If you think you already know all the secrets of Albufeira and its county, let it go! The visit of journalists (few) and travel agents (many) that the Algarve Tourism Region promoted last Tuesday proved that Albufeira still has many secrets to discover.
A fam trip, the English name for this familiarization trip aimed at journalists, travel agents and technicians from local authorities and public bodies dealing with tourism, started at Paderne Castle. The visit was guided by archaeologist Luís Campos Paulo, from the Albufeira Archeology Museum, who told some lesser-known details about the history of this most important monument in the county.
This was followed by the first great secret discovered during this visit: Quinta do Mel, near Falésia beach. This is a family farm that combines tourism with the cultivation of organic aromatic herbs and other agricultural products.
The fresh tea of beautiful luísa and lemongrass, grown right next door, accompanied by fig and almond cheese and scones with pumpkin and tomato jam, made on the farm, with their products, crowned a morning full of sun and some discovery.
This was followed by lunch at the «Pescador» restaurant, on Santa Eulália beach, with the presence of the mayors of Albufeira (Carlos Silva e Sousa) and of the RTA (Desidério Silva)… and even photographs with a celebrity, who is already an honorary citizen of the city: British singer Bonnie Tyler.
Bonnie, very blonde and very tanned, was having lunch at a table leaning over the beach and was not asked to take photos with Carlos Silva e Sousa, with the restaurant's owner, D. Manuela Bexiga, and with some of her fans, who were part of the group.
After the group photo, with the sea in the background, on a fantastic day at the beach, followed by a visit to the historic center of Albufeira, again guided by Luís Campos Paulo. Lesser known details of the city's history were made known to the group, always attentive.
And because Albufeira is also a land of good wines, the fam trip it ended at Adega do Cantor, of which one of the owners is another British celebrity: musician Cliff Richard.
To culminate the visit to the winery, in the very fresh cellars, there was a wine tasting, namely the new sparkling white wine «3Q», launched last summer.
And if Sir Cliff Richard did not attend the meeting, there were those who took advantage of the presence of his life-size portrait, in the Adega do Cantor store, to take a picture, beside him. After all, two celebrities on the same day is not for everyone!
This cycle of fam trips «Rediscovering the Secrets of the Algarve» aims to «provide different emotions to around 20 participants through day-long tours around the other Algarve, the least known and spoken of by tourists.
RTA stresses that, by the end of next year, all municipalities in the region will have been stalked by various travel agents and journalists under this initiative. Albufeira was the tenth municipality (out of the sixteen) to be visited.
The project «Rediscover the Secrets of the Algarve» is an organization of the Algarve Tourism, in partnership with the Municipal Councils and the Regional Directorate of Culture of the Algarve.
Photos: Elisabete Rodrigues|Sul Informação
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