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Camping Sites in Portugal
by Praskipark I have just been looking through the travel section on Doo Yoo and noticed that there aren't any entries written about camping in Portugal. I have camped in Portugal but mainly in the North. However I am going to review this camp site in Valverde, Praia da Luz because I lived directly across the road from it. I often used the facilities ... and know the campsite like the back of my hand. When my son was young he used to play on the campsite with his friends. As it is a large site and wooded and hilly they used to spend hours riding up and down on their mountain bikes. In fact I think my son learnt to ride his first bike on this site. The last time I visited the site was last year when I spent a week in Portugal. I was amazed to see that nothing had really changed - same old faces in reception, same gardeners and cleaning staff. The shop was still open and filled with the same items.That's one of the things I love about Portugal you are always welcomed back with fondness and the Portuguese people never forget a face. So Where is Valverde Camping? --------------------------------------------- It is about half way down the road leading into Praia da Luz. To get to Praia da Luz you follow the A22 motorway from Faro to Sagres taking exit 1 which will bring you on to the N125. This will be sign posted for Lagos and Vila do Bispo. Take the first right at the second roundabout and pass the Boavista golf complex which is on the left hand side. Continue straight on until you seen the sign for Campismo which will be on the right. The villa complex across the road is called Monte Sao Pedro and this is where I lived for many a happy year. If you were hitching or travelling by bus/train the main route would still be from Faro which is about 90 kilometres. Trains do run from Faro but not very frequently - about 3 a day. The railway station is in Lagos where you can catch a local bus to Praia da Luz which stops outside the campsite on the opposite side of the road. Local buses run every hour. Taxis are now very expensive from Faro and cost 70 euros on a weekday and about 90 euros at weekend. Extra information about Ports and Flights ---------------------------------------------------- Over the years Portugal has become increasingly popular with tourists and consequently there are many airlines to choose from. Here are a few; Easy Jet, BMIbaby, Ryan Air, First Choice and Jet 2. You can fly directly to Faro or alternatively to Lisboa and drive down to the Algarve on the super quick motorway. When we used to drive from UK we always came from France but Santander is the nearest port and obviously this will cut miles off the journey. Location ----------------- The location of Camping Valverde is superb as it is only about 1.5 kilometres to Praia da Luz which is easily within walking distance. As Prai da Luz was my home for may years I am bound to be biased towards the town. I have seen it change drastically over the years from developers but although it has grown outwards and upwards it still has that homely, village feeling. There are still many signs of the old fishing village with it's quaint white washed houses. The beach is beautiful, soft golden sand and the palm treed promenade which has now been pedestrianised is to me one of the best in the Algarve. In the Winter the beach is sometimes empty and I have spent many an hour with my son when he was small - just the two of us making sandcastles and eating ice cream. This aspect has not changed. Yes it may get busy in July and August but not after the end of September. In the town everything is at hand. There are bars, pubs, shops, coffee bars - everything a family will need. A pharmacy, doctor, dentist, bank and post office are all acsesible in the village. Camp Site in General ---------------------- Valverde camping is a well designed site in a natural setting of eucalyptus and pine trees. The gardens are very well maintained and watered regularly so the flowers blooom all through the Summer. There are a selection of wooden chalets available to rent. I have been inside to inspect and they are basic with sofa/beds, small table and chairs, basic cooker and small fridge, tiny shower and wash basin. Some have wooden decking which makes the chalets look more attractive. The site also accommodates tents, caravans and mobile homes. Also, on the second terrace there are at least 3 or 4 very strange looking igloo type constructions. For ages I could never work out what they actually were. They are in fact a 1960's design of a camping cabin but they look more like a plastic igloo. In their day they may have been in vogue in the camping world but now they look like they should belong in a museum. The site is large with over 870 pitches varying in size. The site is terraced but most pitches are on flat grassy ground shaded by shrubs or eucalyptus trees. At the top of the site where the terraces are high you can catch a glimpse of the sea. In Winter from November until March many Scandanavians bring their camper vans and spend the winter on site. Facilities on site ----------------------- Reception ---------------- Staff in reception are generally very helpful and friendly. English is spoken fluently as well as French. There are leaflets available about sightseeing trips and general information about the site and area. Shopping ------------- There is a very large supermarket on site. It generallly opens from the beginning of March until the end of October. In the early season most of the shelves will be empty apart from tinned food, bottles of wine, port and some spirits, cigarettes, toilet rolls and a few cleaning materials. Fresh bread is sold in low and high season. From the end of May the shop will re-stock and you will be able to buy most foodstuffs including fresh vegetables although bear in mind that prices are always higher than the supermarkets in Praia da Luz. Restaurant --------------- The restaurant also opens the same times as the shop. Food is fresh, simply cooked using pork, chicken and fish as the main