Learning to surf on your holiday is a great way of adding that something extra to ensure you have an experience you never forget. It’s a chance to learn a new skill that will stay with you forever and is also a great way to spend time with your family and friends, and meet new people on your holiday.

The most important thing to do before you go is to find a surf school that is fully insured with fully qualified instructors. Then book in for a set of lessons and take to the water. One of the ideal locations for learning how to surf is Lagos in the Algarve. The city of Lagos is a beautiful charming place with more than 2,000 years of history. Prince Henry the Navigator, set Lagos up as Portugal’s capital in the 15th century and it was from here that Portugal began to explore and discover the rest of the world.

Lagos is a great base for surfing holidays in Portugal. The city has accommodation to suit all from 4 star hotels to Luxurious Surf Houses. The European Surf Holiday company surfholidays.com offer a wide range of accommodation in the area and also offer surf lessons to suit all standards.

Don’t worry if you have no surf experience, you will learn as you go. Beginner’s lessons are taught in waist deep water riding the white water. It is recommended to take 5 days of surf lessons to allow you get the most out of the experience.

Your lessons begin each day when the surf school pick’s you up in the morning to take you to the best surf beaches depending on the conditions of the day. One of the most popular beaches is Praia do Amado, on the West Coast. It’s one of the most beautiful beaches in the Algarve. Close by is Praia do Bordeira, another beautiful beach and a great place to improve. You will surf for an hour and a half in the morning and then break for a packed lunch on the beach and then back in the water for another lesson in the afternoon. From time to time Yoga may be available, a perfect accompaniment to surfing.

Each lesson starts with some theory on the Ocean allowing you to understand how waves are formed, what effect certain conditions have on the surf and how to catch your first wave! Next you will pick your wetsuit and board and then do a quick warm up on the beach to get you all ready.

Over the next 5 days you are taught everything from standing technique’s to learning to turn and finally paddling outside and learning how to catch ‘green’ (unbroken) waves. The emphasis is always on fun and by the end of the week you have made great friends, had a holiday of a lifetime and of course become a surfer!!!

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Alvor

Alvor, Torralta e Três Irmãs are three beaches in one, the more extensive of Portimão county, often referred as Alvor beach. Are sought by almost all types of people, mainly by those who like to escape the more crowded places.

Praia da Rocha (Rocha Beach)

Is the most media of them all and often seen as the image of the Algarve, thanks to extensive sandy beach and its impressive cliffs. In the months of peak affluence, this is a beach that runs 24 hours a day. With sun for holidaymakers and with moon for night lovers. This is a beach that does not stop. In midsummer, Sasha’s parties are a must for national and international superstars. The spotlights remain lit until morning, when the first families start  the peaceful routine of healthy vacation. Along its 2.4 miles of walkway are several bars and restaurants.

Praia do Vau (Vau Beach)

This beach is located west of Portimão, before Alvor. Access is easy and have good conditions for people with special needs, allows the hiring of equipment for water sports, as well as chairs and shade. Throughout the day, this beach restaurants serve meals, drinks and ice cream. The beach is not too extensive, while maintaining the charm of a small beach.

Praia do Alemão (Alemao Beach)

Is one of the best kept secrets of the Algarve, with its hidden corners, cut by the typical rocks of the Algarve coast. From there you can arrive, walking along the cliffs, to Prainha and Alvor. Next to this beach is one of the most significant parts of Portimão coast, João de Arens -  a small stretch of sand set among cliffs, rocks and islands. In this piece of land that enters the sea, you can see all the beaches nearby. In the morning has a privileged view to the side of Alvor and in the end of the day to Praia da Rocha and Vau.

Prainha

It is one of the most exclusive beaches of the Algarve coast. The access is almost legendary due to the elevator that takes visitors to and from the beach. You can also get there via the stairs or by the cliffs. Away from the sand, rocks and caves that make this beach, exist one luxury resort that surrounds it.

Photo: J. Miguel

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Among the recommended beaches in a kind of Top-10, is the beach of Tavira, in Algarve:

“At the eastern end of the Portuguese south coast, this quiet town has a magnificent untamed beach that goes on for miles. And, best of all, you take a boat to get to the beach.”

If the idea is urban scape, know that Lisbon is in focus too, beside citys such as Istanbul (Turkey), Rome (Italy) or Los Angeles (USA).

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Pézinhos N´areia, Verde Beach (Praia Verde), Altura

This restaurant specialized in seafood and grilled fish has dozens of sun umbrellas, tables and chairs made of wood and a lounge area with sofas and puffs in the sand. Enjoy the service of drinks in the area of puffs in the evening and drink one cocktail (suggestion: strawberry daiquiri). In 2010 this restaurant is on the same beach, but a bit further above in a new and more modern space.

Restaurante Panorâmico, Verde Beach (Praia Verde), Altura

Is located in a high place, before the descent to the beach and is a sophisticated restaurant. Is more a restaurant on the beach than a beach restaurant, but shorts and flip-flops not prevent anyone from entering.

