Where is everyone? That’s what I ask myself over and over again during a high-season Algarve break, when, I’m told, half of Britain is decamping to this sunny, reasonably affordable, pleasant and spectacular coastline.
But on Gale Beach, a long stretch of sand west of bustling Albufeira, about 45 minutes from Faro, our fellow sun-worshippers are mainly Portuguese, with a few Dutch and Germans scattered about. Either the Brits aren’t here or they’re keeping unusually quiet.
The situation is similar when, on our second day, we (ten adults and six children, all aged five or under) take a day trip with a beach barbecue, which involves taking a boat loaded with around 100 passengers to explore some of the caves along the coast in the direction of Lagros, before anchoring and then swimming or boarding a small boat to shore.
Again, it’s hard to say for sure, but I think we might be the only Brits on this particular tour, which makes me think that stereotypical impressions of the Algarve aren’t entirely accurate.
We stayed a short distance from Gale Beach in two four-bedroom villas next to each other, rented through Solmar Villas, a family-run business (established in 1994) that prides itself on offering personalised service and, in my experience, delivers exactly that.
Making his mark: Mark Palmer enjoys the charms of the Portuguese Algarve, where he visits Praia do Castelo (above)
The top-rated villa, Casa das Tilias, has its own tennis court and is set in a mature garden, with flowering hibiscus, a Norfolk pine (native to South Africa), palm trees and banana plants. We (and especially the kids) love the large swimming pool, larger than those seen in some hotels. And the outdoor pool table attracts plenty of action, too.
Villa Charlota is less luxurious but perfectly comfortable, with a ping pong table, a built-in barbecue and space for two cars.
The first stop (and then a daily pilgrimage of sorts) is the local supermarket, which is always a good way to gauge the locals. Here, they are invariably friendly. The young lady working the checkout even offers to help us bag our groceries. Mind you, the receipt for our first major purchase comes out of the machine with a clatter that seems to take forever.
Mark is staying at Casa das Tilias (pictured), a four-bedroom villa he rented through Solmar Villas
Casa das Tilias has its own tennis court and is set in a “mature” garden, Mark reveals
There is no hostility towards tourists here, no water pistols being fired while you leisurely enjoy a coffee. And it is worth remembering that Portugal has long had strong ties with Britain, dating back to the 1386 Treaty of Windsor, which cemented relations. They have never been severed (although Cristiano Ronaldo’s gleeful wink when Wayne Rooney was sent off at the 2006 World Cup came close to breaking it).
It is the unique backdrop of the Algarve’s beaches that makes them so stunning, with the Miocene limestone and sandstone cliffs rising vertically into the sky and best viewed from the sea.
While Gale Beach is long, Praia do Castelo, a three-minute drive or 30-minute walk from our villas, is surrounded by giant rocks. We grab our rental cars and realize there are no “pay and display” rules. You just have to find a space and fill it.
Mark visits Gale Beach (seen above), a long stretch of sand west of bustling Albufeira
There are two lifeguards on duty, but they are more concerned about people camping out near the cliffs in case crumbling rocks fall on them. Best of all, there is a whitewashed restaurant hut at one end of the beach and, miraculously, we managed to book a table and enjoy a stellar lunch.
This kind of environment in the south of France would be an economic disaster, but here the local wine costs less than £15 a bottle. A single glass would cost that much anywhere else in the Mediterranean.
One day we visited Guia and had lunch at Ramires, which specializes in piri-piri chicken, a local dish. The restaurant is in a beautiful old building. Ordering is simple: you can ask for spicy or not so spicy, and once again, the clientele is almost entirely made up of locals.
Above is the town of Silves, famous for its red stone castle, which witnessed the massacre of 6,000 Moors in 1189. The feast of San Marco coincides with a festival in the town.
Our week coincides with the annual Medieval Festival in the town of Silves, about 30 minutes inland. We had always planned to visit, not least to see the famous red stone castle that witnessed the slaughter of 6,000 Moors in 1189. Silves was once the capital of the Algarve and remains the area’s most prominent town. We eat spectacularly well in the shade of the trees at the Café Ingles, right next to the 13th-century cathedral, with the kitchens built into the town walls.
Choose your destination in the Algarve wisely and you won’t go wrong. The sun and sea are guaranteed in summer and the heat lasts well into October, perfect for mid-term holidays.
And I promise you that no one will point a water gun at you.