Loulé 5 Day tour

Day 4

Loule 5 day tour - day 4. Today we continue our visit of Vilamoura and then move on to Boliqueime. This is day 7 of our Algarve tour. Vilamoura​ ​is​ ​home​ ​to​ ​two​ ​amazing​ ​beaches,​ ​Praia​ ​de​ ​Vilamoura​ ​and​ ​Praia​ ​da​ ​Falésia,​ ​aka​ ​Rocha Baixinha,​ ​it​ ​was​ ​in​ ​this​ ​last​ ​one​ ​that​ ​I​ ​chose​ ​to​ ​spend​ ​my​ ​last​ ​morning​ ​in​ ​town.

The​ ​name,​ ​Falésia,​ ​comes​ ​from​ ​the​ ​bare​ ​cliffs​ ​that​ ​frame​ ​this​ ​long​ ​stretch​ ​of​ ​sand​ ​that​ ​starts​ ​in​ ​Vilamoura and​ ​continues​ ​east​ ​until​ ​Olhos​ ​de​ ​Água,​ ​a​ ​small​ ​town​ ​in​ ​the​ ​district​ ​of​ ​Albufeira. If​ ​you’re​ ​feeling​ ​brave​ ​you​ ​can​ ​walk​ ​from​ ​one​ ​end​ ​to​ ​the​ ​other​ ​in​ ​about​ ​two​ ​hours​ ​or​ ​follow​ ​the​ ​hiking​ ​trail above​ ​the​ ​cliffs​ ​to​ ​enjoy​ ​a​ ​bird’s​ ​eye​ ​view​ ​of​ ​the​ ​beach.

Vilamoura​ ​also​ ​offers​ ​several​ ​water​ ​activities​ ​including​ ​dolphin-watching​ ​tours,​ ​parasailing,​ ​jet​ ​ski,​ ​fishing and​ ​more.​ ​You​ ​can​ ​even​ ​rent​ ​a​ ​yacht​ ​and​ ​sail​ ​away​ ​for​ ​the​ ​day,​ ​the​ ​perfect​ ​escape​ ​from​ ​the​ ​crowded beaches​ ​in​ ​the​ ​summer.

Praia da Falésia, looking east towards Olhos​ ​de​ ​Água from Vilamoura

Praia da Falésia, further along the beach looking east towards Albufeira

I​ ​decided​ ​to​ ​stay​ ​at​ ​the​ ​beach,​ ​enjoying​ ​the​ ​cool​ ​breeze​ ​from​ ​the​ ​ocean​ ​whilst​ ​softly​ ​burying​ ​my​ ​feet​ ​in​ ​the sand.​ ​When​ ​lunchtime​ ​came​ ​around​ ​I​ ​simply​ ​walked​ ​over​ ​to​ ​NoSoloÁgua,​ ​a​ ​restaurant-cum-bar-cum-club set​ ​on​ ​the​ ​edge​ ​of​ ​Praia​ ​da​ ​Falésia​ ​and​ ​famous​ ​for​ ​its​ ​sunset​ ​parties.​ ​I​ ​had​ ​a​ ​quick​ ​snack​ ​before​ ​getting back​ ​on​ ​the​ ​road​ ​to​ ​Pestana​ ​Vila​ ​Sol​ ​for​ ​another​ ​golf​ ​lesson.

