CombatCritic's TravelValue™: February 2022

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Saturday, February 19, 2022

Southern Portugal: Daily, Weekly and Monthly Markets in the Algarve

Algarve Markets: By day

Monday

Algoz: 2nd Monday of the month 8 am – 1 pm

Aljezur: 3rd Monday of every month 8 am – 2 pm

Portimão: 1st Monday of each month 8 am – 2 pm

São Bartolomeu de Messines: 4th Monday of every month

Silves: 3rd Monday of every month 8 am – 1 pm

Vila do Bispo: Every Monday from 9 am – 1 pm

Tuesday

Albufeira: 1st and 3rd Tuesday of the month 9 am – 2 pm

Alvor: 2nd Tuesday of the month 9 am – 2 pm

Wednesday

Quarteira: Gypsy market every Wednesday 8 am – 3 pm

Quarteira: Weekly Farmers market 9 am – 1 pm

Raposeira: First Wednesday of the month 9 am – 2 pm

Vila do Bispo: Weekly Farmers’ market 9 am – 1 pm

Lagos: Weekly (mainly organic) farmers’ market 5pm – 9pm

Thursday

Alte: 3rd Thursday of the month 8 am – 2 pm

Boliqueime: Last Thursday of the month 8 am – 2 pm

Boliqueime: 1st Thursday of the month 8 am – 2 pm

Vaqueiros: 2nd Thursday of the month 9 am – 2pm

Vila do Bispo: 1st Thursday of the month 8 am – 1 pm

Friday

Alcantarilha: 1st Friday of the Month 9am – 2pm

Guia: 3rd Friday of the month 9 am – 2 pm

Monchique: 2nd Friday of the month 8 am – 2 pm

Sagres: 1st Friday of the month 9 am – 2 pm

Vila do Bispo: 1st Friday of the month 9 am – 2 pm

Saturday

Alvor: 1st Saturday of the month 8 am – 6 pm

Azinhal: Last Saturday of the month 8 am – 2 pm

Benafim: 1st Saturday of the month 9 am – 2 pm

Castro Marim: 2nd Saturday of the month

Lagos: Weekly Farmers Market 8 am – 2 pm

Lagos: General market first Saturday of the month

Loulé: Gypsy market and farmers market every Saturday of the month

Monte Gordo: 4th Saturday of the month from 10am

Olhão: Every Saturday morning 9 am – 1 pm

Paderne: 1st Saturday of the month 9 am – 1 pm

São Bras de Alportel: General market every Saturday of the month 8 am – 1 pm

São Marcos da Serra: 1st Saturday of the month 9 am – 2 pm

Tavira: 3rd Saturday of the month 9 am – 1 pm

Tunes: 4th Saturday of the month 8 am – 1 pm

Vila Real de Santo António: 2nd Saturday of the month from 10am

Vila do Bispo: Farmers market 9 am – 1 pm

Sunday

Almancil: 2nd Sunday 8 am – 1 pm

Almancil: General market 1st and 4th Sunday of the month from 10am

Almancil: Flea market 1st and 3rd Sunday of the month 7.30 am – 2 pm

Azinhal: 1st Sunday of the month 8 am – 1 pm

Cabeça Gorda: 1st Sunday of the month 9 am – 2 pm

Barão de São João: Flea market 4th Sunday of the month

Espiche: Every 3rd Sunday of the month

Estoi: market every 2nd Sunday of the month 8 am – 3 pm

Faro: 2nd Sunday of the month 8 am – 4 pm

Ferragudo: Flea market on the 2nd Sunday of the month 8 am – 1 pm

Lagoa: 2nd Sunday 8 am – 1 pm

Lagos: 1st Sunday of the month

Moncarapacho: Market 1st Sunday of the month 8 am – 1 pm

Portimão: 1st and 3rd Sunday of each month

Pereiro: 4th Sunday of the month 9 am – 2 pm

Santa Catarina da Fonte do Bispo: Flea market every 4th Sunday of the month 8 am – 1 pm

Vila Real de Santo António: Every 3rd Sunday of the month 8 am – 1 pm

Vila Nova de Cacela: Every 3rd Sunday of the month

Algarve Markets: By town

Eastern Algarve

Monte Gordo: 4th Saturday of the month from 10am

Olhão: Takes place every day with a larger market (including a gypsy market) on Saturday mornings

Tavira: 3rd Saturday of the month 9 am – 1 pm

Vila Real de Santo António: 2nd Saturday of the month from 10am and Every 3rd Sunday of the month 8 am – 1 pm

