The Eastern Algarve, Portugal
Deserted Praia Du Homem Nu, Fuzeta, Portugal.
The beaches of the Algarve are wide, sandy, clean and cater to a variety of tastes. The ones here in the Eastern Algarve are ostensibly a bit quieter than those further west in the region — that suited us perfectly. After the whirlwind of a wedding, we wanted to ensure we got some peace, quiet and relaxation, but still in style (of course).
As this area is mostly about relaxation, the choice of where to stay (and proximity to the beaches) was especially important. We lucked out with our choice of Fazenda Nova Country House. It’s a gorgeous hideaway, with beautifully landscaped grounds, lots of space, luxurious rooms, charming hosts, delicious food, a pétanque court (aka bocce), a lovely pool and a bar (including a fun happy hour with the hosts and other guests). It is also close to several beaches as well as the pretty city of Tavira and the towns of Loule and Olhao, which provide some dining and shopping alternatives.
The northwesterly portion of the Algarve region is more popular for surfing and other water sports, and probably has more of a social atmosphere and some larger hotels, but for pure relaxation, sun, mellow surf — and possibly a totally empty beach — this area was perfect.
*This was part of a 13-night trip to Portugal. To see our complete Portugal trip itinerary click here.
The Gimlet Traveler Rundown:
All ratings are based on our experience and are on a 5-star rating system (see Site Info for more details). For mapped locations and links to the places listed here (and more) visit Google Map at bottom of page.
Gimlets: **
Not much in the way of cocktails except by request at our hotel, though there is at least one new cocktail bar in Tavira since we were there (Arcada Wine & Cocktail Bar) and I’m sure there are now others. We sat outside at sunset in Tavira and had some wine at a little corner bar facing the river which was lovely. That place, formerly Pessoa’s Cafe, is now called Cafe Bar 22 and has undergone a slight upgrade, but the riverside location can’t be beat for a sundowner. In Olhao, we sat outside on the water at the very casual Cantaloupe Cafe, listened to some live jazz and had a vodka soda before heading to dinner up the block.Restaurants: ***
Many of our meals were consumed at the outdoor dining area of our lovely hotel, but we had a nice dinner at Aquasul in the pretty town of Tavira and a filling, tasty, but less interesting dinner at Pizza na Pedra in the town of Olhao. One place we planned to visit, but didn’t make it (the drive just felt too long after a day lounging by the pool at our hotel) was Cha Com Agua Salgada, a contemporary spot for casual food and drink located right on the beach at Praia da Manta Rota.
Sights: ****
It’s all about the beach. We visited two, both required unique transportation to access. For the first, we took a short water-taxi ride from the small harbor at Fuzeta over to: Praia do Homem Nu (which we later learned meant Naked Man Beach! Honestly, we had simply asked the water-taxi driver to take us to the most deserted nearby beach!). It was completely deserted and for the hour or two until the water taxi picked us up as scheduled, we had the beach all to ourselves. Supposedly it’s a nude beach (hence the name), so be forewarned, though we did not see any other humans whatsoever (and these two men most definitely were not naked! LOL). Could be because it was a weekday morning. In any case its lovely, with expansive white sands (though no services, so bring your own F&B). The second beach we visited, Praia do Barril, is more geared towards families. Here, after parking your car, you hop on a mini-train that takes you over to the beach (about a 10-minute ride). You could walk, but why would you?! This beach has full services (food, bathrooms, showers). For a break from sun, pool, and sand, there are numerous pretty little villages scattered about. Ask your hotel for nearby recommendations, but we liked the city of Tavira. It’s lovely with a river running through its midst and several charming bridges connecting the two sides of town (check out their clocktower).Shopping: **
Not much, though we managed to find some cool home items in the larger town of Loule, where there were a couple of modern boutiques. I’m sure there were also shops in Tavira, but we were there in late afternoon/evening — and there was a bike race going on that went through and around the entire town! We did purchase some nicely packaged bottles of our hotel’s own olive oil.
Review of Fazenda Nova Country House Rating: *****
The drive from Lisbon to Tavira is easy — finding Fazenda Nova once you are in the vicinity is a little less easy — but that's part of what makes it special. Tucked away amidst country streets just a few minutes from a spectrum of gorgeous beaches, you know you've hit something special when you pull in through the front gates. A beautifully renovated complex that was once an old farmhouse, owners Tim and Hallie have obviously put lots of hard work into making this place a romantic, quiet, private retreat for their guests. Amazing landscaping, a large pool, various quiet outdoor seating areas, a serene outdoor dining room (where they serve breakfast daily and amazing dinners, if you so choose, from Monday through Friday), stylish common rooms, helpful, friendly staff, and huge, comfortable guest rooms with designer bathrooms make this a relaxing, stylish getaway. Drive to one of the many beaches, hit pretty Tavira for a nice dinner, or stay on the property by the pool or to play a game of Petanque (basically, Portuguese Bocci) yourselves or with other hotel guests. Worth seeking out if you're looking to just chill out in a special place with fun people in high style.
Date of stay: June 2014
Other hotel choices in the region:
•Vila Monte Farm House — a slightly larger property with rooms scattered over several buildings, two pools and two restaurants on site.
•Vila Campina — a smaller, more mod (and affordable) guesthouse with a nice pool and stylish rooms.
Below is a map of hotels, restaurants, bars, shopping and sights found during our research. We didn’t have time to visit all of them during our trip, but all were of interest. Click on the icon at top left of the map to view the legend. Or you can click on the full-screen icon at top right to expand, which will also bring up the legend. The map is best viewed on a computer.
