What’s On in the Algarve in April 2009

Nice weather at Easter time means picnics and flowers in pretty countryside and lots of events!

- Easter Classical Music Concerts;
- Fado Music concerts
- Gypsy Jazz concert;
- Contemporary dance;
- Art Exhibition commemorating Portuguese women;
- Power boat racing at Praia da Rocha;
- A1GP World cup Motorsport powered by Ferrari
- 4th World Cup in Rhythmic Gymnastics
- Fantastic Carrousel Manège Carré Sénart

And a lot more taking place this month!

Obtain the Algarve What’s On Guide in hard copy at Faro Airport (in the Tourist Office) and in all Tourist Offices throughout the Algarve or you can download it from here:

What’s On in the Algarve in April 2009

There is more to the Algarve than ‘Sun, Sea & Sand’!

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Algarve Holiday Studio: http://www.geocities.com/algarve_holiday/
For a memorable stay at Praia da Rocha, Algarve !

World Series Snooker Grand Final is at Portimão, Algarve, 8-10 May 2009

Watch this international event at the Portimão Arena with the participation of the main world players of this game. This will include John Higgins.

Last year the series saw events held in Jersey, Berlin, Warsaw and Moscow, with the likes of Higgins, fellow Scots Stephen Maguire and Graeme Dott, Mark Selby, Ding Junhui, Shaun Murphy, Ken Doherty and Steve Davis all competing.

The final in Portimão will be held only a few days after the final of the World Championship in Sheffield.

Friday 8th to Sunday 10th of May,
Times to be confirmed (TBC)

Venue: Portimão Arena - Parque de Feiras e Exposições - Portimão

Tickets can be purchased online from here: http://tinyurl.com/deyadg

Visit and subscribe to our blog for confirmation of all our suggestions!

Location: Portimão Arena is an excellent exhibition centre easily accessible from the centre of Portimão by car or local bus. It’s within walking distance from Portimão’s Riverside Area. Location (Click here for details using Google Map)

Links & Notes:

‘The World Series of Snooker is a series of snooker tournaments set up as a compliment to the WPBSA's tour. Its first season is played in 2008, consisting of four two-day tournaments (quarter-finals on Saturday, semi-finals and final on Sunday) in Jersey, Germany, Russia and Poland. It features eight leading players — each tournament features four of these taking on four wild cards. Points are awarded for reaching at least the semi-finals, and the four most successful players go on to a final tournament in [Portimão, Algarve, Portugal] with the final winner receiving €70,000. (Wikipedia)


‘The object of the game is to score more points than the opponent by potting object balls in a predefined order.

At the start of a frame, the balls are positioned as shown and the players take it in turns to hit a shot in a single strike from the tip of the cue, their aim being to pot one of the red balls and score a point. If they do pot at least one red, then it remains in the pocket and they are allowed another shot - this time the aim being to pot one of the colours.

If successful, then they gain the value of the colour potted. It is returned to its correct position on the table and they must try to pot another red again. This process continues until they fail to pot the desired ball, at which point their opponent comes back to the table to play the next shot.

The game continues in this manner until all the reds are potted and only the 6 colours are left on the table; at that point the aim is then to pot the colours in the order yellow, green, brown, blue, pink, black. When a colour is potted in this phase of a frame, it remains off the table. When the final ball is potted, the player with the most points wins’. (Wikipedia)

World Series of Snooker Official WebSite

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Algarve Holiday Studio: http://www.geocities.com/algarve_holiday/
For a memorable stay at Praia da Rocha, Algarve !

Medieval Silves - Annual Fair in August 2009

Silves is great to visit anytime.

Recently elected to ‘Slow city’ or cittaslow it truly deserves to be part of this movement.

A quiet town in the interior of the Algarve next to the Arade River (also know as the ‘River of Silves’) it is the place to relax and ‘go back in time’.

Rich in history and in architectural beauty in equal measures. It also has a number of restaurants to try out great Algarvian cuisine

It’s one of the few towns that will not disappoint any tourist looking for a ‘different place’ to the hustle and bustle found in the towns overlooking the sea and sandy beaches.

Who would believe that in 1189 this was one of the richest and most important cities in Portugal? It was in this year that D. Sancho I conquered Silves to become king of ‘Portugal of Silves and of the Algarves’. Shortly after, in 1191, Silves would become again under Arab control until1249.

The rich and turbulent history of Silves is celebrated during the Annual Silves Medieval Fair. A fun event stretching several days when you are invited to feel the atmosphere of Medieval times. Taste and enjoy the food and the street shows with jesters, acrobats, jugglers, exotic people and re-enactments of Medieval life including battles with knights on horseback!

Enjoy the Middle Ages from 8th to 16th August, 2009 when Silves will again be going back in time!
Opening times: Daily with activities from about 10AM till late in the evening.
Programme activities TBC.

Ticket prices: The town Centre of Silves and it’s streets becomes the Fair! There are entrance costs for some of the medieval shows.

Location: Silves can easily be accessed by car from Praia da Rocha & Portimão via the A22. Get off at junction 6 for Silves and follow the directions to Silves via N124.
(Google map)

View Larger Map

Links & Notes

‘Cittaslow (literally Slow City) is a movement founded in Italy in October of 1999. The inspiration of Cittaslow was the Slow Food organization. Cittaslow's goals include improving the quality of life in towns while resisting "the fast-lane, homogenized world so often seen in other cities throughout the world" -- as the official slowmovement.com description puts it. Celebrating and supporting diversity of culture and the specialties of a town and its hinterland are core Cittaslow values.’ (wikipedia)

Pictures of Silves Valter Jacinto

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Algarve Holiday Studio: http://www.geocities.com/algarve_holiday/
For a memorable stay at Praia da Rocha, Algarve !