Vila Nova de Cacela: Every 3rd Sunday of the month

Central Algarve

Albufeira: 1st and 3rd Tuesday of the month 9 am – 2 pm

Alte: 3rd Thursday of the month 8 am – 2 pm

Armação de Pêra: Monday to Saturday 7 am – 1 pm

Carvoeiro: Monday to Saturday 8:30 am – 2 pm

Faro: 2nd Sunday of the month 8 am – 4 pm

Lagoa: 2nd Sunday 8 am – 1 pm

Loulé: Gypsy market and farmers market every Saturday of the month

Quarteira: Gypsy market every Wednesday 8 am – 3 pm

Silves: 3rd Monday of every month 8 am – 1 pm

Western Algarve

Aljezur: 3rd Monday of every month 8 am – 2 pm

Alvor: 2nd Tuesday of the month 9 am – 2 pm

Lagos: Weekly Saturday Farmers Market 8 am – 2 pm

Monchique: 2nd Friday of the month 8 am – 2 pm

Portimão: 1st Monday of each month 8 am – 2 pm and the 1st and 3rd Sunday of each month

Sagres: 1st Friday of the month 9 am – 2 pm

Festivals

Algarve has numerous religious, musical, gastronomical, and historic festivals throughout the year. Here are some of the biggest:

February/March:

Carnival takes place across the Algarve on Shrove Tuesday and the preceding weekend

Easter

Flower Torches Festival in São Brás de Alportel on Easter Sunday - a must see by its amazing displays of flower arrangements

Folar (Easter cakes) Fairs take place across the Algarve with music and entertainment and a chance to try the traditional cakes

Feast of The Sovereign Mother of Loulé - a tradition dating back to the 16th century

May

Seafood festival in Tavira

June

The Saints Festivals take place across the Algarve:

St. Anthony (13th)

St. John (24th)

St. Peter (29th)

Festival Med (LINK) in Loulé- Mediterranean music, food and crafts

July

Loulé Handcraft Fair

Algarve International Motorbike meeting in Faro

August

Seafood Festival in Olhão - a major event with live music every night

Medieval Fairs in Silves and Castro Marim

October

Sagres Bird Migration Fair – exhibitions, talks and field trips to see the great migration of birds of prey

Portugal Masters in Vilamoura - for the golf enthusiasts

Mediterranean garden fair - sale of plants suitable for the climate of Algarve

Tuesday, February 15, 2022

Olhão (Faro), Portugal: Heavy On The Salt And NOT A TravelValue

Gunther's Restaurante

N2-6 Belmonte de cima, 246A

Olhao 8700-174 Portugal

+351 912 447 051

Website: N/A

Prices: €€€€

Gunther is hit and miss. We have had a few good meals there and a few disappointments.

On a few occasions, the food was heavily over salted, so much so that it was difficult to eat. The steaks are pretty good, but the portion size has been disappointing for the price.

We attended their Valentine's Day dinner (€25/each) and were extremely disappointed.

The ´Sweethearts´Bruschetta was two small, heart shaped slices of bread (one each), slightly toasted with melted cheese and tomatoes on one and peppers on the other.

For our entrees, my wife had the ´Caresses of Chicken´, a flat heart shaped chicken breast covered in a salty sauce of unknown origin and melted mozzarella cheese and I the ´Nuptial Hake with Leeks and Cream´a miniscule piece of fish topped with a so-so sauce, both coming with a small side of potato in the form of a heart.

Our dessert was a small ´Berry Tartellete´ which was okay, but nothing special.

We were still hungry when we got home and promptly raided the refrigerator. Like many we know, we probably will not be going back any time soon.

Not long after our meal, I was accosted by the owner, Gunther, who started yelling at me, telling me I was driving too fast on the road in front of the restaurant. He must have gotten me confused with another red Renault Clio driver, as there are many around, because I go with the flow of traffic, same as anybody on that road.

CombatCritic Downgrades Gunther To 4 Bombs Out Of 10 ... More Bombs Are Better!

Four Bombs Equates To:

Translation for Civilians: "Bend Over, Here It Comes Again"

Saturday, February 12, 2022

Sintra, Portugal: An Excellent TravelValue And Very Central For Touring Beautiful Sintra

Quinta Das Murtas

Rua Eduardo Vanzeller 4

Vila Velha Old Town - Sintra

2710-593 Portugal

+351 219 240 246

QuintaDasMurtas.com

Prices: €€€€

PROS

Reception and check-in was easy and we were treated very well by the manager
We had a large, clean room in the annex with nice view of the valley and sea
The room was quiet and the bed was very comfortable
Free on-site parking was included in the price
The hotel is pet friendly and the manager even waived the €10 pet fee
The breakfast was very nice with plenty of hot coffee, scrambled eggs, hams, cheeses, sausage and fresh breads, yogurt, cakes and jams
Quinta Das Murtas was an outstanding value for the price we paid - €63 including breakfast for two people and our dog ... HOOAH!