https://visitalgarve.pt/en/ Archives - Jim Murty’s TravelTravelTravel

In Portimao where they’re packed in like sardines

10th February 202610th February 2026 funtime65

And because they never taste as good anywhere else they hold a festival in Portimao where they’re packed in like sardines.

Anybody who has stopped off in a lay-by on a road trip through Portugal will be familiar.

With the smells emanating from the grills.

Off the scales

Portimao in the Algarve makes a virtue of its fish.

With the Sardine Festival a particular highlight every August.

Where for five nights, the streets are lined with craft stalls and grilled sardines.

There are also concerts and historical reenactments of the unloading of the sardine.

And a ‘sardinhada’ – a classic charcoal grilled sardine – for all visitors.

Around Portimao

This year’s event will be the 30th iteration.

And if last year’s is anything to go by then it’ll be right off the scales.

With 2.5 tons of sardines consumed.

Now much of the action will play out around the marina.

And the first of the city’s beaches, Praia da Rocha.

With its towering rock formations, a 17th-century fort.

And a boulevard lined with restaurants, bars, shops, clubs, and hotels with sea views.

It’s no exaggeration to say that Portimao is filled to the gills with sea creatures.

A lesson in fish

All of which you can learn for yourself so that you can look knowledgeable around Festival.

At the town’s award-winning museum.

Which sits on the site of Portimão’s largest sardine canning factory which closed in the 1980s.

But reopened in 2008 and explains the fish canning industry in the area.

It shows the restored production lines and artifacts found around the region (many of them underwater).

Dating back to prehistoric and Roman times.

With everything helpfully labelled in Portuguese and English.

And now that we’ve picked out the bones, it’s over to you to book your flights to Faro and treat yourself to a fishy feast.

Countries, Deals, Europe

Our romantic beach shot for Valentine’s Day

3rd February 20263rd February 2026 funtime65

And when Vogue comes asking we’ll give them this, our romantic beach shot for Valentine’s Day.

And any one else who wants to promote romantic breaks which at this time of year means gifts to give on February 14.

Which it happens is our friends at Cassidy Travel.

Who are pitching a five-night package to our old hunting ground of the Algarve.

Where we took our first sun holiday in Cabanas.

And survived a circuitous road trip to Expo in Seville which almost ended up in Madrid.

Love in the Algarve

You’ll stay five nights at the 3* Soldoiro Apartments in Alubfeira.

With return flights from Dublin to the Algarve from April 5 with 10kg luggage included.With prices from €430pps.

Your favourite Irish travel providers seem to be mapping the course of our lives here with Malta on their radar too.

Maltese romancing

It was then that I knelt down in the searing sun only for Herself to yell ‘yes’…

And 33 years and two bank overdrafts (or children as we also call them we’re still here.

Now we’ve still to rekindle the magic of that time.

Although I have looked forlornly at the restaurant we pledged our troth in on a return visit with an Irish party.

Which in a roundabout way brings us round to their seven-night package in Malta on March 2.

Where you’ll stay all-inclusive at the 4* DB Sea Bank Resort & Spa.

Return Flights from Dublin with 10kg luggage included. Prices from €810pps.

Countries, Europe

More senhor moments on Portugal’s world-beating beaches

8th December 20258th December 2025 funtime65

And one from the vaults but one to reprise as we plan more senhor moments on Portugal’s world-beating beaches.

The news that the Algarve has been voted World’s Leading Beach Destination 2025 for a record fourth time, will prompt me into action.

Particularly as a short trip to Albufeira is burning a hole in a pocket of a jacket I haven’t used since my Algarve amigos rolled into Edinburgh recently.

Now, of course, winning best beachy destination for four years against the competition out there from literally the whole world is something to get the Vinho Verde out.

Surpassing as they have such as the Maldives and the Turks and Caicos Islands, both with three titles.

While Bahrain in the desert, who hosted the awards, know a thing or two about the sandy stuff.

Fight them on the beaches

For the record the Algarve beat off 19 nominated destinations this year.

And that included Porto Santo and other globally recognised beach destinations such as Thailand, Cancun, Seychelles, the Philippines and Zanzibar.

Now the Algarvians are right to point out too that they have ten awards as Europe’s Leading Beach Destination granted over the past decade.

Sands of time

Obrigado: With the Scary One in Portugal Centro

The jewel of south Portugal boasts 200kms of coastline and, of course, not every stretch of sand is award-winning.

Which we found to her cost when we rolled into Cabanas 33 years ago.

And we had to tiptoe across the sand to avoid shards of broken glass.

Of course that might just have been some unruly Brits.

And there was entertainment aplenty back at base with pool volleyball and karaoke.

Gee Wizz

On a winner: Jimmy in Quinta do Lago, Algarve

And lifelong friendships to be made with two Scottish-based Mancunian brothers.

