https://thealgarvemonday.com/ Your weekly guide to the Western Algarve. News, what's on, food and drink, beaches, Portuguese life and community. en-gb https://thealgarvemonday.com/editions/2026-09-14/ https://thealgarvemonday.com/editions/2026-09-14/ Mon, 14 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT The 13th Guitar Festival of Lagoa opens on Friday, the inaugural Portimao World Beer Groove arrives at the Fortaleza de Santa Catarina, fado fills the Antiga Lota on Saturday, and the region gets a new Bishop. In this edition: A new Bishop takes office for the Algarve this Saturday; Twenty thousand plastic bags turned into art at AlgarveShopping; Core Cuore digital art exhibition enters its final fortnight in Lagos; European Mobility Week, Lagos, Wednesday 16 to Tuesday 22 September; 13th International Guitar Festival, Lagoa, from Friday 18 September; Portimao World Beer Groove, Fortaleza de Santa Catarina, Friday 18 to Sunday 20 September; Ha Fado na Lota, Antiga Lota, Portimao, Saturday 19 September; Marta Lima: High Tide, Centro Cultural de Lagos, Saturday 19 September; 12th Oktoberfest, Vila Vita Biergarten, Porches, Thursday 24 September; European Researchers' Night, Centro Ciencia Viva de Lagos, Friday 25 September. https://thealgarvemonday.com/guides/large-group-villa-holiday-algarve/ https://thealgarvemonday.com/guides/large-group-villa-holiday-algarve/ Tue, 08 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT Bedrooms, money, transfers and feeding a crowd: what the organiser of a big Algarve villa trip needs to decide, and in what order. https://thealgarvemonday.com/editions/2026-09-07/ https://thealgarvemonday.com/editions/2026-09-07/ Mon, 07 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT Eyes of the Algarve brings a Grateful Dead weekend to Wake Park Lagos, the cultural centre stages three nights of Spanish flamenco, and Portimao's restored fish market launches six weeks of fado. In this edition: Silves museum archive donated to the council after historic reopening; Six Saturdays of fado open at Portimao's old fish market; Forum Algarve shopping centre changes hands for 130 million euros; Barbara Bandeira, Auditorio Carlos do Carmo, Lagoa, Tuesday 8 September; Eyes of the Algarve, Wake Park Lagos, Thursday 10 to Saturday 12 September; 23rd Flamenco Festival, Centro Cultural de Lagos, Thursday 10 to Saturday 12 September; Art evening at Chiccas Restaurant, Praia da Luz, Friday 11 September (unconfirmed); Festival do Berbigao, Figueira (Portimao), Friday 11 to Sunday 13 September; 13th International Guitar Festival, Lagoa area, from Friday 18 September; European Researchers' Night, Centro Ciencia Viva de Lagos, Thursday 25 September. https://thealgarvemonday.com/editions/2026-08-31/ https://thealgarvemonday.com/editions/2026-08-31/ Mon, 31 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT Banho 29 brought thousands to the seafront on Saturday night; this week Noites no Cais opens in Lagos, Festival F fills Faro's old town, and the sea stays warm into September. In this edition: Thousands join the midnight swim as Banho 29 returns to Lagos and Praia da Luz; The 45th FATACIL closes in Lagoa after ten days; Digital art exhibition Core Cuore on now at the Centro Cultural de Lagos; Festival F, Vila Adentro, Faro, Thursday 3 to Saturday 5 September; Noites no Cais, Cais das Descobertas, Lagos, Friday 4 to Sunday 6 September; Festas de Nossa Senhora da Luz, Lagoa, through Tuesday 8 September; Eyes of the Algarve, Lagos area, Thursday 10 to Saturday 12 September; Art exhibition with special menu, Chiccas Restaurant, Praia da Luz, Friday 11 September. https://thealgarvemonday.com/editions/2026-08-24/ https://thealgarvemonday.com/editions/2026-08-24/ Mon, 24 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT Banho 29 brings midnight swimmers to Praia da Luz and Lagos on Saturday, FATACIL runs through the weekend in Lagoa, and one of the Algarve's longest-running nightclubs bows out quietly in the hills. In this edition: LICK Algarve holds its last party after more than two decades; Fewer Portuguese holidaymakers this August, but hoteliers are untroubled; Protesters rally against hotel plans behind Meia Praia; Greenpeace calls for a development moratorium on vulnerable sections of the Algarve coast; Portimao moves towards rules for rental e-scooters; FATACIL, Parque de Feiras e Exposicoes, Lagoa, through Sunday 30 