Zoomarine sea-life park is less than 30 minutes away on the outskirts of Albufeira and Lagos zoo is even closer - both great days out for families.

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1 ALVOR INFORMATION The fishing village of Alvor is situated on the estuary of the river, Rio Alvor. It is well known in Algarve history because King João II died there in 1495.Although the earthquake wiped out most of the traditional Moorish village in 1755, you can still see remains of Alvor s history in places such as the 16th century Igreja Matriz with its beautiful Manueline arches and pillars. Despite steady developments since the dawn of tourism in the 1960s (especially on the eastern side) the buildings are mainly low-rise and the charm of the old town with the narrow cobbled streets leading down to the harbour on the lagoon of the river estuary still remains. The riverfront in Alvor has been done up over recent years and is now fully paved and lined with palm trees and several beach bars, which all have plenty of outside seating for those endless summer days. The riverfront has to be one of Alvor s most idyllic settings, as you sit and watch the fishing boats come and go. At the end, near the lifeboat station, is a collection of restaurants tempting you with the aroma of freshly barbecued fish. Alvor s main beach, Praia de Alvor, is just a short walk away, passing the fishermen's smart new huts and Alvor's sports complex on the way. It is a lovely long, dune backed, sandy beach. The eastern end of the sands, which offers a little shelter from some large rock formations, is known as Praia de Três Irmãos. There are also several hotels at this side of town. Even at the height of the season there is plenty of room on the beach for you to lie down and relax. There are restaurants and snack bars on both beaches. Wander into town and explore the network of streets that make up Alvor and discover a multitude of places to eat and drink, catering for all tastes traditional Portuguese, Indian, Chinese, Italian - and equally as many bars to choose from, including several Irish bars. Alvor is an ideal resort for families and has everything that you need for a relaxing holiday. There are plenty of shops including several smaller grocery shops for your daily needs, but if you do decide you want to go further afield then Lagos is just to the west and Portimão is just to the east. There isn't even a need to hire a car as the bus stop by the taxi rank has regular buses to both places. If you decide to drive to Portimão then park on the outskirts and negotiate the network of streets on foot - it really is quite a difficult place to drive through with narrow one way streets, often with cars parked on both sides of the road and no particularly clear signage to point you in the right direction. There is a large car park on the river front which you can get to by following the signs for Praia da Rocha, keeping on the dual carriageway that skirts the town, and at the bottom of the hill (passing a lot of hotels that make up Praia da Rocha) is a roundabout - right takes you to Portimão marina and left takes you to the river front parking. Portimão has a big fishing port (second only to Olhão) and a really good selection of shops - great for leather goods if you want to treat yourself! Just the other side of the river estuary from Alvor is the long sweeping beach of Meia Praia which runs all the way to Lagos harbour entrance. Lagos has an historic town centre still surrounded by medieval walls, a fort at the harbour entrance and the 'Golden Church' of St. Anthony. As well as Meia Praia there are the lovely secluded coves of Dona Ana and Camilo to enjoy (worth remembering if the wind picks up on Alvor beach as it does occasionally in the later stages of the year!). The marina has a selection of bars, restaurants and some shops and the pedestrianised town centre is a network of small squares linked by cobbled streets, with of course, plenty of restaurants and cafés!

2 There are plenty of activities on offer in and around Alvor when you have had your fill of lazing on the beach! Slide and Splash water park is only a short distance away in Lagoa, there are canoeing trips on the Alvor river, bicycles to hire, several golf courses on the doorstep, fishing trips and boat trips to see the caves around Lagos or dolphin watching. Zoomarine sea-life park is less than 30 minutes away on the outskirts of Albufeira and Lagos zoo is even closer - both great days out for families. Alvor Beach Praia de Alvor is the western end of the long sandy beach in Alvor; the eastern end is called Praia de Três Irmãos. It is a lovely long open sandy beach, with rolling sand dunes that back onto the lagoon formed by the Alvor river. There is plenty of space to play games and sports, such as volleyball and Frisbee, or for anyone who simply wants to relax in the sun and enjoy the beach life there is plenty of choice for where to pitch your towel. There are also lots of water sports at the beach (pedalos, sailing, windsurfing) for anyone who likes 'playing about' on the water! There are two restaurants on Praia de Alvor, one at the entrance and another further along the beach in case you want to have some lunch or drink while you are the beach. There are also lots of sun loungers and sunshades to rent if you want a more comfortable stay at the beach. If you are not a resident at the Penina hotel though, you will have to opt for the sun loungers a bit further away from the entrance to the beach, as the first ones are reserved for residents of the hotel! If you are driving to the beach you will be pleased to know that there is plenty of shaded car parking directly behind the beach; which offers excellent disabled access because the car park and beach are at the same level so there are no steps to navigate. Access into the first restaurant is also easy, because it is right next to the entrance. If you are not going by car, it is just as easy to get a bus, because buses run regularly from Portimão and Lagos to Alvor. Praia de Alvor is supervised during the 'beach season' and is also classed as an 'Accessible Beach'. Alvor beach, Portugal Alvor Beach Portugal

