Faro Airport now connected to 71 Cities

Faro Airport (FAO) will have 18 new routes this summer 2023, out of which 6 are new destinations. Consequently FAO will now be connected to 70 European cities plus Toronto in Canada (total of 81 routes). The 6 new cities added to FAO destinations are: Aarhus (Denmark), Roma (Italy), Strasbourg (France), Bilbao (Spain), Jersey (UK), and Exeter (UK).

Destinations from Faro Airport: click here (links to external site: “Flight Connections”)

News Source:

English: click here (links to external site: “THE PORTUGAL NEWS”)

Portuguese: click here (links to external site: “ECO – Economia Online”)

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Swimming in December… why not?

After some rainy days, the sunny weather is back in full blast to Monte Gordo. These are a couple of photos from today, December 27 of 2022. The temperature was about 21 celsius (70F) all day.

December 27 at about 9h30, one of the last traditional fishermen boat arrives at the beach with fresh seafood

December 27 at about 17h30 the sunset is phenomenal and the temperature remains at 20 celsius

December 27 also at about 17h30 I noticed that a couple of young people could not resist going for a swim!

Season greetings!

Monte Gordo: Bandeira Azul e Qualidade de Ouro – Blue Flag Beach and Gold Quality

Com tem vindo sendo tradição há várias décadas, em 2022, a praia de Monte Gordo continua com a Bandeira Azul (atribuída pela Associação Bandeira Azul da Europa) e a designação de “Qualidade de Ouro” atribuída pela Quercus (Associação Nacional de Conservação da Natureza).

ENGLISH:

Keeping the tradition over the last few decades, in 2022, Monte Gordo Beach continues with the Blue Flag (awarded by the Blue Flag Association of Europe) and the designation of “Gold Quality” awarded by Quercus (Portuguese Association for the Conservation of Nature).

Links:

Bandeira Azul / Blue Flag

Qualidade de Ouro / Gold Quality

Portugal is World’s 4th Safest Country

The latest rank Global Peace Index (GPI) elaborated by the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP), ranks Portugal as the 4th safest country in the world.

The GPI is the world’s leading measure of global peacefulness and covers 99.7% of the world’s population, using 23 qualitative and quantitative indicators from highly respected sources, and measures the state of peace across three domains:

– the level of Societal Safety and Security,

– the extent of Ongoing Domestic and International Conflict,

– and the degree of Militarisation.

For more details about the rank use this link:

Vamus – the Bus app for the Algarve

The bus system in the Algarve region has been updated so that now you can not only check the routes and schedules online but also buy tickets and then use your smartphone to scan the ticket on the bus (just like we already do with airline tickets). The brand new App is called “Vamus Algarve” (let’s go Algarve).

Here is the link to the website (the “Vila Real de Santo Antonio” schedules stop in Monte Gordo):

https://vamusalgarve.pt/#/pt/vamus%20algarve/schedules

And here is a picture of the App in google store:

Check these routes (bus goes both ways):

96 Monte Gordo – Vila Real Sto. António

66 Albufeira – Vila Real de Sto. António;

67 Faro – Vila Real de Sto. António.

32 Azinhal – Vila Real de Sto. António

34 Balurcos de Cima – Vila Real de Sto. António

43 Carrapateira – Vila Real de Sto. António

73 Sta. Justa – Vila Real de Sto. António (por Bentos)

119 Sta. Justa – Vila Real de Sto. António (por Soudes)

Algarve wins again: 2021 Europe’s Leading Beach Destination

The Algarve won the 2021 Europe’s Leading Beach Destination award attributed by the World Travel Awards. This is the 3rd consecutive year that Algarve wins such “oscar of tourism”. Algarve has won 8 times this award so far.

Link: https://www.worldtravelawards.com/award-europes-leading-beach-destination-2021

Nearby Golf course ranked Best in Portugal

The nearby golf course of “Monte Rei” ranks 1st in Portugal by “Today’s Golfer“, while “Quinta de Cima e Ria” course ranks 7th. Both are located about 20 minutes by car from our apartments (approx. 14km or 9 miles). Come visit and combine the green with our endless white sand beach!

