Coming to Carvoeiro in a couple of weeks and have been reading this forum for the last couple of weeks to try and get a feel for the place.
Can you please put me right regarding water shortages /disruption os supplies -if any. Have the fires hit the area yet and is it snowing ash again?
Do I really need to hire a couple of bodyguards for my family's protection or are the only robbers the restauarant/bar owners.

This is the way some of the comments read

yes you will have to get washed in the sea..and always ask for a notorised receipt when leaving the rest...you will have to apply for a licence to go out of your villa by the way..no problem takes about three weeks...wait a minute your coming in two weeks dohhhhhhhh!!!

As far as I am aware...but I do live in Silves, not Carvoeiro...there are no disruptions to people´s personal water supplies yet and no fires around.

As far as crime is concerned, just act as you would at home i.e. don't leave things lying around on view and don't leave loads of doors and windows open when you are not in view of those rooms.

As for the restaurant and bar owners, look at the price lists before you go in and judge for yourself. If you have a car drive out of town a bit and the prices will drop away. Unfortunately, as I have said before, if you go to tourist resorts, you pay tourist prices...fact of life I'm afraid.

Have fun and enjoy your holiday.