We are used to seeing cruise ships of all shapes and sizes appearing on the horizon and sailing up the River Arade into Portimao. This one is a real beauty! The Royal Clipper stopped off for a few hours before heading onwards to Cadiz.
Warm sunshine during the day and incredible sunsets – what could be better than Ferragudo in February?!
The Algarve coastline is well known for its beauty and we are lucky to have some wonderful stretches very close to Ferragudo.
A visit to Algor Seco, just outside Carvoeiro is a must. Take a relaxing stroll along the boardwalk across the cliff top and take in the stunning rock formations and caves, carved out of the limestone bedrock. For the more adventurous you can descend the stone steps (a long flight) to the base.
At the base of the cliff you can enjoy a drink or meal at the Boneca bar, or stop off at the Algar Seco resort restaurant, overlooking the cliffs and ocean.
Storks nesting a-plenty in Ferragudo! The many storks that live in and around the village are busy preparing their nests – we see them atop the old brick chimneys which are a feature of Ferragudo, but there are more storks than nests, so some nest builders get more creative, including pylons, telegraph poles and even road signs. Here are a couple I spotted walking through the village the other day, just a few minutes away from our sea-front holiday apartments.
So, after a couple of cloudy/rainy weeks (nothing compared to UK!!) spring is definitely here in Ferragudo!
We are so lucky in Ferragudo. Even with lockdown, we have so many lovely cliff-top and country-side walks. And just look at the amazing blossom, wild flowers and greenery all around us – amazing!
At this time of year we get some stunning sunsets over the sea. Yesterday was one – the photos below are taken from one of our rental apartments, overlooking the castle towards the marina at Praia da Rocha. We still have some availability in the lead up to Christmas and New Year if you fancy coming to see sunsets for yourself. Have a look at our apartment details and contact us for best rates and discounts!
It’s almost the end of the season, but we managed to book a trip with Wildwatch last weekend and had a great day out dolphin watching.
We had blue skies, sunshine and the sea was calm. We set out on the Ocean Explorer rib at a good pace – thankful we had taken staff advice and worn our jackets to guard against the wind. After around 30 minutes, we slowed and our marine biologist guide explained signs to look out for that might indicate dolphins. Sure enough we soon spied our first dolphins, who decided to entertain us. They swam alongside the boat, going from side to side and back to front. We had a brief glimpse of a shark, identified by its two fins. Then thought we saw another shark which was, in fact, a mother and baby dolphin swimming together whilst the baby was feeding – fantastic!
On the return trip we got an added bonus of a trip along the coastline from Alvor to Ferragudo, with close up views of some of the rocky outcrops and caves.
If you have already been on a dolphin watching trip, you will know what a great experience it is – and different every time. If you haven’t tried it yet, it’s definitely worth adding to your “must do” list.
Check out our video clip on Instagram.
So, armed with my new walking poles and in good company of a couple of friends, off we set to walk from Ferragudo to Carvoeiro. We set off early and the weather was great for a hike – not too sunny and a nice breeze. The first stretch across Praia Grande and up the path to O Molhe we’ve all done many times before. Great views back across the beach and over to Praia da Roche and not too taxing.
Then onto Praia Pintadinho, past the lighthouse and behind Praia Caneiros and onwards! Much of the route is fairly easy and there are magnificent views of the coastline, little beaches and coves. Amazing how close to the cliff edge some of the local fishermen sit!
Now here comes the but! Some of the terrain gets pretty hard going (well for me, anyway!) Some quite steep climbs and rocky descents – I was very glad to have my walking poles, that’s for sure. The route is marked with wooden posts, but in some places these are not easy to spot.
By the time we made it to Carvoeiro, it had taken around three and a half hours and we had walked almost 9km. We were all glad to sit down, have a cold drink and wait for our lift back to Ferragudo. Tired and legs aching a bit, but it was a great walk, very exhilarating and an excellent way to appreciate the wonderful stretch of coastline with its beautiful beaches and amazing rock formations.
As a guide, it took us around three and a half hours of steady walking and we met people along the route of various ages, going at different paces. Some people have told me they do the walk in two and half hours. We even saw some joggers!
If you’ve ever googled images of Ferragudo, you must have seen pictures like these – it’s got to be the most photographed bouganvillea in Ferragudo, if not the Algarve.
So, here are ours. It really is wonderful and perfectly situated on “pretty street”, the picturesque Rua Doutor Luiz António dos Santos in the old village…
This place is a must for anyone taking a trip through the mountains behind Ferragudo. You can stop off on your way up or down from the highest point at Fóia – but the lovely little spa town of Caldas de Monchique is really worth a visit of its own, with very interesting architecture, thermal spa, surrounded by wonderful countryside. All this and it only takes around 30 minutes to get there by car!
Most of the hotels belong to the Spa Thermal Resort group, but we stayed overnight at the independent Albergaria do Lageado, which has beautiful tiered gardens and a swimming pool at the top. Not 5 star luxury but a lovely old building, spotlessly clean, with delightful hosts who were proud to tell us some of the history and serve local dishes and wine.
We strolled through the streets enjoying the architecture and then followed the steps to the source of the spring, very peaceful even with plenty of places for picnics!
I Saw a Ship A-Sailing
Amazing Sunset
Algar Seco
Life Back in Ferragudo
