Dees Dekker

AREA GUIDE ONE LIFE LODGE #onelifelodge Welcome at One Life Lodge. We’d like to share some information about this beautiful area where we are located, the southwest Algarve. This part offers stunning beaches, great seafood, typical Portuguese villages, and much more. One Life Lodge Quinta da Fortaleza- Budens-Burgau-Tel: - #onelifelodge VILLAGES & BEACHES Lagos Lagos is one of the most visited cities in the Algarve and Portugal, due to its variety of tourist-friendly beaches, rock formations (Ponta da Piedade), bars and restaurants, renowned for its vibrant summer nightlife. We recommend eating at The Garden, a cosy restaurant where you eat outside in the garden, it offers affordable food and good cocktails (Rua Lançarote de Freitas 27, -). Or visit restaurant Tasca Jota, offering typical Portuguese dishes with a modern twist (www.tascajota.com, -). Burgau Close to the Lodge you will find the typical Portuguese fisherman’s village Burgau. It offers a great beach, surrounded by hills that protect this beach from the wind. In the summer it is a lively place with lots of restaurants and beach bars. In Spring and Fall this place is a nice and quiet paradise. It has two small supermarkets where you can buy your essentials and an ATM. Cabanas Velhas Only a short stroll from the Lodge (5 minutes) you will find Praia Cabanas Velhas, an amazing beach with a good beachside restaurant for lunch or dinner with live music on some nights. Not far from our place you find Spice Cottage, a well-known spot for Indian cuisine lovers. Try one of the house specialties at this restaurant! (Quinta da Fortaleza, on the road to Burgau, -) Salema Salema is a holiday village with a long sandy beach and with lots of charm. Check out the popular Agua Na Boca (Rua dos Pescadores, -) for tapas with sea view or visit family run- restaurant O Lourenco for fresh fish. For lunch they have a cheap ‘Prato do dia’, today’s dish (R. 28 de Janeiro 11, -). Pizza Mobile is the place to be for Belgium beers and homemade ice cream (R. 28 de Janeiro 3, -). Zavial & Ingrina Heading west, the beach at Zavial is a stunner, and very popular for surfing. Around the next headland is quieter Ingrina, great for sun bathing and with the lovely restaurant O Sebastião (-) for lunches, petiscos and drinks. Sagres Sagres is where Henry the Navigator based himself in his later years (he died there in 1460). Today it’s a bit of a surf-hippy hangout with lots of great beaches (Praia da Tonel, Beliche, Mareta) and a variety of restaurants and bars. Head to Cabo de São Vicente to catch the glorious sunsets; it can be chilly at the cape so if you go you should take a blanket and a warm jacket. If in Sagres you must visit restaurant Mum’s (Rua Comandante Matoso, -). The food – mostly vegetarian with some seafood – is delicious! For excellent traditional dishes go to Vila Velha (-). Pedralva Go visit Pizza Pazza (-), this cash only pizza restaurant is located in the eco village of Pedralva near Budens. Very thin pizzas with lots of choice and lovely views if you are sitting outside upstairs. Good salads and homemade ice cream (-). Highly recommended! THINGS TO DO SUP tour Explore the stunning Algarve coastline on a paddleboard for 50€. Check with our staff when the next tour is planned. Hiking Go explore the diverse landscapes here in the Algarve, on your own or with a local guide. The SW Algarve offers great walking options for all levels, beautiful coastal sceneries, panoramic views and a rich plant and bird life. More info: http://en.rotavicentina.com Mountain Bike Tours The Algarve has many dirt trails for mountain biking. Start your trip from the house and discover the natural park by bike! We provide the maps so you don’t get lost. We can also arrange a guided tour. Check pricing and availability with our host on arrival. Massage Aude is our fantastic massage therapist, we can book a session for you upon request. It is a great way to relax your muscles after a long day of surfing. Ask our host for pricing and availability. SURF The Algarve is a great place to go on a surf holiday all year. Situated on the southern western tip of Europe, the surf beaches in the Algarve offer many types of waves for different times of the year. Within reach of One Life Lodge you have plenty of options to surf. South coast beaches include Praia Cabanas Velhas, Praia da Luz, Burgau and Zavial. On the west coast you will find some of our favorite beaches: Cordoama, Castelejo, Punta Ruiva and the beaches of Sagres (Tonel, Beliche, Mareta). There’s a dozen beaches further north all worth exploring including Arrifana & Amoreira, two very consistent beginner/intermediate beach breaks. Amado beach is the areas best beginner/intermediate surf beach and a great starting point. Amado is surrounded by many other great surf breaks with options for all levels. Praia da Cordoama is one of the most picturesque beaches in Portugal, a long stretch of sand protected by cliffs, a great intermediate spot. Praia do Castelejo beside it is also very consistent. Furthest south is the laidback surf town of Sagres. Mareta is usually calm and requires a big swell to work, a great alternative if the surf on the beaches on the west coast are too big. Praia da Tonel can offer great surf for all levels. Beliche is considered one of the best beaches in the Sagres area. It needs a good NW swell or a standard S to work and is offshore on N winds. It’s very hollow and fast and overrun with locals. There are many hidden spots around Sagres some of which will require an SUV to get too, but are well worth it especially for the more experienced. SHOPS & SUPERMARKETS In Burgau you will find two small supermarkets where you can buy your essentials. In Budens you can visit the Intermarchee (includes a petrol station) and if you pass Vila do Bispo you can visit the Lidl. Fresh fruits, vegetables and fish can be bought at the local market in Vila do Bispo. Lagos offers every Saturday a Farmers Market (8 am – 2 pm) at the bus station. SEE YOU