August; Banho 29, Praia da Luz and Lagos, Saturday 29 August; Paulo das Vacas in concert, Praca do Infante, Lagos, Friday 28 August; Municipal holiday celebrations, Aljezur, Friday 28 and Saturday 29 August; Festival Noites no Cais, Lagos, Friday 4 to Sunday 6 September; Festival F, Vila Adentro, Faro, Thursday 3 to Saturday 5 September. https://thealgarvemonday.com/guides/benagil-caves-boat-trips-lagos/ https://thealgarvemonday.com/guides/benagil-caves-boat-trips-lagos/ Tue, 18 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT Speedboats from Lagos, the short hop from the Carvoeiro side, kayaks, and private charters: honest advice on which suits your group. https://thealgarvemonday.com/guides/do-you-need-a-car-algarve/ https://thealgarvemonday.com/guides/do-you-need-a-car-algarve/ Tue, 18 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT When you genuinely need one, when you don't, what it costs, and the middle path most visitors miss. https://thealgarvemonday.com/guides/dolphin-watching-lagos/ https://thealgarvemonday.com/guides/dolphin-watching-lagos/ Tue, 18 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT What you'll actually see, which boat to choose, when to go, and the honest talk about sightings, seasickness and small children. https://thealgarvemonday.com/guides/esim-portugal-algarve/ https://thealgarvemonday.com/guides/esim-portugal-algarve/ Tue, 18 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT Who needs one, who genuinely doesn't, and how to land in Faro with data already working: honest costs included. https://thealgarvemonday.com/guides/faro-airport-to-lagos-praia-da-luz/ https://thealgarvemonday.com/guides/faro-airport-to-lagos-praia-da-luz/ Tue, 18 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT Pre-booked transfers, the apps, the taxi rank, hire cars, the train and the bus: honest costs, and which one we would actually pick for your group. https://thealgarvemonday.com/guides/lagos-praia-da-luz-october-november/ https://thealgarvemonday.com/guides/lagos-praia-da-luz-october-november/ Tue, 18 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT Real temperatures, what's open, golf season, walking weather, and why the locals call this the good part of the year. https://thealgarvemonday.com/guides/things-to-do-praia-da-luz-lagos/ https://thealgarvemonday.com/guides/things-to-do-praia-da-luz-lagos/ Tue, 18 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT Beaches, boats, cliff walks, old-town Lagos, day trips and family days out: what's genuinely worth your time, from people who live here. https://thealgarvemonday.com/editions/2026-08-17/ https://thealgarvemonday.com/editions/2026-08-17/ Mon, 17 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT FolkFaro closes in Faro on Saturday, FATACIL opens in Lagoa on Friday, and Portimão's riverside fills with food trucks and live music across the second half of the week. In this edition: MMFest rounds off another summer at Praia da Luz; Maximum wildfire risk in the Algarve interior; The Algarve's beaches are in excellent shape; Health Minister visits Algarve hospitals; FolkFaro, Faro, through Saturday 22 August; Portimão FoodTruck, Zona Ribeirinha, Thursday 20 to Sunday 23 August; Humberto Silva in concert, Lagos, Friday 21 August; FATACIL opens, Lagoa, Friday 21 August; FATACIL, Lagoa, 21 to 30 August; Paulo das Vacas in concert, Lagos, Friday 28 August; Banho 29, Praia da Luz and Lagos, Saturday 29 August. https://thealgarvemonday.com/editions/2026-08-13-welcome/ https://thealgarvemonday.com/editions/2026-08-13-welcome/ Thu, 13 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT A new weekly guide to the western end of the Algarve, landing every Monday morning. Here is what to expect, and why we are writing it. https://thealgarvemonday.com/guides/beaches-western-algarve/ https://thealgarvemonday.com/guides/beaches-western-algarve/ Thu, 13 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT From the family-friendly sands of Praia da Luz to the wild surf of the west coast, an honest local's guide to twelve beaches worth your beach bag. https://thealgarvemonday.com/guides/where-to-drink-praia-da-luz/ https://thealgarvemonday.com/guides/where-to-drink-praia-da-luz/ Thu, 13 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT The bars we actually drink in, from village locals in Luz to rooftops in Lagos, plus how the locals sort out dinner.