 |
Holidays in Ferragudo, AlgarveFerragudo, AlgarveFerragudo holidays are for those of you who want a quieter more relaxing Algarve holiday than you would get in the more commercial and significantly busier resorts like Albufeira.Ferragudo is a fishing village that so far has escaped the mass tourism and ugly high-rise developments suffered by other resorts in the Algarve. This probably will not be the case for too long, so enjoy it while you can! It is a pretty little village, which lies on the eastern side of the estuary of the river Arade. Directly opposite, on the other side is the much livelier resort of Praia da Rocha, just south of Portimao. Portimao itself is only a ten-minute drive north from Ferragudo. The village sits above a bustling quayside and the focal point of Ferragudo is the town square, the Praça Rainha Dona Leonor. This is a pretty cobbled square, surrounded by cafes, bars and some restaurants. Here you’ll find the post office and the only bank. It’s a great place to meet people or while away an hour or two people-watching. In the summer evenings free entertainment is laid on in the form of folk music and dancing. Away from the square, there are many narrow cobbled streets and painted white houses to get lost in. A lot of the houses are decorated with flowers and it makes me think they are waiting for the judges in the “most pretty village” competition to arrive. These cobbled streets lead up to the pretty Church of Our Lady of the Conception. Worth getting to, if only for the view.
Ferragudo, Algarve AccommodationThere are a number of hotels in Ferrugado to choose from, as well as Ferragudo villa and apartment accommodation. You’ll find most of the villas above the town on the outskirts. There are also a number of accommodation resorts. Two of the more notable are :Vila Castelo Resort A small luxury resort of variously sized townhouses, penthouses and apartments overlooking the River Arade. For more details, click here. Resort Vila Gaivota Vila Gaivota is a couple of kilometres south of Ferragudo, near the Praia Carneiros beach. It is made up of 75 one and two bedroom apartments with panoramic views over the sea. Suitable for couples and families. For more details, click here. Ferragudo, Algarve BeachesAngrinha beachOnly a few minutes walk fro Ferragudo is Praia da Angrinha beach. It is separated from the larger and more popular Praia Grande beach, which is Ferragudo’s main beach. It is a fine beach and because smaller and not as popular as Praia Grande, is doesn’t get as crowded. Praia Grande Praia Grande is the main beach in Ferragudo. It is a long, wide sandy beach and is unsurprisingly popular with sunbathers. It is located on the southern side of Ferragudo below the smaller Praia da Angrinha on the headland, and is overlooked by the castle. There are some good views across the River Arade towards Portimão. It is a haven for water sports enthusiasts, particularly windsurfers, and this is where the windsurfing school is located. There are a number of beach bars and restaurants around, making it a good beach for a days sun-worshipping. It can get crowded during the busy summer months. If you want a little more peace, then I suggest you head past the castle to the eastern end of the beach, where it is a little quieter. Praia do Mohle The next beach past Praia Grande, beyond the sea wall is Praia do Mohle. Praia da Pintadinho Moving south, beyond the waterbreak you’ll find Praia da Pintadinho. This is a sheltered beach about 2 km from Praia Grande. There are less facilities on this beach, with one small restaurant, but access is easy with parking at the bottom of the hill level with the beach. From the beach you can see the Ponta do Altar lighthouse. Praia dos Caneiros A little further south you’ll find the beautiful beach of Praia dos Caneiros.Going further down you'll find one of the most beautiful beaches Praia dos Caneiros. There are a number of rocky bays here flanked by cliffs. One of the small bays, to the west, and only accessible at low tide is one of the unofficial naturist beaches.There are a couple restaurants on the beach. The most renowned is Rei das Praias, which is one of the most popular fish restaurants in the Ferragudo area.Parking for the beach is on the road and access is easy. Other beaches in the Ferragudo area are Praia dos Torrados and Praia da Afurada. There is alsothe small Praia do Mato, but access to this beach is not easy and so it is very quiet. Ferragudo Algarve – RestaurantsAs you might expect from a quaint Algarve fishing village, there are plenty of good restaurants in Ferrugado, particularly if you like fresh fish. There are some good restaurants down on the quay, which is a great place to sit and watch the sun disappear of an evening. There are also some fine eateries on many of the beaches.Some of our favourites are: Other restaurants worth mentioning (which is not at all comprehensive)... Ferragudo nightlifeNightlife is fairly laid back in Ferragudo, revolving very much around the restaurants and bars. One of the more popular bars is the Three Monkeys, which has plenty of atmosphere and occasional live music. If you after nightclubs, then you are better off heading to the livelier resort of Praia da Rocha, a 15-minute drive away across the river.Ferragudo Things to doThere is not a huge amount to do in Ferragudo, particularly for kids. There are however, water parks and zoos nearby for a day out. Have a look at our Things To Do page for more details.There are plenty of great towns nearby to explore like the historic Moorish town of Silves or the Portimao, one of the largest fishing ports and commercial centres in the Algarve. A little further afield is Lagos, with its beautiful natural harbour, friendly atmosphere and its great history. In Ferragudo itself, there are some fantastic views to be had from the church at the top of the town or walk down to the Ponta do Altar to the Ferragudo lighthouse for more vistas of the sea and the Monchique hills. If you like to get out and about on foot, then you’ll be in heaven as this is a great place for long walks. One great walk is along the undulating coastal cliff-top path, east to Carvoeiro. There are some fairly big changes in elevation, but the view of the ocean and the rock formations and grottos helps you forget the pain. Depending on the route you take, its between a 6 km and 10 km walk, so make sure you’re prepared for the heat. Ferragudo Algarve GolfThere are many Algarve golf courses that are easily reachable by car from Ferragudo, but the nearest ones are:Return from Holidays in Ferragudo Algarve to Central Algarve page
Return from Holidays in Ferragudo Algarve to Your Perfect Algarve Holiday Homepage
|
On the headland, at the entrance to the harbour and overlooking Ferragudo’s main beach, the Praia Grande is the Fortazela de São João de Arade. This is a 17th Century fort. It would be interesting to have a look around it, but it is privately owned nowadays, so this is not possible.