Festival of Sand Sculpture (FIESA) in Algarve is well worth a visit!

The 7th Festival of Sand Sculpture (FIESA) is the Worlds Biggest Sand Sculpture Event and is open in the Algarve from May 22nd till October 22nd.

Works by a large number of sculptors awaits you in Pêra, Algarve at FIESA.

A truly amazing collection of very large sculptures made of sand.

The theme of the Festival this year is Discoveries. Expect to be wowed ! And to take lots of photos.

Opening times: Daily from 22nd May until 21st September, 10AM to Midnight. From 22nd September to 22nd October opens at 10AM and closes at 9PM.

Ticket prices:
Adults : TBC
Children (6-12 years old): TBC
Children (up to 5): Free

Location: FIESA is on the E524 near Pêra and is very easy to get to by car from Praia da Rocha & Portimão.
From the A22: get off at junction 8 – Algoz/Pêra – and follow directions to Pêra. From EN 125 in Pêra: follow the directions to Algoz.
(Google map)

View Larger Map

Links & Notes

'Annual festival of sand sculpture, Fiesa grows each year and in 2008 they used 35,000 tonnes of sand. The sculptures were always pretty traditional (pyramids, the last supper etc.) but this year sees Hollywood arrive to the sand exhibition with Shrek, Spiderman, The Simpsons and others alongside the more traditional exhibits.' (wikipedia)

Our blog entry with last year’s details

FIESA official website
Our photo’s on Flickr :

www.flickr.com Go to algarve_holiday's photostream

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Algarve Holiday Studio: http://sites.google.com/site/algarveholidaystudiotorent/
For a memorable stay at Praia da Rocha, Algarve !

Fado Maior –The history of Fado in Alvor, Friday 13th March 2009

A night of Fado covering the greatest names in Fado and Portuguese poetry

Friday, 13th March, 2009 at 9.30PM

With the Fadista Raquel Peters and the singer Afonso Dias.

Luís de Camões, Fernando Pessoa, Natália Correia, Eugénio de Andrade, Alexandre O'Neil, Florbela Espanca, José Régio, Amália Rodrigues, Alfredo Marceneiro, Ary dos Santos are but some of the names whose works will be selected.

The musicians Vítor do Carmo, José Santana, Duarte Costa and Tó Correia will help the singers provide a very special evening of song and poetry.

Location: Centro Comunitário de Alvor,
Rua D. Sancho I
8500-013 Alvor,
tel. 282457499

Free entry

Links & Notes

‘Fado (translated as destiny or fate) is a music genre which can be traced from the 1820s in Portugal, but probably with much earlier origins. In popular belief, Fado is a form of music characterized by mournful tunes and lyrics, often about the sea or the life of the poor. However, in reality Fado is simply a form of song which can be about anything, but must follow a certain structure.’ (wikipedia)

Raquel Peters sings ‘Abandono’

Raquel Peters sings ‘Carmencita’

Raquel Peters sings ‘Boa Nova’

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Algarve Holiday Studio: http://www.geocities.com/algarve_holiday/
For a memorable stay at Praia da Rocha, Algarve !

Countdown to Fatacil Fair 2009 !

FATACIL in Lagoa is the Algarve’s most spectacular Fair covering handicraft’s, tourism, agriculture and Industry.

Also, with a comprehensive line up of cultural and musical events! (21-30th August 2009)


Location: Fatacil is held at Fatasul in Lagoa (Showground for Fairs and Exhibitions; Parque Municipal de Feiras e Exposicões) and is within 20mins by car or taxi from Praia da Rocha & Portimão.

View Larger Map

Links & Notes

Fatacil 2009 (http://fatacil.blogspot.com/)


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Algarve Holiday Studio: http://www.geocities.com/algarve_holiday/
For a memorable stay at Praia da Rocha, Algarve !

Football match at Portimonense Sporting Club, 5th April 2009

You are in the Algarve and you feel like watching a game of football for fun?

Make your way to the grounds of the Portimonense SC (currently in 13th position in Portugal’s 2nd Division; Vitalis League).

Match on the 5th of April is with Gil Vincent (from the town of Barcelos and currently in 7th Position)
and starts at 4PM.

Tickets cost €10 for non-members.

Location: The grounds are in the centre of town (near Portimão’s main tourist office) and there is parking next to the stadium.

Grounds of the Portimonense Sporting Club (google maps)

View Larger Map

Links & Notes


Other fixtures at the same kick-off time:
19th April 2009 - Portimonense vs Estoril
3rd May 2009 - Portimonense vs Covilhã
24th May 2009 – Portimonense vs Freamunde

Portimonense Sporting Club Stadium Information http://www.zerozerofootball.com/estadio.php?id=28

Portimonense Sporting Club details (in Portuguese)
http://www.lpfp.pt/Liga_vitalis/pages/clube.aspx?epoca=20082009&clube=portimonense

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Algarve Holiday Studio: http://www.geocities.com/algarve_holiday/
For a memorable stay at Praia da Rocha, Algarve !