Who were angry ginges long before some content creator used I’m A Celebrity to enhance his clicks.

But angry only when their favourite Manchester United didn’t win.

Because the joys of the Algarve will do that for you, give you unforgettable memories and people with whom you just click.

And gee Wizz but haven’t we found that you can fly with Wizz Air from Gatwick to Faro for £18.

Countries, Europe, Food & Wine

Our wee traveller’s tip if you’re going fishing

20th May 202520th May 2025 funtime65

Whether you think the EU deal is a whopper for Britain or we’ve been caught hook, line or sinker, here’s our wee traveller’s tip if you’re going fishing.

A mariner’s prime activity is, of course, riding the choppy waters to bring in a catch to feed his family.

But to supplement that unpredictable wage fishermen have long turned to us, the holidaymakers, to supplement their earnings.

By taking us out on their boats, for a fee, to channel our inner fisherman or woman.

Now you don’t have to have salt water in your veins to get the most out of the experience.

Because your guide will invariably hold your rod for you (ooh, behave!) and help you haul in a little fishy.

Something fishy

You’ll want too to check out the vessel before you take to the water to see what facilities it boasts.

Just in case you’re out on the Atlantic and that wine and coffee you took at lunch starts filling up your bladder.

As happened to a certain fisherman’s friend off the coast of Portugal back in the day.

Who halfway out asked where the rest room was.

And if not was there was an island where she could go.

With the choice being Madeira hundreds of miles south.

Or back to port we turned around and headed back to Cabanas in the Algarve.

Fruits of the sea

Portugal has, of course, been richly blessed with the fruits of the sea.

So we’d be surprised if they had need to haul their vessels up to our wee island.

And it might just be their neighbours and their Spanish Armada on the horizon.

It’s a fleet of a different sort that makes its way down to Portugal at this time of year, the Brits.

For the sun, sea, and vinho.

Every day is a shoal day

For us though our favourite thing to do in Portugal is kick back with a plate of sardines and a bottle of Vinho Verde.

Other fish, of course, are available, shoals and shoals of them.

And depending on how much Vinho Verde you’ve imbibed.

You might just imagine them smiling back at you.

The boating expeditions are of course optional as you’ll never have to catch your own.

It’s just our wee traveller’s tip if you’re going fishing.

Countries, Europe, Food & Wine

I’ll never forget the Algarve

16th May 202416th May 2024 funtime65

And it’s always important to remember where we come from, and for us that means I’ll never forget the Algarve and for different reasons Bulgaria.

With the Portugal hotspot and the Black Sea beaches among our first trips as a couple.

And Europe’s most affordable fly and flops.

This reveal seeped in as I returned today from the Post Office, who held this survey, to exchange unspent money from LA.

Holiday savings

And I reflected on the family of four we met in Sunny Beach, Bulgaria, 27 years ago, who were on their second trip that year.

Because it was so affordable that they couldn’t spend all their budget.

Now, the downside was that the facilities and services were on the slide.

And featured later that year on TV’s Holidays from Hell.

Check in with the Post Office

All of which is a reminder that we should always do our homework to get value and delivery.

Which is, of course, what we got in multi-gen Cabanas.

Forty destinations were surveyed for the Post Office Worldwide Holiday Costs Barometer.

Where eight items that visitors typically purchase on holiday were assessed.

Value for money

A three-course meal for two with wine, cup of coffee, bottle of local beer, can of cola, glass of wine, bottle of still water, sun cream and insect repellent.

Portugal is the only European destination in the top five most affordable destinations.

The Algarve is also the best value place across 40 destinations worldwide to buy a glass of wine at £1.76 and a coffee at 0.88p.

The Post Office reports that prices in resorts and cities are one of the biggest concerns for holidaymakers planning trips abroad.

Their research shows that 84 per cent, rising to 89 per cent of family travellers said that costs for items like meals and drinks were paramount.

Across the Algarve

Our friends in the Algarve have done a deep dive on their region.

And, yes, it is a hub for scuba and water sports fans too.

Hugo Nascimento, Executive Director of Algarve Tourism, tells us: ‘Accommodation in the East and West of the region is typically more affordable than the central area.

‘Of Portimão, Albufeira and the ‘Golden Triangle’ area between my old favourite Quinta do Lago, Vilamoura and Amancil.

‘For those that don’t want the expense of hiring a car, towns like Loulé, Faro and Olhão are good choices as they are close to airport.

‘Or head inland for an off-the- beaten track holiday to regions such as Aljezur, Vicentina Coast, Silves and Monchique.

‘Where again prices are less expensive.”

The full package

All good reasons why I’ll never forget the Algarve.

And why now with fresh money burning a hole in my pockets from my savings from my trip to California…

I’m looking back now nostalgically at those old Algarve holiday pics.