Here is a link to a media article:

COVID: Portugal has highest Vaccinated rate in the World. October 1 is “Freedom Day”!

Portugal has fully vaccinated 84% of its 10.3 million population, thus surpassing every country in the World on this measure. The average among the 27 EU countries is 61.6%, in Canada is 69.8%, in the UK is 65.3%, while in the USA is 54.2%.

Consequently the Government announced today that will lift pretty much all restrictions by October 1 – e.g. Discos, Bars, Restaurants, etc., will now be allowed to operate at full capacity, after dealing with restrictions over the last 19 months. However, indoors access will be granted solely to individuals with a Vaccination Certificate – approved by EU, which includes certificates issued by most non-EU countries as long as those individuals were vaccinated with AstraZeneca (Vaxzevria), Moderna (Spikevax), Pfizer/BioNTech (Comirnaty), and Johnson & Johnson (Janssen) – or a negative Covid test (e.g. self-rapid test). The Portuguese Government will disclose more specifics by October 1.

You can read more details from these 3 sources:

https://www.euronews.com/2021/09/23/portugal-has-the-highest-covid-19-vaccination-rate-in-the-world

COVID-19 e Regras nas Praias (Beach Rules)

(ENGLISH TRANSLATION BELOW)

Com vontade de ir para a Praia? Leia este resumo das regras.

Não cumprir as regras estabelecidas nas praias este ano pode dar multa de 100 a 500 euros aos banhistas.

Deveres dos banhistas:

a) Cumprir as normas e orientações emitidas pela Direção-Geral da Saúde (DGS) em matéria de etiqueta respiratória;

b) Assegurar o distanciamento físico de segurança entre utentes no acesso e na utilização da praia e no banho no mar ou no rio – e aqui o diploma inclui disposições como ser obrigatório distância de três metros entre chapéus, no máximo cinco pessoas por toldo ou o facto de ser obrigatório usar calçado na utilização de instalações ou duches.

c) Proceder à higienização frequente das mãos;

d) Usar máscara até chegar ao areal sempre que o distanciamento físico recomendado pelas autoridades de saúde se mostre impraticável;

e) Evitar o acesso a zonas identificadas com ocupação elevada ou plena;

f) Cumprir as determinações das autoridades competentes;

g) Depositar os resíduos gerados nos locais destinados a esse efeito.

Fonte / Source:

https://sol.sapo.pt/artigo/734957/tr-s-metros-entre-chapeus-e-raquetes-so-com-praia-com-pouca-gente-saiba-quais-sao-as-regras-nas-praias-e-o-que-da-multa?

ENGLISH TRANSLATION:

Ready to go to Beach in Portugal? Read this summary of the rules.

Failure to comply with the rules laid down on the beaches this year could lead to a 100 to 500 euro fine for swimmers.

Individual’s Duties at the Beach:

a) Comply with the norms and guidelines issued by the Directorate-General for Health (DGS) in terms of respiratory etiquette;
b) Ensure the physical safety distance between users when accessing and using the beach and when bathing in the sea or in the river – and here the diploma includes provisions such as mandatory a distance of three meters between hats, a maximum of five people per awning or the fact that it is mandatory to wear shoes when using facilities or showers.
c) Proceed with frequent hand hygiene;
d) Wear a mask until you reach the beach whenever the physical distance recommended by the health authorities proves to be impractical;
e) Avoid access to areas identified with high or full occupation;
f) Comply with the determinations of the competent authorities;
g) Deposit the waste generated in the places destined for that purpose.

Once again, Algarve and Portugal win World Travel Awards!

The Algarve won the 2020 Europe’s Leading Beach Destination award attributed by the World Travel Awards. This is the 7th time that Algarve wins such annual honor since 2012. Link:

https://www.worldtravelawards.com/award-europes-leading-beach-destination-2020

Portugal (as a country) also won the 2020 Europe’s Leading Destination award attributed by the World Travel Awards. This is the 4th consecutive year that Portugal wins such honor. Link:

https://www.worldtravelawards.com/award-europes-leading-destination-2020

But more importantly, this is the first time that Portugal wins the “World’s Leading Beach Destination“!

https://www.worldtravelawards.com/award-worlds-leading-beach-destination-2020