Algarve in March 2017? (1 Viewer)

[Lot lover]

Mme wants to get away to try and find some sun. Having been to the Algarve in March many years ago I know how changeable the weather can be but he who dares, wins.

It is over 1500kms down to Faro and we are quite happy to take a week to get there. I intend to buy the Vicarious book on aires in Spain and Portugal which together with the ACSI book should suffice, shouldn't it? Happy to avoid toll roads, will leave that to Garmin and Co-Pilot.

After seeing the Paxman prog on Van Gogh's ear a few nights ago this trip would be a good excuse to return via Arles - not TOO far out of our way. Probably be away for 6 - 8 weeks in total provided we can get our doc and pharmacist to supply enough medication.

Have read the threads here on Portugal but any advice on what to avoid would be gratefully received.

Thanks in advance.

LL

 

[Jim]

Don't worry too much about having all your medication, in Portugal you can buy most every drug over the counter without prescription. We were off on a long trip and needed more tablets than they would give us for our daughter so we thought we'd buy some privately. LLoyds in the UK were the cheapest at £8 per tablet. (She needs 10 per day ) We bought them over the counter in Portugal for €14 for 100.

 

[boroboy]

You ask for what to avoid, I would suggest avoid the "wild black pork" in restaurants I had it twice, it was even worse the second time.

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[bigtree]

If you have a smart phone,download Camper Contact and don't bother with the aires book.Easy to avoid the electronic toll roads and maybe the 125 will be fully upgraded by the time you get there.

 

[Lot lover]

Thanks - particularly about the medication. Camper Contact - is this offline like Co-pilot ?

As I said previously, this site is possibly the best £15 I have spent.

 

[bigtree]

Yes once you buy it,
http://www.campercontact.com/en/content/app

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[Lot lover]

Thank you, bigtree

 

[Robert Clark]

Avoid restaurants full of English people
Eat where the locals eat
Drink the wine the locals drink
Try the black pork - it's delicious and famous the world over

We went in March this year hand had a great time

Enjoy !

 

[Lot lover]

Avoid restaurants full of English people
Eat where the locals eat
Drink the wine the locals drink

We follow this advice already at home but good to know it applies in other countries as well.

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[Robert Clark]

We follow this advice already at home but good to know it applies in other countries as well.

I should also have said

Don't judge a book by its cover.

Some of the best meals we enjoyed in Portugal were in restaurants that looked like somebody's dining room at home. Sometimes there's no menu or even a wine list.

 

[bigtree]

Avoid restaurants full of English people
Eat where the locals eat
Drink the wine the locals drink
Try the black pork - it's delicious and famous the world over

We went in March this year hand had a great time

Enjoy !

Wondered when you would pop up to counter boroboy's comment ! Found it delicious myself.

 

[Lenny HB]

Wondered when you would pop up to counter boroboy's comment ! Found it delicious myself.

We loved it as well.

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[Robert Clark]

Wondered when you would pop up to counter boroboy's comment ! Found it delicious myself.

Am I that predictable ?

 

[Lenny HB]

Am I that predictable ?

Yes.

 

[bigtree]

Am I that predictable ?

Double yes.

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[camperlove]

I was cheeky and landed up a winner. Fed up with all the English food on offer, I asked the barman/owner what he was having for dinner. He told me what I assume was the name of a Portuguese dish, his mum was cooking for him. I said, ok, you have my dinner and I will have yours.
For the rest of the week at 6pm, I watched his mum cross the road with my plate of food. She was very excited about cooking my dinner and always had a smile and wanted to know my opinion on the dish. Cost me 5 euros a night with a glass of Portuguese wine. The English dishes were from 7 euros up. Tipped her well when I left, as the meals were worth much more.
Tried the same idea elsewhere when I moved on, with same result.

 

[bigtree]

I was cheeky and landed up a winner. Fed up with all the English food on offer, I asked the barman/owner what he was having for dinner. He told me what I assume was the name of a Portuguese dish, his mum was cooking for him. I said, ok, you have my dinner and I will have yours.
For the rest of the week at 6pm, I watched his mum cross the road with my plate of food. She was very excited about cooking my dinner and always had a smile and wanted to know my opinion on the dish. Cost me 5 euros a night with a glass of Portuguese wine. The English dishes were from 7 euros up. Tipped her well when I left, as the meals were worth much more.
Tried the same idea elsewhere when I moved on, with same result.

Can you let us all know where these places were for future reference ?

 

[camperlove]

Can you let us all know where these places were for future reference ?

1. I stayed the week at aire number 107 in aire book and it says mina de sao domingos. (excellent place, free by the lake). Aire book doesnt do it justice. Opposite the school, is something like a working mans building. Inside the building is a small pub on the left had side. In there are two men, one who has been to america who speaks good english. His brother has only one arm, and he is the one i made the deal with, who speaks okish english. He also organised with my meal each night, that i try a different Portuguese wine/drink. I do believe his mother went to market each day to purchase items for my dinner. Did wonder if she had a fridge or not.