ingredients for dishes. In high season special evenings are arranged which consist of traditional music and dancing with usually a barbecue where you pay a set price and help yourself to whatever is on offer. On most occasions the bill of fare will be chicken piri piri, sardines, salad, chips and bread followed by the usual Portuguese desserts like creme caramel, ice cream, almond tart etc. Last time I was there there wasn't a bar open but drinks can be bought from the restaurant. Take away meals are also available from the restaurant. Washing Facilities -------------------------- This is a boring piece of information I know but for a lot of campers it is essential. There are hot water showers. Toilets are standard. There are also seperate toilets for children and seperate sinks for washing clothes. Three washing machines are available and the price last year was 4 euros per load. Activities/Sport/setc --------------------------- Two swimming pools are available and both are open from the middle of March but beware of the fact that it will be cold swimming in a pool outside at that time of the year. One pool is family sized and the second pool is for children and they stay open until the end of September. A life guard is on hand in high season. There is a sun terrace next to the pool and sun loungers are available. A full sized asphalt tennis court is avaialble and equipment can be hired from reception. There is a playground for small children, a football pitch and basketball nets are available. If you wish to spend time inside there is a TV room and games room. Local Attractions ------------------------ The picturesque village of Praia da Luz is within walking distance where there is a beautiful sandy beach and plenty of shopping opportunities. My personal recommendations for bars, clubs and restaurants in Luz: The Duke of Holland - very friendly staff and good food. TV for football and other sports. Stays open until 2am. Clive's Bar is also another good bar. Clive the owner is a great guy and is a dab hand at making cocktails. The Bull is a good old fashioned English pub which is very quaint inside and has a restaurant upstairs. The Prive Nightclub - The only decent club in Luz very loud, a good laugh and stays open even longer than the Duke of Holland. Many a rowdy night I have spent in there. The International (Now called Bar Habana). This is a great meeting place for ex-pats and tourists. It is smack bang on the beach front and has always had a great reputation for good home-cooked breakfasts English style. Shurrasquira O Antonio - This small chicken restaurant owned by Antonio who used to own the supernmarket across the road is a cheap chicken restaurant but excellent in quality and price. Golf ---- The nearest golf course is Boa Vista, an 18 hole championship course which was opened in 2002. I have not been on the golf course so can't tell you a lot about it. The whole complex is however very smart and has been built at the back of the villa I used to live in. Personally I wish that it had never been built as there are enough golf courses in the Algarve which take an enormous amount of water to maintain, and it has been built on fields that were once wild and filled with almond trees. This area was so natural and really pretty - we used to walk on the back lanes into Lagos nearly every day, or cycle to Portuguese lessons. Now the only views are villas, villas and more villas and of course the golf course! Other recommended atttractions for the family. ---------------------------------------------------------- As Praia da Luz is a family resort I will mention a couple of attractions for all the family. They are; Zoo marine --------------- This is a theme park based on marine life which takes you on a journey of adventure with various rides and shows illustrating the life and mysteries of the sea.The dolphin show is especially fantastic to watch. You can't help but love these graceful creatures as they dance and perform for their audience. Zoo marine is situated in Guia and trips can be booked at the campsite or any car hire place in Luz or Lagos. The park is open all year. Slide and Splash --------------------- I have mentioned this particular water park as it was my son's favourite. There is a huge variety of slides to choose from and it is suitable for all the family including Mum's and Dad's. There are plenty of grass areas where you can sit and have a picnic if you don't wish to spend money in the restaurant or snack kiosks. The park is situated near Lagoa which is about 30 minutes away from Praia da Luz. You can arrange a trip at the campsite, tourist office, or car hire office. Cultural Attractions ------------------- If you want to spend your time on holiday walking and sight seeing then I recommend visiting Lagos which is only 6 kilometres away. There is a local bus from Praia da Luz or you can even walk the distance. This is a very beautiful town in the Algarve and you will not help but fall in love with it. It is charming , historical and modern. The marina is on view to walk around and spend time to have a coffee or a meal. The choice of restaurants is endless from Indian, Chinese, Portuguese, Brazillian, Boat trips take you through the estuary into the ocean where you can visit the mysterious grottoes. There are churches, and monuments depicting the sea faring history, art galleries, and the Old Slave market which is now used for exhibitions. The list is endless and I can honestly say that once you ave been to Lagos you will want to return. Summary ------------ As I said at the beginning I am bound to be biased about my feelings towards Valverde, Prai da Luz and Lagos with having lived in the area for so many years. I know Praia da Luz has been in the media a lot over the past year regarding the disappearance of little Madeline. I was extremely shocked when I saw the coverage on TV and it has upset me and a lot of ex-pats in the village because of the nature of the reports. I can only speak from my experience and I always found Luz to be safe and I would say to anyone coming on holiday to this part of the Algarve - it is a family resort with a beautiful beach, friendly people, a wealth of history and culture. Don't be deterred - please visit. Read the complete review |
