Parque da Corcovada, Albufeira and the Algarve: What's New - An Update for Spring 2013

Returning from my recent 2 week trip to our apartments in Parque da Corcovada I can confirm that the sun has definitely arrived this year on the Algarve. There was plenty of warm sunshine with temperatures regularly in the low to mid 70s and hardly a drop of rain.

So what's new for the coming summer season?

In and around Parque da Corcovada:

The central gardens at Block 38 are really developing nicely and the landscaping by the superb central pools is looking particularly attractive.

The nearby snack restaurant has changed hands, but is still serving good value snacks and chicken dishes at lunchtimes and in the evenings.

There is now a new high class Indian restaurant on the globe roundabout corner of the complex.

May's Bistro, offering a very good value (circa 12 Euro) complete evening menu deal, has also opened.


Nearby restaurants update:

There have been a few changes in the nearby area. Most notably, the da Enzo Italian restaurant and pizzeria has moved to opposite Eduardo's in St Eulalia road, just across from the globe roundabout. These two restaurants are thoroughly recommended, as they are close and convenient to walk to and offer excellent food. Enzo's is authentic Italian, while Eduardo's is simply the best value for money quality food available locally - his 'menu complete' three courses and drink of choice offer at around 12 Euros is great value. I also enjoyed a very decent peppered steak at the Invictus bar bistro (between the bottom of St Eulalia road and The Strip).

Shopping:

All of the main supermarkets remain, you can still get great caked and deli food from the supermarket opposite Eduardos, whilst a further five minute walk to the Intermarche at the bottom of St Eulalia road will reward you with very reasonably priced fruit, veg and meats. The tangerines at 79c a kilo were excellent, whilst the grapes at 2E a kilo were also excellent value. Make sure you buy fresh local bread - a bag of 4 rolls is usually around 60c and a decent 500g loaf will be around 1E - there's nothing like fresh baked bread for breakfast!

For those who couldn't quite pack enough clothes in their airline baggage allowance, or forgot a vital item, why not try the local clothes shops. There are some excellent boutiques with really stylish clothing, whilst the Chinese Shopping outlet opposite the Parque da Corcovada complex sells all the beachwear and associated items you could ever need - all at very decent prices. 

New recommendations:

If you can head a bit further west from the lovely Oura beach, there is a super beach bar on the more secluded neighbouring Aveiros beach cove.

Further afield - visit Alvor:

I concur with those who recommend the Sao Rafael peninsula beaches and lovely coves on the way to Galle from Albufeira, whilst also really enjoying the closer St Eulalia beach.

However, for those who wish to travel further afield my latest tip is to visit the beautiful up market sea front at Alvor (about 25 minutes drive west towards Largos) . The fish restaurants are superb and the vast expanse of beach and superb board walk are fantastic!

Organised excursions:

There is an abundance of organised excursions available from Albufeira and these appear to be getting more competitively priced. Although still out of the main season, so likely to rise for the main summer season, I was surprised to see day trips to Lisbon (about a 2.5 hour coach ride away), including guided city tour, offered for 25E per person!





 

Answers to Your Most Frequently Asked Questions

I'm frequently asked questions from booking enquirers. Here are the most frequent, along with my responses:

Q. Where in the Parque da Corcovada complex are your apartments?

A. Block 38 is a central south facing apartment, with a sunny aspect, and access and use of the central pools and gardens. Block 37 is south east facing, with a sunny morning and early afternoon aspect, and is in shade in the later afternoon. Some see this as a benefit during the hottest times in the summer. Block 37 does have superb views across open countryside and out to sea and has access to its own private pools and gardens.

Q. Are the apartments safe and child friendly?

A. We have plenty of families with young children staying in our apartments and have received positive feedback from all of them and many repeat bookings. Please note that both of our apartments are second floor. The balconies have high toughened glass sides and are very safe, but I would always recommend that very young children are supervised.

Q. How secure are your apartments?

A. The central Algarve is a very safe, low crime area. We have never had any incidents of crime at our apartments. Being second floor, the only point of access is through a secure Block entrance locked door and then the double lock front door of the apartment. Parque da Corcovada has CCTV and 24 hour security guard protection. Apartments also have metal electronic security shutters on the balcony doors.

Q. How close to the main facilities and centres of Albufeira is Parque da Corcovada?

A. Parque da Corcovada is next to the iconic Globe roundabout, with surrounding shops, bars, cafes and restaurants. It is 2 minutes walk from the Bull Ring, 5 minutes walk from 'The Strip', 12 minutes walk from the fabulous Ora beach and 25 minutes walk from the Old Town.