2. beach Meia Praia in lagos. There are two restaurants. The one on the right hs as you walk up from the car park is the one you want. The smaller one. You need the woman in her 30s. They have menues out, but mostly english food from 12 euros. Just say what portugese food have you in the kitchen. Her mum will come out from the kitchen with a pot of food they are having to show you. That was about 7 euros a day. As i ate there almost daily, for 3 weeks, i got my brandy and coke for nothing at the end. Sometimes i asked for my dinner as a take away. I kid you not, it came in a good tupperware container. I gained a few as they didnt seem to want them back.
If you cant find this beach, look up nudist beaches lagos, go to the unofficial beach list, its the beach which you have to cross over the railways line.
I do have the co ordinates for both places on my sat nav. When i get it back i will post the co ordinates.

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[laurieash]

1. I stayed the week at aire number 107 in aire book and it says mina de sao domingos. (excellent place, free by the lake). Aire book doesnt do it justice. Opposite the school, is something like a working mans building. Inside the building is a small pub on the left had side. In there are two men, one who has been to america who speaks good english. His brother has only one arm, and he is the one i made the deal with, who speaks okish english. He also organised with my meal each night, that i try a different Portuguese wine/drink. I do believe his mother went to market each day to purchase items for my dinner. Did wonder if she had a fridge or not.

2. beach Meia Praia in lagos. There are two restaurants. The one on the right hs as you walk up from the car park is the one you want. The smaller one. You need the woman in her 30s. They have menues out, but mostly english food from 12 euros. Just say what portugese food have you in the kitchen. Her mum will come out from the kitchen with a pot of food they are having to show you. That was about 7 euros a day. As i ate there almost daily, for 3 weeks, i got my brandy and coke for nothing at the end. Sometimes i asked for my dinner as a take away. I kid you not, it came in a good tupperware container. I gained a few as they didnt seem to want them back.
If you cant find this beach, look up nudist beaches lagos, go to the unofficial beach list, its the beach which you have to cross over the railways line.
I do have the co ordinates for both places on my sat nav. When i get it back i will post the co ordinates.

Also been to the miners club in Domino's mom will cook for you if you give her a days notice. Try the puddings strawberries on sponge and condensed cream it's like a trifle it's to die for.
The boys are called Sergio and Teeago.

 

[laurieash]

Go north into the hills and barragems you will find great black pig also bbq chicken.
Not keen on small pieces of pigs ears served cold as a tapas.

 

[camperlove]

Also been to the miners club in Domino's mom will cook for you if you give her a days notice. Try the puddings strawberries on sponge and condensed cream it's like a trifle it's to die for.
The boys are called Sergio and Teeago.

did you have the normal menu from the kitchen or portugese food? Thanks for their names will make a note in the aire book if there is a next time

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[vwalan]

chicken mamas does great bbq chicken up by ourique.just have a drive by the lake up there cant miss it .

 

[laurieash]

did you have the normal menu from the kitchen or portugese food? Thanks for their names will make a note in the aire book if there is a next time

They don't have a menu just need to ask what's available so she can go to the market in the morning to buy fresh.
Only eat portuguese

 

[bigtree]

Didn't get to Minas this year but stayed twice at Lagos on the aire,we love Adega da Marina which is on the riverside before you turn into the centre of town.
http://www.top10portugal.com/adega-marina-lagos

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[laurieash]

Also try chicken Maria at baragem do Rocha

 

[camperlove]

They don't have a menu just need to ask what's available so she can go to the market in the morning to buy fresh

yes, but if you don't know portugese food by name you cant order it. When I asked him what the menu was, he said whatever you want. For the next night. I said like what. He mentioned a couple of English meals along with bolognaise and pizza. That's when I said to him ...what are you having for dinner. etc Lovely people. they also organised for me to swap my Spanish plastic bottle of gas for a portugese one, fitted it for me and gave me a regulator, as up there they only had .... is it gaz or something. but no repsol. mum also did my laundry as there wasn't one in the local area. She even ironed by socks and the dishcloth, and I never iron! 4 euros for 2 wash loads.

 

[vwalan]

if you have a repsol spanish gas its no problem swapping them in portugal . even cepsa can be exchanged if you catch the right truck driver . but other wise visit a bottle filing plant they will fill any bottle for you.

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[laurieash]

I have always managed on oz gas it's a local bottle just changed at shops.
Lot easier than try to find a place to fill calor or what bottle you have.
I think oz gas took over esso.

 

[Emmit]

We will be leaving Portugal on our first visit in the 'van as you arrive.
This site is untested but offered to you. See how you go.

http://www.campingcarportugal.com/?l=english