Rei das Praias, Carneiros Beach (Praia dos Carneiro), Ferragudo

Specialized in fish, this restaurant is built on top of extremely high stakes and has a spectacular view to the cliffs and ocean. In flood tide, the balcony is almost over the sea.

Suggestion: take your breakfast on the beach. From 9am to 11am has scrambled eggs with salmon or the typical english breakfast, with sausage, beans and bacon.

Suigeneris, Faro island (Ilha de Faro), Faro

Is not common to find an ultramodern space like this over the beach. In the ground-floor you will find a bar and chill out zone. The excellent restaurant and music club (after midnight) are on the first floor, and on the second floor you will find a terrace where you can dine or drink something (suggestion: Sui cocktail – black vodka with plenty of fruit and shredded ice.)

Outside is a esplanade, colored puffs in the sand and a cabin on the beach with Thai massage, manicure and pedicure.

Chá com Água Salgada, Manta Rota Beach (Praia da Manta Rota), Vila Nova de Cacela

The restaurant opened less than a year and they bet on fusion cuisine with regional products from Algarve made of  different and unconventional ways. The decoration is minimalist with elements of design and has a esplanade as an extension of the restaurant.

António, Porto de Mós Beach (Praia de Porto de Mós), Lagos

With a terrace overlooking the beautiful beach of Porto de Mós, you can eat simple and well-made dishes,  especially fresh fish, while you enjoy a spectacular sunset.

Evaristo, Evaristo Beach (Praia do Evaristo), Albufeira

The fame of this restaurant comes from when it was a simple tent on the beach that served great fish. After making changes in 2002, the tent on the beach was replaced by a sophisticated restaurant with terrace and grass area.

O Estaminé, Barreta or Deserta Island (Ilha da Barreta ou Deserta), Faro

This restaurant looks like an island of wood in the middle of an island of sand and has a sea-view of 180 degrees. Is the only infrastructure on the island and the only way to get there is by boat, which leaves every 90 minutes from the pier of Porta Nova, in Faro.

Nortada, Martinhal Beach (Praia do Martinhal), Sagres

Never a name was applied so well to a local as Nortada (wind from the north), because the wind from the north is very frequent in this beach. Built in wood and painted all blue, is open all year and serves mainly fish dishes caught in the region. It is a nice area and alternative when nature does not allow that you stay extended in the sand.

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The Tivoli Victoria, the new five-star hotel in Vilamoura, was designed to satisfy the wishes and needs of most demanding customers.

With a total area of 40 thousand m2, the resort has 280 rooms including a presidential suite (with Bang & Olufsen audio-visual equipment), two executive suites, 14 junior suites, 184 twin rooms and 79 rooms with double bed, all equipped with the latest technologies. All the rooms have a balcony with a large day bed and some in the ground floor have a garden with jacuzzi.

In the hotel exist the Victoria golf course, designed by architect Arnold Palmer, a golf desk, exclusive spas and access to driving rage of fields: Oceânico Victoria , Oceânico Laguna and Oceânico Millennium.

It has two restaurants, the Emo and Sensory, with direct access to the gardens of the hotel and three bars (Pop Bar, Chill by the Pool and Bartini).

If you are looking for a luxury hotel in the Algarve, this is certainly one of the best of the entire region.

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By this way you can browse a large countryside area of the Algarve. This is also a great way to explore the Algarve´s traditional areas where´s created the local products like almonds, carob, citrus fruit, honey, cork and arbutus fruits.

The itinerary go across …

nine municipalities in the Algarve (Alcoutim, Castro Marim, Tavira, S. Brás de Alportel, Loulé, Silves, Monchique, Lagos and Vila do Bispo) and around 21 parishes.  In each parish, the via will be installed next to the most important natural and cultural places, as well as accommodation and restaurants, including Rural Tourism developments, traditional villages in the Algarve’s countryside, etc.

Appreciate, especially the landscape, because half of the route is done in protected areas and high biodiversity.

Watch the promotional video of Via algarviana:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Y8hQBdJaVo

If looking for a different holiday in the Algarve, try Via Algarviana.

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1 – For who will have interest in preventing the diversion of masses but at the same time not to want to lose the Albufeira nightlife, the “Casa do Cerro” is one of the best places to consider. In a perfect symbiosis with music, the decoration is another point of reference of this space that counts with two esplanades and terraces with sight on the city. It´s open until 4am and have a vast list of cocktails, wines and teas.

2 – Situated in the Rocha beach (praia da Rocha), Portimão, the Sasha Beach conquest not only night lovers and the palates most demanding. The kitchen has the signature of the chef Hélio Loureiro, known as the cook of the soccer national team and has two distinct menus – lunch and dinner. At night has parties, always very well frequented.

Photo: ASB@Photo

3 – Only by location is worth going to Le Club, in Albufeira. The club is situated on the beach of Santa Eulália and the view to sea is fantastic. The dance floor is open until morning and in the end you can still watch the sunrise.

4 – The Meeting Room, in Tavira, is considered a gay destination and is in the LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender, for those who do not know) roadmap. On Saturdays, shows and mixed striptease are guaranteed. The nights of Fridays are the most attended and where gay community is more present.

Have fun.

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