Praia da Falésia, looking west towards Vilamoura

NoSoloAgua Beach Bar, Praia da Falésia, Vilamoura

This​ ​time,​ ​I​ ​arranged​ ​the​ ​lesson​ ​with​ ​the​ ​Algarve​ ​Golf​ ​Guru.​ ​Whether​ ​you’re​ ​just​ ​starting​ ​out​ ​or​ ​are already​ ​a​ ​professional,​ ​their​ ​team​ ​will​ ​cater​ ​to​ ​all​ ​your​ ​needs,​ ​from​ ​booking​ ​your​ ​green​ ​fees​ ​to​ ​scheduling a​ ​golf​ ​lesson​ ​or​ ​simply​ ​providing​ ​you​ ​with​ ​clubs.​ ​Two​ ​lessons​ ​in​ ​and​ ​I​ ​was​ ​already​ ​feeling​ ​like​ ​this​ ​could be​ ​the​ ​start​ ​of​ ​a​ ​new​ ​hobby…

After​ ​the​ ​lesson,​ ​I​ ​continued​ ​on​ ​to​ ​Boliqueime,​ ​a​ ​quiet​ ​village​ ​nestled​ ​on​ ​a​ ​hillside​ ​that​ ​overlooks​ ​the ocean.​ ​Despite​ ​its​ ​small​ ​size,​ ​the​ ​village​ ​has​ ​many​ ​places​ ​of​ ​interest,​ ​including​ ​a​ ​church,​ ​a​ ​museum​ ​and old​ ​windmills​ ​that​ ​once​ ​supplied​ ​water​ ​to​ ​its​ ​residents​ ​but​ ​are​ ​now​ ​part​ ​of​ ​the​ ​tourist​ ​trail. Before​ ​leaving​ ​the​ ​village,​ ​I​ ​stopped​ ​at​ ​O​ ​Retiro​ ​for​ ​dinner.​ ​This​ ​cosy​ ​restaurant​ ​serves​ ​a​ ​great​ ​selection of​ ​meat​ ​and​ ​fish​ ​meals​ ​and​ ​has​ ​a​ ​fantastic​ ​wine​ ​menu​ ​featuring​ ​Portuguese​ ​and​ ​international​ ​wines​ ​that you​ ​can​ ​drink​ ​here​ ​or​ ​take​ ​it​ ​home​ ​with​ ​you​ ​by​ ​ordering​ ​a​ ​bottle​ ​from​ ​their​ ​shop.

Igreja Matriz (Mother Church) in Boliquieme

Igreja Matriz in Boliquieme - Interior

O Retiro Restaurant, Boliqueime

​From​ ​Boliqueime​ ​I​ ​drove​ ​towards​ ​the​ ​mountain​ ​villages​ ​of​ ​Algarve​ ​-​ ​Salir​ ​and​ ​Alte.​ ​I​ ​stayed​ ​at​ ​Quinta​ ​do Freixo,​ ​a​ ​farmhouse​ ​with​ ​over​ ​1000​ ​hectares​ ​that​ ​markets​ ​itself​ ​as​ ​an​ ​agritourism​ ​property. Besides​ ​offering​ ​sleeping​ ​accommodations,​ ​Quinta​ ​do​ ​Freixo​ ​has​ ​an​ ​area​ ​of​ ​plantations​ ​and​ ​a​ ​small production​ ​factory​ ​that​ ​helps​ ​sustain​ ​the​ ​farm.​ ​In​ ​the​ ​factory,​ ​they​ ​produce​ ​their​ ​own​ ​jam​ ​using​ ​fresh​ ​fruit that​ ​is​ ​picked​ ​here,​ ​including​ ​oranges,​ ​tomatoes,​ ​pumpkins​ ​and​ ​figs​ ​that​ ​is​ ​later​ ​sold​ ​on​ ​the​ ​farm​ ​and​ ​in many​ ​shops​ ​across​ ​the​ ​country.​ ​As​ ​a​ ​guest,​ ​you​ ​have​ ​the​ ​privilege​ ​of​ ​watching​ ​them​ ​make​ ​these delicious​ ​treats​ ​if​ ​you​ ​want​ ​or​ ​wait​ ​until​ ​the​ ​morning​ ​and​ ​have​ ​them​ ​for​ ​breakfast,​ ​which​ ​is​ ​what​ ​I​ ​planned to​ ​do.

Quinta do Freixo, Algarve

Driving map for Day 4 of this Loulé tour

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