Take a road trip through the Algarve, exploring secluded beaches and picture-postcard villages, eating at traditional taverns and visiting local markets, and you’ll discover why Portugal is one of Europe’s most affordable destinations right now.
A PARAGLIDER LAUNCHES from atop the ragged schist cliffs of Praia do Castelejo near Vila do Bispo in the western Algarve and floats over the golden sands below, where a circle of surfers are stretching before they charge into the icy waves of the Atlantic. His friend leaps over the rocks near me, documenting it all on a GoPro, while his family – a woman and toddler – cheer him on from their camper van. He lands smoothly, running as if in slow motion on the sand, to raucous cheering and clapping.
Viewed from these cliffs, the Algarve, southern Portugal’s 200-kilometre stretch of coastline, seems remote and wild, a far cry from the bar-lined streets and beach clubs full of sunburnt tourists often associated with the area. It’s October and the masses of holiday-makers have left, but the sun remains and my husband, Jelle, and I take advantage of the fairly empty beaches and quieter roads to drive coast-to-coast from Arrifana in the rugged west to Vila Real de Santo António, the closest town to the Spanish border in the east. Our goal? To feast our way, on a modest budget, through the popular Algarvian dishes and seasonal fruit and vegetables for sale at the produce markets and corner shops.
Grilled sardines, octopus salads, garlicky clam-filled tomato stews and freshly squeezed pomegranates fill our days and provide sustenance. Along the way there are also famed Michelin-starred restaurants like Vila Joya in Albufeira, but it’s the homely tascas (taverns), marisquerías (by-thekilo seafood restaurants) and adegas (wine taverns) that we find irresistible.
Denne historien er fra April 2018-utgaven av Woolworths TASTE.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra April 2018-utgaven av Woolworths TASTE.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Award-winning Food: Trending Plates
Fine-dining takes on both nostalgic and African ingredients - from Cremora and polony (yes!) to okra and beetroot - were food trends singled out by the judges of the 2022 Eat Out Woolworths Restaurant Awards.
Everything you need to know about quinoa
If it was good enough to sustain the Incan armies - and NASA's astronauts - you'd better believe this protein-rich seed will see you through your afternoon slump.
PIGS IN BLANKETS
The kids will love these quick-and-easy snacks that won't break the (piggy) bank.
82 words on...
THE FROZEN APEROL SPRITZ is the hottest way to keep cool this summer, says Jeanne Calitz.
MEET ME AT THE RIVER
Plan a visit to the new Mukwa River Lodge on the banks of the Zambezi to experience Zambian food with a twist, courtesy of head cook Aaron Menezes and four passionate members of his kitchen team.
FIRE STARTER
Celeb TV chef Clem Pedro - of Afternoon Express and Expresso fame takes the art of hosting to pro level and not because he went to hotel school or worked for TASTE, but because he started in his mom's kitchen. We asked him to share his food nerd roots and family braai secrets.
PLANTS IN PARADISE
Former Durban creative (and one-time carnivore) Neil Roake and his daughter Jordan's epic travels led them to collaborate on the all veg cookbook Castaway. They shared their meat-free adventures on the Filipino island of Siargao with TASTE.
ΤΟ MAY-ΤΟ, ΤΟ MAH-ΤΟ
Midsummer tomatoes are impossible to resist, we know. So when you find yourself with a bounty of exotic varieties - heirlooms, Italian Romas, ripe Mediterraneans and sweet Rosalinis - Hannah Lewry is here to help.
HOME TRUTHS
At her Joburg eatery, established in the iconic former Women's Jail at Constitution Hill, Mpho Phalane has worked to create a space that both honours the historic site and feels like home. She spoke to Khanya Mzongwana about the food journey that brought her here.
Morogo magic
Budget-friendly indigenous leafy greens - fresh, sautéed or preserved for later use are on Mokgadi Itsweng's menu at this time of year.