Well here comes October and there is no let-up with ‘Things to do in the Algarve’. The weather is perfect and you get the feeling that you can can tackle anything. There is something for everyone as the month unfolds - the length and breadth of the Algarve sees entertainment laid on for all age groups. Watch out for the first weekend – it’s a bumper crop!
The weekend of the 5th and 6th of October is a busy one!
The 13th annual BLiP – Better Living in Portugal Exhibition - held at the Portimão arena, will be going all out to demonstrate everything that is good in the Algarve. Promoted and backed by AFPOP and the Portuguese Tourism Board, this year promises to be an excellent show.
A huge selection of local businesses will be represented, and here is your chance to take part in local wine tasting, see the newest technology in Medical Clinics or check out all the latest innovations for home and garden. Along with business exhibitors, the BLiP is also offering a shopping area and a local artisan section this year and promises to keep everyone entertained.
Come and visit Meravista on stand 63. Take part in our featured ‘guess the goodies in the jar’ competition to enter the draw for a case of fine Portuguese wine. Our Texas Tollhouse cookies earned fame at the International Algarve fair and will be back by popular demand! Meravista will be promoting over 12,000 property listings on our revamped map-search as well as enticing visitors to participate in the Meravista Algarve Expat lifestyle survey. If you don’t want to wait for BLiP, you can take the survey now – and more chances to win some of that fabulous Portuguese wine!
The BLiP exhibition is open to the public on Saturday 5 October from 10am to 6pm and on Sunday 6th from 11am to 5pm. Entry is free. Find out more about the BLiP on our previous blog!
On the same weekend of 5 and 6 October you can enjoy the Obrigado Portugal festival in Sítio das Fontes near Estômbar, Lagoa. The festival is a tribute to Cultural Exchange and is based on a concept thought up by the estrangeiros (foreigners) living in Portugal. It was decided to promote a cultural exchange of traditions and music of all the various nationalities found throughout the Algarve, and to thank the Portuguese people for their hospitality. This has proved such a huge success for the past two years that they are doing it again this year.
Taking place in the magical surroundings of Sítio das Fontes, friends, families and even schools participate in singing, dancing, playing games or just enjoying each other’s company and cultures. Along with food, drink and handicrafts from different parts of the world,there is a glorious mixture of entertainment promised, with music, singing, theatre, film, photography, dance and more from the UK, Germany, Australia, Spain, Egypt and Portugal.
Entry is free and everybody is welcome, even the well behaved family dogs! For more information check out the Obrigado Portugal website.
The 4th, 5th and 6th of October also sees the annual Sagres Bird Watching Festival taking place.Sagres is the main crossing point in the Algarve for migratory birds on their annual trip to Africa, so of course the main attractions of this festival are the migrating birds. However, Sagres has so much more to offer that non-bird activities are also included, such as field trips, boat trips, environmental education workshops and much more. So dig out those binoculars and get down to Sagres for an enjoyable weekend of spotting rare and wondrous birds and other wildlife. Special rates are being offered by some local hotels and restaurants for visitors.
On the 5th October in 1910, the coup that ousted King Manuel 11 from the Portuguese throne took place and turned the country into a republic. This is celebrated each year with a public holiday for everyone - so be aware that most shops will be closed. Check what is going on in your local town for this great day and evening.
You will need to do some careful planning to take part in all that is happening on this busy weekend, that’s for sure. So get yourself geared up for some fun happenings.
The Feira de Guia takes place on 8th October near Albufeira. This annual market includes clothes, trinkets, porcelain and more for interested browsers. Urban legend has it that the Virgin Mary appeared in Guia many years and the pilgrimage to the holy sighting is thought to be the origin of this fair. Don’t forget that Guia is one of the renowned towns for chicken piri piri so you may want to pop in to the famous Ramires chicken restaurant while you are there. Where there is a fair there is always music and dancing so get ready to enjoy!
Also on the 8th October, Stacey Kent, the Grammy-nominated jazz singer from the USA, will be in concert at the Tempo Theatre in Portimão singing from her latest album ‘The Changing Lights’. Tickets are on sale for €15 and €18 each.
There’s an International Dance Gala ‘Terpsicore’ at Figuras, the Municipal Theatre of Faro on 12th October at 9.30pm. Featuring both classical and contemporary dancing, the Algarve Dance Company celebrate their 9th anniversary with an evening to remember by bringing together dancers from several main European dance companies. Tickets are €15.
