WHY YOU'LL LIKE THE ALGARVE

June and Laurie took over Casa Lorne around ten years ago and here is our insight into what we adore about the Algarve and the Portuguese. Primary, of course, there is the climate which suits both holidaymaker and resident alike, with over 300 days of sunshine during the year it is nearly always warm and comfortable throughout the seasons, and our hosts, the Portuguese, are generally very hospitable and friendly with a traditional air of 'laid-backness' that makes practically all situations utterly bearable.

On our brief journey through the western Algarve we'll start at Carvoeiro and take you through places of interest within easy reach from Casa Lorne. Carvoeiro itself is a short 15 minute walk from the Casa with its own beach, ample shops and many restaurants and bars all offering good-value food and drink; it is situated in the centre of the western Algarve making it very accessible for most places. There are many exiliarating cliff walks with stunning panoramic views and rock formations that beggar belief. Many quaint bays all offering sandy beaches with safe swimming close by, from the east side there is Praia dos Centiannes (3 mins by car) which is very popular with tourists and locals alike, has a beach bar/restaurant offering superb cuisine; heading further east we come across Carvalho (Smuggler's Beach) (5 mins by car), a small bay entered through man-made steps cut into the rockface; next in the same direction we find Benagil Beach, a veritable sun trap protected by the cliffs, the beach has easy access; the next bay and many people's favourite is Marinha (8 mins by car), which has recently been added to the list of 100 best beaches world-wide, access is by many steps but the walk is worthwhile, there is also a bar/restaurant available, the views from above this beach are absolutely magnificent. Another couple of minutes further on there is Albandeira Beach which is reached by travelling down a narrow windy road, if you're the first one there it's great, but be warned it is small and gets pretty crowded.

Travelling inland from Carvoeiro there are several interesting towns to visit: Silves (15-20 mins by car), the old Algarvian capital in Moorish times, is a must for all sightseers, the town, church and castle are seeped in history; there are also many fine shops and restaurants around. From Silves travelling north takes us up into the Monchique hills which is a pleasure to behold, en-route there are many superb panoramic views covering most of the south-west coastline and many traditional 'artesanato' outlets where a lot of local goods are sold, and would you believe, restaurants are again high on the list of pleasures! At it's peak the Serra de Monchique is around 960 metres from sea level and from here the views are quite breathtaking of both the Algarve on one side and the Alentejo on the other. Heading on to the west coast towards Aljezur (1 hour by car), we are blessed with fantastic sandy beaches, stunning rock formations and the rugged Atlantic Ocean all rolled into one; to see is to believe! Our next port of call is on the south-western point of Europe, everybody has to visit Cape St. Vincent and the Fort together with town of Sagres otherwise it's a bit like going to Cornwall without visiting Land's End!

Back again to Carvoeiro this time travelling west we find Caneiros Beach (15 mins by car), smooth sandy beach with bar/restaurant and easy access; just a short distance further on we run into Pintadinha Beach, slightly smaller than Caneiros but just as tasty.

Other places well worth a visit are Ferrugudo (18 mins by car), the old town is as quaint as it comes, many fish restaurants. Portimão (20 mins by car), a large town with plenty to offer, has a superb harbour, many shops and we believe it's the only place to go for sardines! The charming village of Alvor (25 mins by car) and Lagos (30 mins by car) are also well worth a visit, for marina, shops and of course, many beaches. There are also many, many first class golf courses.

If there is nothing there that interests you, you can always chill out round the pool at the Lorne!