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Eurocamp
by mizzy I have worked as a childrens courier for holidaybreak, that owns keycamp and eurocamp. Eurocamp has several good things about it: *Flexibility of self catering, and being left alone for holiday unless you need help *Friendly young couriers *Local area advice from couriers *Your kids can make friends and so can ... you as tents/caravans are quite close together and kids are free to roam around site *Usually good swimming pool/bar areas *Good discounts if you book online or haggle with the call centre *You can drive down so take a lot of stuff with you, Eurocamp book the ferry for you There are some downsides: *Despite Eurocamp having a better rep than Keycamp, the couriers are trained at the same place, all together, so you arent neceserrily getting a better service by paying more *Caravans can sometimes be outdated *If it rains and you are in a tent, the courier has to come and dig you a trench so its a bit depressing *North france isnt always hot so dont be too upset if it rains! *Can be very expensive if you book high season I really loved working for them and am going to work for them again next year. Read the complete review |
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Eurocamp
by whatanoldbag I've been Eurocamping for a long time, using both tents and mobile homes, in France and Italy, and have found that, providing you shop carefully, you can get a great holiday at a good price. WHAT IS IT? Eurocamp basically hire out tents and mobiles homes all set up ready for use for you on a variety of camp sites across ... France, Spain, Germany, Italy and possible a few other places. They provide not just the tent or mobile but also all the basic equipment you need - a fridge (fridge/freezer in a mobile home), cooking facilities, barbeque where sites permit, plates and cutlery, pots and pans, blankets and you can hire sheets and towels, sun loungers, beds and table and chairs, and in the mobile homes also a mircowave. Some mobiles have air conditioning and most hve some form of heating. You get on site couriers who speak excellent English and have local knowledge and a cheap rate on ferry crossings if you decide to drive across the channel. Tents sleep six and mobiles sleep between 5 and 8, depending on the one you pick, and costs vary considerably depending on time of travel, type of accommodation and disocunts available. OUR 2008 TRIP We went to Pesciera del Garda on the southern part of Lake Garda for ten days in early July. We booked a mobile home which was designed to sleep 7 - one double bedroom, one triple room (using bunk beds so the room was really suitable for children) and two on a sofa bed in the living room - though there would have been limited privacy for anyone sleeping there. We were four - two adults and two children and it was the right size for us. We hired a cot and a high chair for our little one, at what I thought was a fairly steep cost of £18 each, but the overall cost was good as we paid around £800 for the mobile home, linen and towel hire, cot and highchair for nine nights on a site which offered good facilites - a big site with animation, access directly to the lake beach, four swimming pools with slides etc, a great shop, a restaurant and a bistro/bar, tennis and basketball courts, beach volleyball, an air-conditioned gym, laundry facilities and children's play equipment. I got a large discount (around £300) by booking online and picking it out of what was available - we booked in April. GOOD THINGS Eurocamp have a range of games and toys you can borrow at no charge like boules, scrabble, monopoly etc, should you need someithng to wihle away an evening. Mobile homes give you the chance to self cater which is so much cheaper and nicer with small children than being in hotels and you can sit outside on your decking in the evening and have a quiet drink once the kids are in bed, which is perfect. Animation does give you the chance to go and do some things altogether - my three year old daughter loved the kiddie disco they ran for an hour every night at 8.30pm, and we sat, had a beer and watched her have fun! The equipment is well thought through - a filter coffee maker, cheese grater, pasta bowl and pyrex casserole dish all come as standard, as well as barbeque tools. The shower in our mobile was a fair size and had great water pressure. BAD THINGS You can't check in til 3pm, which is sometimes difficult to organise if you are driving yourself a long distance. You have to be out again by 10am in the morning, which I have always found hard, given you have to wash up breakfast, pack he car, sort out the kids etc- and they are in to clean quite quickly after ten! You are then responsible for the cleaning of the mobile, so mum still gets to clean the toilet!! Bit of a busman's holiday that one! Some pitches are better than others, and they do sometimes put up rows of eurocamp mobiles or tents, so it is bit like a mini housing estate at times, but then maybe your kids get to play with other kids they meet, so it has its advantages. They make you pay for the whole thing 8 weeks before the holiday, so you do have to plan your finances carefully. SUMMARY Eurocamp is one of a number of companies who offer this kind of service, but what they do which most of the others don't is let you book very flexibly, so you can book any number of days if they are available - from one to 30! Many of their competitors let you book from Saturday to Saturday only. It provides a chance to live in a fairly outsdoorsy way, but still with the comforts of home, and you can fly drive by adding your own travel costs and they give you a discount if you don't take their ferry crossing. Book without discounts in high season though and it could cost you well over a thousand pounds for 10 days though! Read the complete review |
Europe Camping International |
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