Algarve Villa Vacation in Boliqueime
It's official - our holiday Algarve villa in Boliqueime was simply gorgeous! While the setting was rural, the directions we had been given were good, and we found it first time. The final approach lane (just a farm track, really) was worryingly narrow - between dry stone walls - and we breathed a sigh of relief as we negotiated through the property's gateway for the first time. But that sigh was immediately followed by a double "Wow!" when we saw where we would be living for a week! The surrounding area was stunning, and Nev had visions of just lazing around by the pool and enjoying the vistas. Until, that is, I reminded him that I had photographs to take, places to visit, and a website to update! (He soon got the message).
View from the top terrace of our Algarve villa. If I'd known We did spend lazy mornings over extended breakfasts, since the weather was so wonderful, but we were out and about most afternoons (and a few evenings, too). It was only a single week's vacation, and I was a woman with an itinerary! As promised, we did sally forth from our Algarve villa, to check out Boliqueime village more closely than we had done previously. I was forced to conclude that it's really just a sleepy little place, with a few shops including one of those tiny Algarve 'supermarkets', a church, bank, post office, a few restaurants-cum-cafés, a 'clube desportivo' and the local council offices. Parking is easy enough, though the roads are narrow (especially when the local coach driver leaves his vehicle sticking out halfway into the road while he has a siesta)!
Our Algarve villa was not a place of splendid isolation, and we did have some near neighbours. There were two large, traditional farmhouse-type properties adjoining our narrow 'lane of death' but we left it until the last morning of our stay to find out more about them. The pretty square in Boliqeime on a very hot afternoon One was a bed-and-breakfast establishment that also offered a set evening meal menu on three evenings a week. The grounds were beautifully landscaped and the residents enjoyed shaded patio areas and a lovely pool. The other establishment had been converted into 7 apartments that were delightfully unusual as we found when we were shown around by the owners (who live on the premises). Most of the rooms were quaintly shaped with traditional finishes, but with all the mod-cons you'd need to enjoy a self-catering stay. Once again, the landscaped grounds were a treat for the eye and the pool enjoyed good shading from any cold breezes that might spring up to catch you unawares! Some outside walls had been decorated with impressive paintings by a former owner who was a professional artist. There was a delightful representation of poppies (my favourite flower), another of an ape and one of three old men sitting on a bench. This last was so convincing that, when I first spotted it from the top terrace of our adjacent Algarve villa, I thought the figures were real and glanced away rather than let them think I was staring! We simply loved the area, which is quiet and rural (see picture below for some of our noisiest neighbours) but only a short drive to Loulé or the coast (Vilamoura and Quarteira). So you can enjoy tranquillity when you choose and zip off somewhere noisier and more active when you're in the mood. Perfect!
Viewed from the verandah of our Algarve villa, As with most villas in Algarve, we weren't far from a major road, and could access either the EN125 or the A22 (IP1) in only a few minutes, depending on whether we turned left or right onto our nearest trunk road. We had the luxury of maid service twice during our stay, and Odete (as our talkative lady was called) had also been to prepare the Algarve villa for our arrival. Thoroughly spoilt as we were, we even had the garden and pool looked after by Luis, a most distinguished-looking gentleman, who turned up at the same time as Odete. (They walked through the fields together when they visited, as that attracted less barking from local dogs). Luis didn't talk much, but Odete was very chatty, and we managed, with a combination of Portuguese and French, to communicate reasonably effectively. We certainly learned of Odete's low opinion of the Euro as a currency, since she complained long and loud that everything had gone up in price since its introduction! We also had an early visit (during our first full day) from Isabel, the local area manager for our Algarve villa agency. Her English was splendid and she gave us lots of good information - including some about the best anti-mosquito products and their use! She called back to see us on our last full day in the Boliqueime villa, and was happy that we had only good things to report. She spent some time going through her villa listings with us, as we were thinking already about our next vacation and hoping that it would be in an Algarve villa! As I mentioned on another page, I approve of those agencies and owners who give a reduction in price for lower occupancy levels, so we were pleased to receive a discount for being only 2 persons in an Algarve villa that would have slept 4 adults and 2 children.
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It didn't take long to 'do' the bits that we'd missed on our previous 'drive-throughs', so I posed for a quick commemorative photo in the attractive square, then we departed for more thrilling destinations (like Loulé). But I would never suggest that the area around Boliqueime is not totally scrumptious.
