Any advice please?

[dennis75]

Hi, can I just say first off what a good and imaginative site this is. Ok crawling over.

My partner and myself are coming out at the end of June for a couple of weeks, we are staying at the Baia Cristal on a B&B basis. I have been to the village a few times but several years ago. So, please can anyone tell me how far outside the village is the hotel? How disruptive are the works on the square? Is the food as good in the village as I remember? Any recomendations for eats and drinks?

We both work very hard so like to do nothing but relax on holiday and watch the world go by through a booze fuelled haze

Any info or advice would be gladly received. Could even buy you a drink if we bump into each other!

Many thanks

Den

[Lesley Jean]

Hiya and welcome to the site.

We have been coming to the area near cvo for the past 8 years or more, the food is as good as ever, it will be a little more expensive this time for you as prices have gone up a little and the pound/euro rate is not good anymore. Depends what sort of foods you like, check out the restaurant reviews on this site and make your own minds up really is the best thing to do.

Some of our favourites are Casa do bife for great steaks and fish you cook on the stone, or other meals, all reasonably priced. Colombo's on the square is great for drinks and food, good quality and you can sit and watch the world go by. Maximes up 'restaurant hill' is lovely but a lot more expensive. There is a great Indian up the hill to the right of the beach. So many more I can't really name them all.

Have a great trip and report back on how you got on and which places you liked the best it helps others to try new places or to come to the village themselves.

[Bristle Si]

I don't know the hotel you refer to.

We've been visiting for 8 years now (coming out in September this year). Our favourite restaurants (in no particular order) are:
Happy's - run by a mad dutchman, with his sledgehammer wit, but good value food and a lively atmosphere. We love it in here and usually go a couple of times in a 2 week break; normally book in advance. warning though - you need to be in a jovial mood to fully appreciate!
Oasis - i have to visit there for the speciality of the house - spare ribs.
Ele and ela - pricey (for Portugal) but a nice treat for me and my wife. Nouveau cuisine, so not everyone's preference
Italian at very top of restaurant hill, opposite the Hotel Mirachoro; i think it's the Medicini (correct me someone if i'm wrong)
Chef Antonio - good portions and good value (although i've seen a few comments on here in the past that gives this one mixed reviews)
O Castello Indian or Taj Mahal, Monte Carvoeiro (although i think that's closed since we visited last year)
O Salmao, in Monte Carvoeiro.

Drinking - chill out with great hospitality, The Cocktail Garden, Monte Carvoeiro. Run by Luis, he's welcomed us for all our visits over the years.
Cocktail bar up restaurant hill, one with a cuban theme - can't remember what it's called - 2 for 1 early evening on cocktails - a must for a pre-dinner drink or three! Smooth, funky dance music playing - nice!
Bar Charly - near the beach - good company with Charly ( belgian guy with a wicked sense of humour) - nice venue for pre-dinner drink or a quieter evening.
Our favourite - The Round-Up Saloon - OK, so the karaoke nights are the best, but, hey, you're on holiday! Big Will runs it and when you get to know him is great fun. The legendary Antonio Casanova works and frequents - La La La Bamba!!

Hope you enjoy you're time in Carvoeiro.

P.S. Forgot to add, O Barco in front of the beach is a lunchtime favourite haunt of ours, for a bit of lunch and a couple of drinks, just chilling and watching the world go by.

[emilser]

We have just returned from CVO. We stayed on Rua Do Flores this time, it is at the top of restaurant hill, opposite Vimar, and A Rede, with Primevera on the corner if that rings a bell? We walked to Centianes a few times for lunch/beach as we love it there. The walk takes you past Cristal, and I would say it took about 20 mins from where we stayed (that was with 2 small children in tow though - could maybe do it quicker?!) Pleasant walk, and is also on the bus route. Would only be 5 mins or so in a taxi. Plenty of taxis were always at the rank. From the square I'm guessing it would be a half hour walk to the hotel. The restaurants mentioned above were great if you didn't want to walk all the way to the square (didn't try Primevera as we never saw any other children in there & the garden section seemed closed - but the other 2 were good and there was a BBQ restaurant that was constantly busy). Other places we enjoyed good meals were Maxines, Lantern A Velha, O Indiano, Barco, Casa Algarvia, Casa Do Bife and the bistro at Algar Seco Development (had an early supper here-great pasta dish & lovely views).

The work in the square wasn't quite as disruptive as I had expected. The part near the beach was functional with Barco etc all open for business. The lack of beach toilets was a bit of a nuisance, but the cafes were obliging when we used theirs. The out road was completely dug up, and left us with dry dusty mouths when we walked up it, not too pleasant! Roll on the works completion.

The cocktail bar is Bar Havana, nice cocktails and 2 for 1 from 6.30-8pm, lovely atmosphere too. They do a limited selection of cheap bar food - chilli, nachos etc. Didnt try this but table next to us ordered and it looked good.

Enjoy your trip!

[SJ & RE]

Have a fab holiday and remember its all downhill all the way to the beach and food and drinks. Taxi ride back recommended, 'specially at end of play!!!
So many places to choose from and all of peoples preference, you can always walk in and have a decko and if you do not like the feel etc, just leave.
I can list a few spots we go and enjoy, but remember its just our choices and not a reflection on other places .
All those listed above, by previous mentioned but also,
Bars, Cheers ( they wil also prepare and serve a delicious meal if given 24hours notice superb)Bar Talvez, god so many, follow your nose.
Restuarants, have a look at the ones up at Monte CVO, Elliots, Stone Steak and the pizza place outside the circle, beside the apts up there, beside a lovely little coffee shop, really good not just for pizza but other dishes too. Back down amongst the roads off from the square, Mistrals for great food, Brazillian live music on certain nights and a lot of the bars up and down that road, some doing tapas and little dishes and nibbles etc. The bread shop midway is good as is the little cafe nearby with a few chairs outside and lovely cakes and a good coffee there.
Jailhouse up one of the hills beside the closed Post Office, mad, fun, loud, but a good night when on form, for music and drinks.
Main restuarant hill, Al Gale for food, up the hill beside Lantern A Velha, further up is a great restuarant but cannot remember its name (could be Masqueda, someone will tell you on this site the namejust past a shop)The market nearby for coffee and to purchase fruit and things for a packed lunch, where Algo Secar mentioned go down to the steps to a fab outside romantic restuarant, can go inside too but ooh so romantic sitting out watching the light go down, the moon rise, the stars and any boats passing.
Goodness there are so many and thats just all CVO area and not listed outside, if you have car rented well go where the wind blows. You will have a great time wherever, just go and try and experiment. Remember if any are a failure to you, laugh it off, its al part of the holiday. Never expect anything to go fast, the pace is what it is.

[dennis75]

Thank you all so far. All very helpfull advice, the last time I was over there was during the 9/11 bombings in the States so quite a while ago.
I cannot tell you how I am looking forward to visiting again

Thanks again.

[Rayeileen]

Now if you want to walk in the other direction away fro the village there are also some lovely restaurants, Just a short walk is Mona Lisa a lovely little italian,they make lovely pizza,and garlic bread.A little further on is Julios on the left and just a little further on the right is O'Rafaoil a favourite of ours.