Golf: European Tour - Portugal Masters
You can’t go far in any direction in the Algarve without finding a golf course and naturally there are always competitions of one kind or another in play. And the biggest competition of the year is this month.
The 2013 Portugal Masters golf championship will be hosted at the Victoria Golf Course in Vilamoura from 10th to 13th October. Irishman Shane Lowry will be back to defend his title but will face tough competition as €3 million in prize money is up for grabs. Vilamoura is geared up for an huge influx of visitors for this major tournament and you can count on the many hotels, restaurants and bars laying on some fine entertainment during this time. Find out more about the tournament and how to get tickets to The Portugal Masters Golf Championship 2013.
Off the beaten track
The annual Feira da Perdiz (Partridge Fair) takes place on Saturday 12th and Sunday 13th October at the Pavilion Jose Pereira Rosa in Martim Longo, Alcoutim. As the name suggests, this fair is linked to hunting, especially in the Alcoutim area. However, sports events and of course local food, music and dancing will be on the cards too. So if hunting is your scene you won’t want to miss this one. And once the hunting season is open there will be plenty of wild boar, partridge and hare on the menus everywhere.
The annual MIBA national championship is an all-terrain mountain bike race with extreme courses aimed at different amateur levels. For the extremely fit among us, you can enter to race in one of 3 marathons - 25km, 50km and 85km - at São Bartolomeu de Messines in Silves on 13th October. If you fancy an extreme bike ride through the mountains then you can book your place now.
Family fun
Don’t miss your last chance to see this year’s FIESA - Sand Festival in Pera. With a music theme this year, these huge sculptures provide a fun day out. It’s been going all summer but will close on the 25th October. If you haven’t been yet, it’s your last chance to enjoy these giant sculptures of musical giants (pun intended), so get in while you can.
Another fantastic family event is the Feira de Santa Iria at Largo São Francisco in Faro’s old town. From the 19th to the 28th October the huge car park is taken over by the fair, but the municipality has made the three story car-park next door available to visitors for free. Ten days of festivities feature activities for kids, colourful stalls and the main feature: a big fun fair which is thought to date back to the 1500’s! Who knows what attractions they had in those days but nowadays the fair is full of bumper cars, Ferris wheels and super rides. With bright lights, loud music and a lot of swinging and flying about going on, kids (of all ages) love it.
With a large food court, local arts and crafts stalls, wine, cheese and presunto from all over the region on display it’s not just about the rides. Of course, like all traditional fairs there will be candy floss on sticks and sweeties galore. This promises to be a really good night out with the kids or maybe a stroll down memory lane for the older crowd. Whichever way you play it, you are bound to enjoy yourself.
Phew! Who would guess there would be so much fun and entertainment going on in the Algarve this month! Wishing you a fun-filled month ahead…
Brought to you by Meravista – the place where smart people search for Algarve property for sale.
Things to do in the Algarve for October 2013
by Sun’s Dragon
Well here comes October and there is no let-up with ‘Things to do in the Algarve’. The weather is perfect and you get the feeling that you can can tackle anything. There is something for everyone as the month unfolds - the length and breadth of the Algarve sees entertainment laid on for all age groups. Watch out for the first weekend – it’s a bumper crop!
The weekend of the 5th and 6th of October is a busy one!
A huge selection of local businesses will be represented, and here is your chance to take part in local wine tasting, see the newest technology in Medical Clinics or check out all the latest innovations for home and garden. Along with business exhibitors, the BLiP is also offering a shopping area and a local artisan section this year and promises to keep everyone entertained.
Come and visit Meravista on stand 63. Take part in our featured ‘guess the goodies in the jar’ competition to enter the draw for a case of fine Portuguese wine. Our Texas Tollhouse cookies earned fame at the International Algarve fair and will be back by popular demand! Meravista will be promoting over 12,000 property listings on our revamped map-search as well as enticing visitors to participate in the Meravista Algarve Expat lifestyle survey. If you don’t want to wait for BLiP, you can take the survey now – and more chances to win some of that fabulous Portuguese wine!
The BLiP exhibition is open to the public on Saturday 5 October from 10am to 6pm and on Sunday 6th from 11am to 5pm. Entry is free. Find out more about the BLiP on our previous blog!
