the fine dining establishments dotting the areas around Quinto. As most restaurants here are frequented by tourists, English and German are spoken everywhere. Actually, there's not much Portuguese heard in this upscale resort area. Unexpectedly, Portugese sounds almost Slavic -- for example, the currency unit, the Escudos, is pronounced Esh coo doe-sh. Food is quite good and reasonably priced; service is leisurely, as you might expect. (Note: Portugese restaurants open late, 7:00 or 7:30 -- no Miami-style early birds here).
At the end of a week at Quinto do Lago, it was clear we hadn't planned a long enough stay. So we decided to add on a few more days...
Simon says: "You may come again soon." And all I can think is: "May I? May I?" (Pretty, pretty please?)
If I've tempted you to consider planning a trip, Click here for information.