Q. How do I get to Old Town Albufeira?

A. The Old Town is a beautiful place to visit, but is surrounded by old style, lower quality apartments. Many therefore choose to stay in Parque da Corcovada because it is the highest quality apartment complex in Albufeira and close to many facilities. Getting to the Old Town is quite easy: the land train from the Strip costs 2 Euros per person and will take you straight to the Old Town, alternatively it is a short taxi ride away, or about a 25 minute walk.

Q. How much is it to hire a cot?

A. Our superb property management team will hire cots out at 18 Euros per week.

Q. Do I need a hire car?

A. This depends on what you want to do during your stay. Most guests do not need a hire car, as they are happy to use the facilities at Parque da Corcovada and explore the wide variety of activities available in Albufeira, which can all be achieved on foot, via the land train, or a short taxi ride. For the more adventurous there are various 'day trips' and short tours which can be booked from Parque da Corcovada reception or nearby tour operators, which will pick up at the complex (e.g. ZooMarine). There are also regular buses running along the coast and a train station from which you can get to Faro, or even to Lisbon. However, if you wish to explore the hinterland or find those amazing private, secluded coves that the Algarve is famous for, you may wish to hire a car.

Q. How much does a hire car cost and who do you recommend?

A. Shop around on the internet. I recommend some based on good service experience and reasonable price, but be aware that the peak season prices in the summer are around double the off season. I would certainly recommend hiring a car for at least a day or two, if you are keen to explore the coast or hinterland hill country. There is a local office of Guerin at Parque da Corcovada and, whilst not the cheapest, you will get a reliable and convenient service. If booking in advance, try Carhire3000 for excellent rates.

Q. Can I arrange airport transfers through you?

A. Yes, our property management team at Divine Home can organise airport transfers. these are private direct transfers and typically cost 35 Euros each way. My experience is that this is a totally reliable and high quality service.

 

Exciting Day Trips and Excursions

There are so many different types of day trips and excursions that can be taken in and around the Algarve. Indeed, visitors to the central Algarve, staying in Albufeira, are spoilt for choice and have an ideal launch-pad from which to reach all parts of the Algarve within an hour's travel time.

Travel around the Algarve is simple and straight forward. The independent traveller will most likely use car, bus or train.

Car rental: a competitively priced hire car can be obtained through a reputable rental company quite easily. There is an efficient Guerin office at Parque da Corcovada and Auto Prudente's nearest office is just 5 minutes walk away across the Globe roundabout towards St Eulalia. Booking in advance of your visit will most likely secure the best prices and I find that sites like: www.carhire3000.com and www.arguscarhire.com are very competitive starting form around 100 Euros per week for a basic small car with air conditioning (note peak season prices will be higher and the October 2011 price of petrol was around 1.60E per litre). The main arterial Algarve roads are the A22 motorway running from the Spanish border to Largos in the West (which is becoming a toll road in November 2011) and the older, slower N125 parallel coast road.

Bus travel: although this is a slower method of travel, it is inexpensive and an ideal way to explore the Algarve. The main bus provider is EVA, who sell 3 day (26.70E) and 7 day (33.50E) passes, and you might like to try the coastal 'Linha Litoral' route from Albufeira to Largos, the 'Frota Azul' which will get you from Albufeira to the stunning mountain town of Silves, or the 'Rota Rio Formosa' for eastern routes from Faro to Tavira and Antonio. More information can be found at: http://algarve.angloinfo.com/information/33/busses.asp .

Train travel: from the train station at Albufeira it is possible to get to Tavira in an hour and a half for just over five Euros one way and for the more adventurous traveller Lisbon is just over 2.5 hours away (one way ticket circa 25 Euros). More information on prices and time tables can be found at the 'CP' website: http://www.cp.pt .

Here are some of our day trip ideas:

Silves & Monchique

Take a 30 minute drive into the mountainous Algarve hinterland and find yourself transported into a rural world of olive groves, cork trees, white villages and Moorish castles, with fabulous sweeping panoramic views.

Silves (http://www.silvesuncovered.com/) is a pretty town with a Roman bridge, beautiful town squares and overshadowed by an impressive Moorish castle.

Travel higher into the mountains to the magnificant mountain summit with sweeping views of the Algarve and visit the nearby spa town of Monchique.

  

Algarve Weather - An All Year Destination

Algarve Weather

I’m often asked what the weather in the Algarve is like at different times of the year.

The most straight forward answer is to refer to a reliable weather website like: http://www.holiday-weather.com/algarve/index.html, which will give you a current weather report and advanced forecast for up to seven days. If you are looking for seasonal average temperatures and information about hours of sunshine and precipitation, then there is plenty of information available at:  http://www.holiday-weather.com/algarve/averages/.

