Carvoeiro town

Carvoeiro is beautiful, especially when viewed from the hills on either side of the town, to observe the beautiful sunsets. It is layered with white-washed villas and buildings, which seem to undulate in harmony with the natural rocky landscape. The beaches are small but ample and are fringed with seaside cafes and restaurants and still home to local fishermen whose boats complete the picture postcard scene. There's also a number of bars and discotechs. Carvoeiro is an all year round resort and benefits from sunshine pretty much 365 days of the year, and lends itself well to villa rental family holidays
Carvoeiro is also quite a commercialised town which is to be expected as is anywhere on mainland Europe these days, especially if it's by the sea and anywhere near the Mediterranean (although the Algarve's shoreline is actually on the Atlantic).

One of the best local beaches to be found is Praia Vale de Centianes. Not noticeable from the roadside you need to take a taxi from Carvoeiro for about a 2 minute drive or walk there in about 20 minutes. The taxi drops you by some steps, which wind endlessly down through rocks until you reach an enclave ensconced on all sides by towering rocks. There you can enjoy a secluded beach ideal for sunbathing and in the Spring, Autumn and Winter almost entirely to yourself.
Carvoeiro is an excellent resort to use as a base for touring and exploring the region. You can travel by bus, which is the cheapest and services run frequently especially in high season. It is best to travel by taxi as the fares are very reasonable, But probably the best method is to hire a car as it is very inexpensive and because of the competition, there's a lot of good deals to be had.
A good day trip out is to the nearby historic town of Silves where you can enjoy the Moorish castle perched on a hill at the top of the town next to the church. They usually have displays of the gruesome mediaeval torture exhibits. you will be pleasantly surprised as almost all of the local Cafes seem to be patronised solely by Portuguese people. The price of a glass of Port and a half bottle of wine was a staggeringly cheap 3 Euros which is about two pounds sterling. Portugal is a very economical destination and still one of the best value places to be enjoyed anywhere in Europe. Further along the coast is a beautiful town called Lagos which has all manner of attractions including excellent shopping and a large marina crammed with ocean-going yachts. Other popular places to visit, include the windswept hills of Monchique in the interior and further along the coast to the West from Carvoeiro is Sagres - the most south-westerly point of Continental Europe for the the younger generation there is Albufiera 20 minutes away. There are numerous other beautiful towns, villages and idyllic spots to be discovered in the Algarve and it's worth renting a car and buying a map to uncover them.
So if you get fed up of grey skies and what seems like never ending work, reach for the mouse and after a few clicks and a phone call, you could be transported to paradise - and all for the price of a song!