3 MAP OF ALVOR Useful Alvor Telephone Numbers Town Hall (Portimão) Fire Brigade (Portimão) Police (Portimão) Transit Police Hospital Emergency Treatment Ambulance Tourist Office Alvor Beaches Praia de alvor Praia dos Três Irmãos Useful Avor Facts Distance from Faro Airport - 73 Kms Town Holidays - 11th December Postal Code Alvor Restaurants With over 200km of coastline, it s not surprising that the fish and seafood are a staple part of the diet for people in the Algarve. With daily fishing trips bringing in huge amounts of fresh sardines, tuna, bream, cod, monkfish and many other types of fish; plentiful supplies of clams, oysters, prawns, not to mention octopus and squid, it s easy to understand why.

4 The traditional Portuguese restaurants normally offer a large selection of fish dishes, one of which is almost certain to be grilled sardines, served with boiled potatoes and vegetables or salad. Also commonly on the menu are a range of omelettes, salads and some meat dishes, like thin pork slices served with a creamy mushroom sauce or chicken piri-piri. The prices are very reasonable, the food is good and the portions are generous. House wine, which is normally a local Portuguese wine, is also very good value and very drinkable! On average a 2-course meal for 2, including house wine, can cost less than 25. (Soup of the day 1.50, main course 7.00 and a bottle of house wine 8). Obviously prices can vary enormously depending on location. As well as restaurants serving traditional Portuguese food, the Algarve has a huge choice of restaurants serving food from across the world, Chinese, Indian, Italian and English being particularly popular. You will also find Tapas, Mexican, Thai, International Cuisine and Vegetarian (occasionally). All of the popular tourist resorts have a good variety of restaurants, but the more traditional towns and villages will often just have a local Portuguese restaurant, or café-bar serving food. Restaurants have got a lot better in offering vegetarian dishes on the menu (although don't expect to see more than one or two in most places) and vegans unfortunately are still poorly catered for. Starters - "Entradas" "Couvert" is the traditional start to a meal and normally consists of fresh bread, olives, sardine paté, cheese and carrots that have been lightly cooked and marinated in garlic, olive oil and spices. Most waiters will ask before serving the couvert, but if it is brought to the table and you don't want it, simply ask the waiter to take it back. Couvert often costs as little as 1.50 a person, but do check as it can be rather more. In traditional Portuguese restaurants, the choice of starters will often include soups and seafood dishes. The Portuguese are excellent at making fresh, wholesome soups. Algarve restaurants generally have a choice of vegetable soup ("sopa de legumes" or "caldo verde"), cold "gazpacho" soup made from peppers, cucumber and tomatoes, and fish soups. Generally soups tend to be served tepid, so if you like your soup very hot, then ask the waiter for it to be Bem quente (pronounced 'bem kent'). "Conquilhas" (small clams) are often served as a starter, as are various prawn dishes. Main Courses - "Pratos" A lot of the main dishes in Algarve restaurants are based around fish and seafood. The fish is normally simply prepared and served with salad and boiled potatoes or chips. You will find lots of types of fish to choose from, such as swordfish ("espadarte"), tuna ("atum"), stone bass ("cherne") sea bass ("robalo") and red mullet ("salmonete"). Sometimes the price is for the dish, but a lot of fish is sold by weight (euros/kg) so it is worth checking before ordering. "Bacalhau" (pronounced bakel-yow ) is probably one of the most traditional dishes that you ll find in the Algarve. It is dried salt-cod, preserved in the same way as it was in the days of the first sea voyages in the time of the Portuguese Discoveries. The cod had to be preserved with salt to provide the sailors with a substantial food source while they were on a voyage. Since then, Bacalhau has become a staple part of the Portuguese diet and the Portuguese have come up with so many different ways off eating it that you will find a different Bacalhau dish to try each time; reportedly there are 365 different ways of cooking it!