Since these sites which provide average temperatures, are only a guide, and there is plenty of evidence that Algarve temperatures are rising year on year, here is my summary of the Algarve weather as I’ve found it during many visits at different times of the year over the past decade or so.

Summer (between June and August): This is a hot and dry period, with plenty of hours of sunshine (average 12 hours per day) and temperatures soaring to well into the eighties. Sea temperatures will also be rising to the peak of 21C, making it ideal for beach and watersports fans, and you will get some relief from the heat from the coastal Atlantic breezes.  

Relaxing by the pool, Block 37 Parque da Corcovada, Summer

Autumn (between September and November): September remains a hot dry month with temperatures in the high seventies, little rainfall and 21C sea temperatures. October remains warm and sunny, making it an ideal half-term destination, whilst November sees average temperatures in the mid sixties and a increasing rainfall, but with sea temperatures still at 17C.

A glorious beach to yourself - St Eulalia, Albufeira in November

Bright sunny day at Cabanas Fort, Eastern Algarve in Winter

Fishing boats bathed in evening sunshine - St Eulalia Beach in November

Spring (between March and May): There is little rainfall from March onwards (until November) and the temperatures will be climbing from the low sixties up to the high seventies (typical range: 17 - 22C). You will get plenty of hours of sunshine, but the sea temperature may still be a bit cool. This is great weather for golfers and hikers.

Winter (between December and February): The weather is warm and mild, with plenty of sunshine, at least 6 hours per day. I’ve seen plenty of people sunbathing at this time of the year in temperatures which can get up into the low seventies by the early afternoon.  Be aware that once the sun sets it can get quite chilly, so take a warm sweater or fleece. This is the wettest time of the year and you might lose a few hours to rain, but once the sun comes out it dries up pretty quickly.  

The Algarve: An All Year Round Destination

I believe that the Algarve has something for everyone at any time of the year. The important thing is to be clear on what you are seeking from your holiday. If you are a sun-seeker, then you will probably want to visit during the hottest months, but you can also get warm sunny days for a relaxing holiday in Spring and Autumn. There's nothing better than alfresco breakfasts on the balcony, or reading a good book whilst sipping a sundowner.

If you are looking for a more energetic sightseeing, walking, horse riding, water sports, or golfing holiday, then you will not be disappointed with the pleasant sunny weather from late Autumn through to early Spring. My wife enjoys this time of year for taking gentle strolls and bird watching.

I sometimes read that people have visited the Algarve in the Winter and experienced warm, but wet weather and find that attractions are closed. This is generally in the Eastern or Western Algarve, where the holiday season tends to be shorter and more restricted to the Summer months.

In Albufeira and the Central Algarve, most attractions stay open all year round and there is a thriving golfing, sightseeing, festivals, cultural and activities holiday market.      

Winter sunshine in historic Tavira

About Parque da Corcovada Holiday Complex

Parque da Corcovada is a 5 star holiday complex located on the east side of Albufeira. Completed in January 2008, it is rated as one of the finest self catering resort complexes in the entire Algarve. What sets Parque da Corcovada out from the rest is the combination of traditionally styled low rise accommodation and state of the art modern facilities. Add to this the spacious low density feel and the superb location in Albufeira in the central Algarve and you have the perfect ingredients for almost any type of Algarve holiday.


View from central pool to 2nd floor apartment in Block 38

Location: Parque da Corcovada is a convenient 30 minute drive from Faro airport (30 Euro taxi fare), located just off of the north exit of the Globe roundabout in the eastern Albufeira area of Montechorro. Albufeira is the most central seaside resort town in the Algarve, providing a base from which the whole of the Algarve and its wonderful mountain hinterland can easily be reached. In less than one hour one can drive across the main Algarve highway - stretching from the lush coastal plains of the eastern Algarve and the Spanish border to the rugged western coast and the most westerly point of Europe's mainland at Cape St Vincent. Of course a car is not a neccessity as there is a good public transport network of buses and trains, taxis are inexpensive and there are plenty of well organised local excursions available at very reasonable prices.



Corcovada Club bar-restaurant terrace



Corcovada Club pool

Parque da Corcovada has superb facilities: these include a concierge/reception providing information about the complex facilities and where organised excursions can be booked; the fabulous Corcovada Club, offering great value lunches and snacks, bar, internet access, games machines (pool, table football), a children's play area, outdoor pool described by guests as 'wonderful for children' and mini golf; eight private swimming pools for guests, set in beautiful landscaped gardens; plentiful guest car parking (for those with hire cars); 24 hour security guard patrol; a wide range of complex shops, including; pizzeria, car hire, hairdresser/beautician and DVD movie hire store.    