On the same weekend of 5 and 6 October you can enjoy the Obrigado Portugal festival in Sítio das Fontes near Estômbar, Lagoa. The festival is a tribute to Cultural Exchange and is based on a concept thought up by the estrangeiros (foreigners) living in Portugal. It was decided to promote a cultural exchange of traditions and music of all the various nationalities found throughout the Algarve, and to thank the Portuguese people for their hospitality. This has proved such a huge success for the past two years that they are doing it again this year.
Taking place in the magical surroundings of Sítio das Fontes, friends, families and even schools participate in singing, dancing, playing games or just enjoying each other’s company and cultures. Along with food, drink and handicrafts from different parts of the world,there is a glorious mixture of entertainment promised, with music, singing, theatre, film, photography, dance and more from the UK, Germany, Australia, Spain, Egypt and Portugal.
Entry is free and everybody is welcome, even the well behaved family dogs! For more information check out the Obrigado Portugal website.
The 4th, 5th and 6th of October also sees the annual Sagres Bird Watching Festival taking place.Sagres is the main crossing point in the Algarve for migratory birds on their annual trip to Africa, so of course the main attractions of this festival are the migrating birds. However, Sagres has so much more to offer that non-bird activities are also included, such as field trips, boat trips, environmental education workshops and much more. So dig out those binoculars and get down to Sagres for an enjoyable weekend of spotting rare and wondrous birds and other wildlife. Special rates are being offered by some local hotels and restaurants for visitors.
Sagres Birdwatching Festival from Paulo Margalho on Vimeo.
On the 5th October in 1910, the coup that ousted King Manuel 11 from the Portuguese throne took place and turned the country into a republic. This is celebrated each year with a public holiday for everyone - so be aware that most shops will be closed. Check what is going on in your local town for this great day and evening.
You will need to do some careful planning to take part in all that is happening on this busy weekend, that’s for sure. So get yourself geared up for some fun happenings.
There’s an International Dance Gala ‘Terpsicore’ at Figuras, the Municipal Theatre of Faro on 12th October at 9.30pm. Featuring both classical and contemporary dancing, the Algarve Dance Company celebrate their 9th anniversary with an evening to remember by bringing together dancers from several main European dance companies. Tickets are €15.
Golf: European Tour - Portugal Masters
You can’t go far in any direction in the Algarve without finding a golf course and naturally there are always competitions of one kind or another in play. And the biggest competition of the year is this month.
The 2013 Portugal Masters golf championship will be hosted at the Victoria Golf Course in Vilamoura from 10th to 13th October. Irishman Shane Lowry will be back to defend his title but will face tough competition as €3 million in prize money is up for grabs. Vilamoura is geared up for an huge influx of visitors for this major tournament and you can count on the many hotels, restaurants and bars laying on some fine entertainment during this time. Find out more about the tournament and how to get tickets to The Portugal Masters Golf Championship 2013.
Off the beaten track
The annual Feira da Perdiz (Partridge Fair) takes place on Saturday 12th and Sunday 13th October at the Pavilion Jose Pereira Rosa in Martim Longo, Alcoutim. As the name suggests, this fair is linked to hunting, especially in the Alcoutim area. However, sports events and of course local food, music and dancing will be on the cards too. So if hunting is your scene you won’t want to miss this one. And once the hunting season is open there will be plenty of wild boar, partridge and hare on the menus everywhere.
The annual MIBA national championship is an all-terrain mountain bike race with extreme courses aimed at different amateur levels. For the extremely fit among us, you can enter to race in one of 3 marathons - 25km, 50km and 85km - at São Bartolomeu de Messines in Silves on 13th October. If you fancy an extreme bike ride through the mountains then you can book your place now.
Family fun
Don’t miss your last chance to see this year’s FIESA - Sand Festival in Pera. With a music theme this year, these huge sculptures provide a fun day out. It’s been going all summer but will close on the 25th October. If you haven’t been yet, it’s your last chance to enjoy these giant sculptures of musical giants (pun intended), so get in while you can.
With a large food court, local arts and crafts stalls, wine, cheese and presunto from all over the region on display it’s not just about the rides. Of course, like all traditional fairs there will be candy floss on sticks and sweeties galore. This promises to be a really good night out with the kids or maybe a stroll down memory lane for the older crowd. Whichever way you play it, you are bound to enjoy yourself.
Phew! Who would guess there would be so much fun and entertainment going on in the Algarve this month! Wishing you a fun-filled month ahead…
Brought to you by Meravista – the place where smart people search for Algarve property for sale.