5 Chicken ("frango") dishes are also popular in Algarve restaurants and you will frequently see chicken piri-piri ("frango piri-piri") on a menu. This dish uses the tiny bright red piri-piri chilli pepper, which is used to spice up many other Portuguese dishes too and is even used as table condiment. Barbequed chicken ("frango no churrasco") is also a favourite for the Portuguese and not surprisingly since the great all-year-round weather has created a tradition of out-door cooking. Other Algarve specialities include "Feijoada", a thick bean stew with pork, bacon and sausage which originally came from Brazil and "Cataplana", a dish of Moorish influence which uses a clam shaped copper pan to cook clams, or a mix of fish and seafood, with spicy sausage, tomatoes, wine, garlic and herbs. Another popular Portuguese dish is "Bife à Portuguesa", which is beef sirloin topped with smoked ham, cooked in a clay dish served on a bed of French fries. Wild boar, pheasant and hare are also popular during the hunting season, but tend to be found on the menu more in inland areas. Desserts - "Sobremesas" The Portuguese make the most wonderful desserts and pastries and a visit to the Algarve wouldn t be complete without sampling one or two of them! The best-loved desserts are "Pudim Flan" (crème caramel), "pasties de nata" (a creamy, custard tart) and "tarte de amêndoa" (almond tart) and are highly recommended! Figs, almonds and locally produced honey in various combinations also feature highly on dessert menus along with fresh fruit. Dining with children Children are always welcome, day or night, and although there may not be a special children's menu, they are always catered for...either ask for "meia dose" (pronounced 'maya dose') which is a half portion, or a meal to be shared. Alvor Activities Canoeing on Ria de Alvor: contact 'Outdoor Tours', Tel: Dolphin watching: contact 'Sea Life' Tel: Horse riding - 'Vidigal Novo' in Mexilhoeira Grande. Tel: 'Vale Ferro' in Mexilhoeira Grande. Tel: Fishing trips and sightseeing cruises, 'Novo Alvor', Tel: Alvor Sports Complex for swimming and tennis. Pool times: Monday to Friday h to13.00h and 15.00h to 21.30h Saturday: 09.00h to 12.00h and 15.00h to 18.00h. You will need a swimming cap and flipflops for poolside use and of course, a swimsuit! Golf - 'Alto', 'Penina', 'Palmares' and 'Morgado' are all close to Alvor Sailing lessons - 'Algarve Sailing' (Lagos), Tel: Parque Zoológico de Lagos (Zoo Lagos) - a beautiful zoo, just on the outskirts of Lagos. It is a fantastic day out for all ages, with lots of lovely animals. Open all year round, 7 days a week. Winter (from the 1st of October to the 31st of March) 10.00am 5.00pm Summer (from the 1st April to the 30th September) 10.00am 7.00pm

6 Quinta Figueiras Sítio do Medronhal Barão de S.João Tel: Aqualand (The Big One): Water park near Alcantarilha. Open from 26th May to 12th September (2008) 10.00h to 18.00h. Wine tasting tours: Adega Cooperativa de Lagoa 09:00 12:00 and 14:00 18:00. Contact details : E.N. 125, Lagoa Tel Fax Hotel Algarve Casino in Praia da Rocha - a daily show, dinner, dancing and maybe try your luck! Tel: Markets near Alvor Market in Portimão: 1st Monday of each month at the Parque de Feiras e Exposições de Portimão (except August and November) Market in Lagos: 1st Saturday of the month on the ground by the Estádio Municipal (Municipal stadium)market in Lagoa: 2nd Sunday of the month in front of the Fatacil. (except August) Flea market in Portimão: 1st and 3rd Sunday of the month at the Parque de Feiras e Exposições h to 12.30h Flea market in Estombar: Last Saturday of the month at the Parque de Feiras e Exposições(Fairs and exhibitions park) Flea market in Lagoa: 4th Sunday of the month in the grounds of the Fatacil Flea market in Ferragudo: 2nd Sunday of the month h to 13.00h (except August)