Globe roundabout

Local facilities: Parque da Corcovada is just 10 minutes walk from the nearest beach, Praia d'Oura and 15 minutes from St Eulalia beach. Both are fabulous wide, fine golden sand beaches which are exceptionally clean, safe and universally recognised as amongst the Algarve's most attractive beaches. Within a couple of minutes walk are a vast range of shops, bars and restaurants and for those in search of exciting nightlife the famous 'Strip' is just a 5 minute stroll or stagger away. There are also plenty of lively local bars offering live sports, covering all the English Premier League, rugby, F1, golf events etc. We would recommend the Diamond Bar (first right turn after crossing the Globe roundabout down St Eulalia drive) for covering all live sports.

Oura beach - a 10 minute stroll

Shops: when you arrive the first thing you may want to do - other than have a beer - is to find a local supermarket and get some provisions in. Fortunately, Parque da Corcovada has at least 3 food stores within 5 minutes walk. The closest is a mini market across the road, where you can get all the basics you require. However, we highly recommend crossing the Globe roundabout as there are two excellent supermarkets along St Eulalia drive. These supermakets offer good value for money and have a wide range of products, including many English foodstuffs (e.g. PG Tips and Cornflakes). Try the delicious local bakery products and look out for the special offers which often include pineapples for less than a Euro, cold meats and cheeses at very respectable prices and of course the great value local wines and beers!     

Shops and cafes at Parque da Corcovada

Restaurants and bars: there is an abundance of choice of restaurants within 5-10 minutes walk to suit all tastes, including; tasty local fish cuisine, various Italian and continental style restaurants, an American diner, Indian eat in or takeaway, Chinese, Mexican and steak speciality restaurants. There are also some wonderful cake and coffee shops, as the Portuguese love their afternoon cake breaks. Some of our favourite restaurants include: Enzo's where the Italian chef - who used to cook for the Ferrari F1 team - cooks a superb range of authentic pasta and meat dishes; and Eduardo's - surely the best value restaurant anywhere in the Algarve - where Eduardo your Angolan host will beguile you with his charming company and stories. Diners return trip after trip to these superb, long established restaurants. For those who like a steak, 'Sizzling Stone' offers an unusual and fun eating experience.

Corcovada Club, bar, restaurant and internet facilities  

Golf Courses:  there are 8 excellent top class golf courses within a short driving distance, including Oceanic Victoria which staged the 2009 Portugal Masters. The attractive and highly rated Balaia par 3 course is also within 1 km. We have forged a very successful relationship with John Jones - the 'Mr Golf' of the Algarve - at Aim 4 Golf  (http://www.linksgolfportugal.com/). He is able to offer individually tailored discounted golf arrangements (e.g. tee times, discounted rounds/blocks of rounds, free transportation etc., at all levels of courses).  John has decades of experience in organising Algarve trips and can offer outstanding tailor made packages to suit any golfer or golf group.

Albufeira Bull Ring - 5 minutes walk

Special interest activities: the central location of Parque da Corcovada at Albufeira provides excellent access to the wider Algarve hinterland for those interested in history, culture, mountain and coastal landscapes, bird watching, sealife and wildlife, horse riding, walking and trekking. It is also possible to arrange day trips and excursions further afield to Seville, Lisbon and Gibralter. For keen water sports enthusiasts Albufeira Marina offers a wide variety of activities, whilst also offering boat hire/excursions to explore secluded coves, seafari expeditions and sunset cruises. The largest shopping centre on the coast, the appropriately named 'Algarve Shopping', is located just outside of Albufeira. Theme parks such as ZooMarine and Slide & Splash are within 20 minutes drive. There is a local market every second Tuesday where you can purchase anything from local delicacies to clothing, including the local speciality cork clothing and products.

Corcovada Club children's play area

Corcovada Club games





About Our Apartments

My wife Carol and I own and rent out two deluxe 1 bedroom apartments in the prestigious 5 star Parque da Corcovada complex in Albufeira, central Algarve. We were fortunate enough to purchase an apartment in this sought after complex at the off-plan stage back in 2006. When the complex was completed in early 2008 such was our delight with the quality and spacious design of the apartment that we were soon tempted to purchase another at the earliest opportunity in Spring 2009.

