What can we do, Dad? Treetop Adventures in the Algarve!

by Nick RobinsonAll Stories, VideoPosted on No Comments

Treetop Adventures are apparently really popular in the UK (especially if you look at something like GoApe.co.uk It IS slightly scary, but isn’t it wonderful to be able to conquer your fears? This is what makes it so exciting. 

treetop adventure algarve

The Algarve isn’t far behind, with three treetop adventure parks situated all across our beautiful region. I went along to check out the treetop adventure park in Albufeira (called Parque Aventura) along with my good friend, Yvette, from OlaLocal.

Treetop Adventure Park

If you have no idea what a treetop adventure is, well… imagine a beautiful secluded forest. The soft glades entice you in, as shafts of sunlight cast warm shapes on the little valleys below towering pine trees. The adventure starts off with an extensive safety chat in order for you to master the art of clipping and un-clipping yourself to cables which take you throughout the adventurous course above the forest. It’s quite a fascinating technique which allows you to be always connected to safety wires while moving from one tree to the next. Zip lines, rope ladders, big rope nets and other well thought out obstacles challenge you on your way through.

zipline algarve

Parque Aventura

Parque Aventura was originally started by two French men who arrived in Portugal and realized there was a definite opportunity to create a treetop adventure park. So they did and one was born up north in Figueira da Foz It was soon followed by three more parks down in the Algarve. There are treetop adventure parks in each of the following towns:

parque aventura algarve treetop adventures

What to do in the Algarve?

There are so many things to do in the Algarve. There are so many activities in fact, that it is tough to choose what to do. Think about the following activities: jeep safaris, motorized buggies, quad tours, walking and hiking, surfing, kite-surfing, paddle-boarding, cooking lessons, painting holidays, theater shows, live music, escape rooms, a vast array of restaurants, bars and cafés and … yes, the beaches! Beaches are perfect for winter walks too. Check my about page for more ideas.

You can add treetop adventures to that growing list of things to do in the Algarve.

Have you ever been on a treetop adventure? Either in the Algarve or anywhere else in the world?

The ONE piece of advice you need for enjoying your Algarve holiday

by Nick RobinsonAll Stories, PodcastPosted on 2 Comments

Yvette Martins Yvette grew up in Canada and moved to our beautiful Algarve. She now owns an online travel business and is brimming with advice and tips. Listen to her one important takeaway from this podcast.  Show notes Yvette grew up close to Vancouver in Canada from Portuguese parents. In her youth figure skating …

Read more “The ONE piece of advice you need for enjoying your Algarve holiday”

olhao aerial view

Moving to the Algarve – advice, tips and stories

by Nick RobinsonAll Stories, PodcastPosted on No Comments

Moving to Portugal The Tilleys arrived this summer, hailing from Surrey and settling in the Algarve. We talk about where exactly a little later into the podcast. It was fantastic meeting them and great to hear their story! Listen along…   View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Louise-Marie Tilley (@loutilz) on …

Read more “Moving to the Algarve – advice, tips and stories”

How to shoot the BEST sunsets in the Algarve

by Nick RobinsonAll Stories, VideoPosted on No Comments

Did you know you can just Google “sunset” and it normally tells you the time of the sunset wherever you are? I’m pretty sure Siri can do it as well, but it’s pretty important when you’re trying to schedule a quick drone mission or a sunset paddle.

The best spots for an Algarve Sundown

  • Sagres – Cape St Vincent
  • Ponte Piedade – Lagos
  • Carvoeiro boardwalk
  • Praia Falesia (with all those RED cliffs!)

I thought I would get that out of the way and then explain that sunset isn’t necessarily a geographical thing. Naturally it’s great to have the Sagres lighthouse in your sunset photo but there are a host of other factors that play a part in a truly mind blowing sunset experience.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Carlos Castro | Fotógrafo (@carloscastrofotografo) on

 

Sunset clouds

Think about, if the sun is going down and the sky is clear, you’ll get a great glow, but it won’t be a mesmerizing event. Generally in the Algarve we enjoy our best crepuscular shows in the spring and autumn when there is a fair bit of cloud about. Obviously you can’t have too many clouds otherwise there won’t be a sunset at all! It’s a tough science to try and get a sunset shot with lots of cloud, because at the last minute the chances are that your beautiful glowing sun will disappear behind a bank of impenetrable cloud.

Where the sun is going to set

Always bear in mind where the sun is going to set. Look west (!) but it’s not always incredibly clear EXACTLY where the sun will set; especially if you’re new to the Algarve and are on a beach with a massive cliff to the west of you. You’ll have to move about for the best shot.

You can get a great sunset photo from anywhere, just bear in mind these points to make it a superb shot!

sunset Sao Bras de Alportel

Get there early and research your scene before settling in for that inexorable wait as the sun drips down into the ocean. Grab a cold beer (or a Gin and Tonic) and savour the experience!

Golf vlogging – we check out the PORTUGAL MASTERS!

by Nick RobinsonAll Stories, VideoPosted on No Comments

The Algarve Addicts series of VLOGS (video blogs or video diaries) continues. This is the fifth in our video series that we are looking to ramp up and publish more frequently. The vlogs are designed to show you a slice of life in the Algarve, and what it’s like to live, work and play down here in Portugal’s southernmost region.

The Portugal Masters is the biggest event on the Portugal Golf calendar for the entire year and forms a part of the European Tour. I am not a golf expert and don’t follow it extremely closely so excuse the silly comment in the video, I am sure many of you would have loved to be at the tournament.

It was great to see UK pro golfer, Tom Lewis, winning the tournament for the second time and pocketing just over €300,000. Great job! Additionally, a record was broken with the first round under 60 in European Championship history as the Portugal Resident relates:

After the most unpredictable day in the tournament’s history, England’s Oliver Fisher is now forever etched in the record books of European golf. Astonishingly, the 30-year-old from Essex had begun the second day with the prime objective of making the cut. However, he carded the magic 59 with a scintillating performance, marked by his nerveless approach to the prospect of making history. “I was just trying to make the weekend,” he revealed afterwards, “but after birdieing the first three holes it was at the back of my mind.”

You probably already know this, but the Algarve is consistently rated as one of the best golf destinations in Europe with over 40 high quality golf courses. Surprisingly, that number is half of all of the golf courses in the whole of Portugal. There is tons more info at the tourism boards special golf site.

Did you go to the event, or would you have liked to go?

solverde casino vilamoura

Behind the scenes at the Algarve’s greatest live show

by Nick RobinsonAll Stories, PodcastPosted on No Comments

Meet Becky. She dances at the Vilamoura Casino in their regular show, entitled “Timeless E-Motions” this year.  It’s on at all three SolVerde Casinos: Praia da Rocha, Vilamoura and Monte Gordo, so wherever you are in the Algarve you’ll be able to catch a glimpse of this highly entertaining show (and no, they aren’t paying me …

Read more “Behind the scenes at the Algarve’s greatest live show”

classic algarve scene

How a traumatic accident led a young traveler to beauty in the Algarve

by Nick RobinsonAll Stories, PodcastPosted on No Comments

I had no idea who Blair was… the only connection I had with this guy, was that he took a mesmerizing photo of Benagil cave. It was an image picturing his girlfriend. An image which was pretty sexual, but sensual, natural and bold at the same time. It showed that this guy knew a thing …

Read more “How a traumatic accident led a young traveler to beauty in the Algarve”