Move Over Madeira! This Golden Beach Town Is Portugal’s Best Kept Secret

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All of us at Travel Off Path know the dreadful feeling of visiting a hyped-up resort city that seems to be nothing in need of a vacationer lure.

What you envisioned in your thoughts as a serene slice of paradise ended up being a sore spot in your thoughts’s eye, even a 12 months after visiting.

Well, that is the case for me…

Last 12 months, I had the good pleasure of visiting Portugal for the primary time — it is really a shocking nation culturally, visually, and let’s simply say I may by no means go hungry right here…

The city that was most advisable to me was Albufeira. After an hour being pestered by distributors whereas roaming the scenic streets and attempting to absorb sweeping coastal views from very overpriced rooftop eating places, I used to be past prepared to go again to what turned certainly one of my favourite seashore cities, not solely in Portugal, however all of Europe.

Home to nearly no crowds, insanely reasonably priced 5-star resorts, and sensational delicacies that I’ve but to duplicate again house, the whitewashed hideaway of Quarteira needs to be excessive in your wishlist when you’re seeking winter sun ‘throughout the pond’ this winter.

Enjoy Spotless Golden Beaches

You do not want Al Roker to inform you the Algarve is certainly one of Europe’s sunniest winter locations. Therefore, a visit right here with out ample seashore days in your plans is a downright sin.

Another motive I felt Albufeira was overhyped was the quantity of crowds pouring into their seashores.

Was it a fantastic seashore? Of course — it is Portugal! But even in late fall/early winter, you do not fairly anticipate the extent of crowds we did for a city that is actually not a family identify.

Fortunately, we made our base in Quarteira, mendacity off the normal vacationer path, regardless that its resorts are top-notch.

While enjoyable bars and breezy eating places horseshoe the colourful marina, you should not confuse its calm waters and wonderful sunsets as your go-to for its finest waterfront.

Quarteira’s true seashores are the place you may uncover pure paradise — the type we had been hoping for in Albufeira.

Boasting sprawling golden seashores that really feel untouched, with footprint-free sand and genuine hole-in-the-walls serving up Portuguese fare, Quarteira delivers the laid-back coastal escape most vacationers don’t even understand they’re lacking.

I can not suggest these 3 seashores sufficient:

• Praia do Almargem
• Praia da Falesia
• Praia Alegre (my favourite!)

You’ll all the time discover an open barstool or desk at quite a few wine and tapas bars to select from, together with a spot that is by no means left my thoughts anytime I’ve had tapas over the previous 12 months — Teixiera.

Name-Brand Resorts At Bargain Bin Prices

Listen, all of us need to deal with ourselves now and again, particularly with our 9-to-5 workloads and newfound normalcy of getting a number of sources of revenue.

While it is far more possible to make a fast journey to Mexico to a complicated all-inclusive resort, when you discovered these charges south of the border, there would by no means be an accessible room.

My girlfriend and I stayed at Hilton Vilamoura Golf & Spa Resort, a flawless oasis with quite a few swimming pools, tranquil waterfalls, and attentive workers to make you’re feeling like royalty.

It was superior then, and truthful to say even higher now, as we timed our journey good earlier than an in depth makeover occurred.

Now open once more with a recent glow-up, this resort is best than ever, however the very best information for you is that their costs do not mirror it.

Rates hover within the low $100s all through winter. Keep in thoughts, it is not all-inclusive, however who would go up a sangria pitcher poolside?

Yeah, you may be right here some time…

When you do depart, the resort provides a free shuttle to the marina for cheaper meals and drinks.

Hilton just isn’t alone in Quarteira’s reasonably priced resort scene in ritzy Vilamoura. Check these out too:

• 4-star inns:
• Browns Sports Resort
• Aquashow Park Hotel

• 5-star inns:
• Pestana Vila Sol
• Anantare Vilamoura Algarve
• Domes Lake Algarve, Autograph Collection

Quarteira’s Food Is Fire! (Literally)

Newsflash: Spain just isn’t the undisputed champ of wine and tapas.

As a lot as I beloved pigging out in Mallorca, I gotta say Quarteira was subsequent degree.

Wine was as little as $3 per glass, and the menu pages had been fairly presumably longer than the Cheesecake Factory provided an array of tapas that I most likely would’ve wanted to be wheeled out if my girlfriend did not make me cease consuming.

Social rapidly turned certainly one of my favourite eating places out of all my European jaunts — and I’ve been to some wonderful foodie cities.

Let the skilled workers work their magic with excellent pairings like Flamed Black Pork Chorizo that actually made me go on strike from consuming no matter Mexico characterizes as chorizo for months — it was that good.

You actually cannot go flawed choosing any restaurant right here aside from the touristy Irish pubs. Definitely go for extra conventional Mom ‘n Pop tavernas and you will thank me later.