Parque da Corcovada large central pool, looking towards 'Eulalia' apartment, Block 38

Both apartments were chosen for their prime second floor locations, affording beautiful views from their large south facing balconies and with easy access to private communal swimming pools and landscaped gardens. These fully air conditioned apartments are superbly decorated, furnished and equipped and really feel like the ultimate home from home – we certainly never want to go home after a stay in them! There are comfortable large brown leather and red velvet sofas and sofabeds, where one can relax and take in glorious panoramic views or some satellite television on our flat screens. For those who like cooking, our superb state of the art beech and marble kitchens have every conceivable utensil, including coffee and tea makers, juicers, microwaves, gas and electric hobs, ovens and grills. There are also large fridge freezers, dishwashers and washer-dryers.

Large living room at 'Eulalia' apartment, Block 38

Our 'Eulalia' apartment is centrally located in Block 38 overlooking and with access to the complex's large central swimming pools and gardens and is an extremely popular part of Parque da Corcovada. The apartment is sunny and bright and surprisingly spacious with the largest dining/living space we have ever encountered on our travels, plenty of room for the two large, three-seater, sofabeds and a dining table which can seat 6. There is a separate kitchen, complete with table and chairs, a sizeable bedroom and a squeaky clean swish bath/shower room. Both the living room and the bedroom have large balconies with smart raffia table and chairs providing an excellent area for alfresco dining and sundowners. The reception hall, complete with videocom entry, is again very spacious (where one guest comfortably parked their mobility chair). There is also a large cupboard which comes in handy for storing golf clubs, blow-up beds and childrens’ toys - of which we have a large collection.

Sea and open countryside view from 'Olhos' apartment, Block 37

Our ‘Olhos’ apartment is located in the quieter Block 37, with outstanding views across open countryside and out to sea – to the coast of Olhos de Agua (the ‘eye of the water’). This apartment is also very spacious and is every bit a match for ‘Eulalia’. Slight differences include two, three-seater, brown leather sofas (one a sofabed), a 32 inch flat screen satellite television and DVD player. There is a large kitchen hatch (with wooden shutters) providing an open plan feel for those who like to cook and socialise. The apartment is very light and bright and, being south east oriented, affords wonderful un-obscured sunrise views. 

In order to provide a more detailed feel for both apartments, here is a short presentation of photographs for each apartment, so that you get a walk through feel for each. For further information please visit our Owners Direct listing (http://www.ownersdirect.co.uk/portugal/p6706.htm).

'Eulalia' Apartment, Block 38:

Living room

Kitchen

Bathroom sink

'Olhos' Apartment, Block 37:

Living room

Kitchen hatch to living room

Bedroom

Bathroom

Pools view from balcony

Parque da Corcovada Site Map

Probably the most frequently asked question from prospective guests is where are Blocks 37 and 38?
Our response is that we chose our apartments in order to get the best locations within the complex.

Apartment 38 is direct South facing and has a very sunny aspect. It has access to the central pools, which have proved very popular with guests.

Apartment 37 is South East facing and also has a very sunny aspect, particularly in the mornings. It is in a quieter part of the complex, with its own private pools and gardens and superb views over open countryside and out to sea.

As you will see from the Parque da Crocovada site plan below our apartments and their respective pool areas - marked in orange - clearly benefit from close proximity to pools, are not directly overlooked and are not close to any noisy roads. For those wanting to locate these apartments in relation to the Globe roundabout, this is just off the top of the map at the top right corner, just up from the mini roundabout on the right of the map.

Access to Pools

A frequent question relates to access and use of pools at the Parque da Corcovada complex. The answer is that apartment blocks only have access to their own private pool areas. Blocks 38 to 40 are the only ones that can access and use the central pools. Similarly, only Block 37 can use the quiet private pools for this particular block. All block pool areas contain adult and shallow children's pools. Additionally, there is the pool area at the Corcovada Club, which is available to all guests and is a popular area for those with young children, as it also has children's play areas.


Pools Pictures at Block 37

We are often asked about the private pools and gardens at Block 37, as they are relatively unknown to the rest of the complex - which we think makes them quite special. As you can see from the balcony shot from the living room at our Block 37 apartment, the pools are close by, and provide a very family friendly environment.

Pools at Block 38

The private central pools and gardens, which are exclusively for the us guests staying at Block 38, 39 and 40, are highly sought after (and are often, misleadingly, used to promote the complex as a whole).
Our second floor deluxe one bedroom apartment in Block 38 is direct South facing and overlooks the central pools and gardens and if you stay here, you will have direct access to these pools.

The pictures below show views from the balcony at our Block 38 apartment towards the central pools. The pictures were taken in October 2011 and as you can see the weather was superb.  The second picture shows the new restaurant and children's play area.

This photo of the central pools shows the smaller shallow children's pool and much lager adult pool, with our Block 38 appartments central in the background (see second floor balconies either side of the red brick kitchen section).