Algarve  and  evora

January 12, 2025
Since this was a five day trip and not just an overnight one, I decided to make the Algarve its own section on my website. We traveled with our friends from the US - Shelby and Teresa.  We hired Gabriel form GL Tours on three of those days for 7-8 hour day tours. We managed to see quite a few towns in the Algarve before we headed to Lisbon. Our final stop was in Evora.  We highly recommend Gabriel!

We stayed at the W Hotel in Albufeira. This gorgeous hotel is just under €500 a night in season (summer). However, the offseason is SO dead that you can get it for around €190 a night! It was quite empty; probably at about 10%-15% occupancy.

Most rooms have a fantastic view of the ocean.

Way too cold to swim in the pool but a few are in the hot tub.

Every morning, there was a substantial breakfast buffet. However, there were only 2-3 other tables each morning when we ate there.

Pizza on our first night.

Although the town of Carvoeiro was....

quite small...

it's the rugged Algarve coastline that attracts visitors.

In Lagos now.

For €15, you can tool around in this boat ONLY in the area you see for about 15 minutes. It doesn't go out into the Atlantic.

Gabriel recommended this Michelin restaurant for lunch.

Choosing which fish they wanted.

Shelby and Gabriel were always cutting up. We had to do many "silly selfies".

This is the train station in Faro. We opted to fly there instead. If you want to fly directly into the Algarve area, Faro has the only airport.

Faro has about 68,000 inhabitants.

Cafe Alianca was built in 1930.

Like everywhere else we went, not that many people.

Now we are in a touristy area of Albufeira that is completely lacking old world Portugal charm.

More like Miami Beach.

Robin getting into the carnival vibe.

It was our warmest day and we could (briefly) wear short sleeve shirts.

The "hillside" is man-made for this portion of the coastline.

You can see where the man-made portion transitions into the actual coastline.

Not many people out at night. It was also quite cold for the Algarve - about 45°.

We are just south of Albufeira. Praia da Falésia has been voted the best beach in the world in 2024.

More fish! I had chicken.

I really loved Tavira. It's not directly on the ocean and instead lies on the Gilão River.

Photo-bombed by.... Teresa? Shelby must have put her up to it!

I wonder who that is directed to..?

Back at the empty W Hotel bar.

Once again, we are the only people here.

Our last day and Gabriel is driving us to Lisbon by way of Evora. Lots to see here!

First stop: Chapel of the Bones.

The chapel was built in the 17th century on the initiative of three Franciscan friars. Their goal: to convey the message of temporariness and fragility of human life. The message is loud and clear at the entrance with the sign “We bones that are here, for yours we wait”.

The museum at the Chapel houses a large collection of Nativity scenes from various countries around the world.

No trip to the museum with Shelby would be complete without imitations!

A massive fail on my part.

The Roman Temple of Évora, also referred to as the Templo de Diana, was thought to have been built around the first century AD.

In the courtyard of the Cathedral of Evora.

It is the high point of the city.

What better was to end our trip with these two than...

more silly selfies!