Hi all you lucky people who live in Carvoeiro, can you please answer my question. Is CVO open or not. Every time I look on the web cam it seems like a ghost town. CVO Sol , Smilers and Columbos all in darkness, not even any signs of taxis. What is happening?

What web cam are you using?

Doesn't matter what web cam you use. The vast majority of bars, restaurants and many shops are now shut until next year.

With tourism having been reported as 28% down this year I suspect that many will not even re-open in the Spring.

The same holds true for all the towns along the Algarve. Only the cities like Portimao, Faro and Lagos seem to be anything like "open".

Although January is normally pretty dead, this year it seems that many more places haven't even bothered staying open until Christmas.

Michael asks about which webcams, as it would appear that one if not more are not working at the moment.

We have been coming over in the winter for the last 4 years, and it is normal for many restaurants and bars to close from about mid-November to mid-February, although many reopen for Christmas and New Year. Not sure of the tourist figures for Carvoeiro, but I read in a newspaper some time ago that summer 2009 was the third best on record for tourism in the Algarve. So maybe, given that it has been a difficult year in most places, all is not gloom and doom.

I am looking at the pictures from the webcam in the ice cream shop

Thanks Karen Ann, I'll let him know.

We have spent the last 6 years in CVO for Christmas and New Year and yes there is a lot closed but there is still plenty open to have meals and to do some shopping. Columbos has always been open when we have been there, so I assume that they will still be open when we go this year.

I hope Colombo's is open Sharen I am looking forward to a nice meal and a few drinks there in December.

We love it when its quiet, OK not so much choice of places open but we are not really tourists anymore.

On a sunny warm January day with the clear light that only the Algarve seems to have in Europe these days ( less airborne pollution )
hard pushed to think of many better places.
Its easier to get around , the shops are quieter everyone is less stressed.
As for business I think that although UK figures may not improve the Eurozone vistors will increase as they are cooming out of recession much faster than us.

Enjoy the quiet, the crowds will be back before you know it.

Oh I so agree with you EMM, the Algarve and the area around Cvo is lovely in the Autumn, Winter and Spring, my best time to visit.

Couldnt agree more - january with very clear days and easily int the low 20's at times is wonderful - I'm not a great outdoors person (rather be under the sea) but the spring flowers along the cliffs are quite staggering. Much better when its quiet - you can stroll along in peace and quiet without hoards of walkers with long sticks doing impressions of dry skiing! Plenty of places to go for drinks/meals without the crowds!

I agree too. WE love February and March. Can't imagine what it is like in the summer, not my cup of tea.

Can I agree too?

Yes, I also agree.

Lovely in Feb, March and April. also in Sept, Oct, Nov and also in Jan and Dec, June, 1st half of July and in May

If you want to live in cloud cookoo land so be it. I was out there last week and basically it was dead hotels and shops closed. Stage 2 will be the depression around 2011. Have a nice weekend

Gary