Algarve Region

Restaurant Week returns to Lisbon and the Algarve

Thursday, 04 March 2010 00:00

Starting March 6th you can enjoy Lisbon’s best food at more affordable prices. This is the city’s “Restaurant Week,” allowing you to taste some of the Portuguese capital’s most sophisticated (and expensive) menus for only 20 euros per person. It’s a way of attracting people who don’t usually want to spend dozens (or even hundreds) of euros at the most expensive restaurants and give them a chance to sample the city’s best food. Not all restaurants are part of the event, as the idea is to highlight the best of the top-quality choices. So there are 25 of them in total, with Casa da Comida, Conventual, Cop’3, Eleven, Mezzaluna, Olivier, and XL among others. No, you won’t be able to just choose anything if you want to only pay 20 euros. Each restaurant will have special menus at that price. Those menus include appetizer, entrée, and dessert but no drinks. One euro from each meal will then be given to charity. It is advised that you reserve your table in advance, and be sure to ask about availability, since some restaurants only offer the special menu at lunch time and others limit the number of people per table. And in April, it moves to the Algarve, from April 22 to May 3, with 22 restaurants.

"Shadow Caddy" at Vale do Lobo in the Algarve

Friday, 26 February 2010 00:00

Vale do Lobo Golf Club has just announced it is now offering the new Shadow Caddy which is available for rental at its reception. This latest piece of equipment is the first autonomous robotic vehicle of its kind. Operated by a transmitter clipped to the belt, the new Shadow Caddy is hands-free and does what the name suggests by following golfers around the course with their clubs. Twice host venue of the Portuguese Open, Vale do Lobo is home to two championship courses – Royal and Ocean - both based on original concepts created by Sir Henry Cotton and re-developed by Rocky Roquemore.

Meet the cataplana - slow food at its best

Sunday, 21 February 2010 00:00

The Algarve's copper cataplana slow cooker is unique. This pan is hammered in a handmade tradition - Its clamshell-like broad domed shaped dish is hinged together. Now, a new cookbook is about to be launched to help everyone try the secrets of Algarve cooking. The Cataplana Experience Cookbook designed to highlight this cooking utensil that is unique to Portuguese cuisine. The food is placed in the bottom half of the cataplana and then simmered together to help the flavors to grow. The cataplana was introduced to the southern Portugal region during the Moorish occupation in the 8th century AD. The cataplana is meant to be a steaming pan and is much suited for the many shellfish such as clams and mussels that are available along the southern coastal region. The ingredients are placed in the bottom half of the dish and the hinged lid is then closed, enabling the food to simmer together and the flavors developed during cooking. These days the pan has a much wider usage. Already used by many chefs, the cataplana makes it possible to cook seafood, fish, vegetables, meat, and even desserts, in a healthy and flavorsome manner. Classic and popular aspects of the Algarve cuisine. Xerém (cornmeal) and Cataplana dishes, fish and seafood, lamb or pork, oranges or the regional sweets and desserts are just some of the products visitor can taste around the Algarve.

Allgarve’ 2010 is being transferred to the Algarve Tourism Board

Sunday, 14 February 2010 00:00

Decision-making for ‘Allgarve’ 2010 is being transferred to the Algarve Tourism Board, although the management of the 4th staging of the entertainment program will be handled jointly with Turismo de Portugal. The program will include new features and will last for 12 months. In the line-up for ‘Allgarve’ 2010, street theatre and circus shows will be one of the novelties.

Real Deal to Algarve

Monday, 01 February 2010 00:00

The Hotel Encosta do Lago in the Algarve's Almancil has a new website that provides guests with all the information about the hotel and an easy to use secure new reservations system. The interactive website features Google maps, picture gallery, special offers and promotions, among others. With a calendar overview showing best available rates, guests can now deal shop online and take advantage on real-time availability and pricing information. With this new online approach Encosta do Lago promises to offer its guests a personalized and intuitive shopping experience, keeping them engaged while providing the best deal available to plan their trip. Encosta do Lago means beside the lake, and it offers guests luxury apartments and villas, within walking distance to the beach, the lake, the Ria Formosa and Quinta do Lago’s championship golf courses, Encosta do Lago can assure that your passage by the Resort will be memorable.