Ferragudo - catch it while you can!
Praia da Rocha's marina
wall, with a lovely Ferragudo backdrop...
Although it’s just across the Arade river from Portimao,
this compact settlement is rather less-well known. All that might be about to change,
however, as you’ll read later…
There are still some picturesque places left on the Algarve coast, and many of them are (or were) fishing villages. That explains the higgledy-piggledy arrangement of quaint, whitewashed buildings that perch on
the Ferragudo hillside above the water.
You can still enjoy the seemingly random twists and
turns of its narrow streets and the relaxed pace of life
that harks back to times gone by. And the authentic fishing
'industry' continues still only a short walk from the
centre. Small and medium boats land daily catches here, so
the local restaurants can boast (accurately) of fresh
produce on their menus.
The settlement has undergone change already, of course, since the advent of mass tourism, with some beautification having taken place along the riverside. Not that it’s been ruined by any means, but it’s
probably a forerunner of things to come.
The summer months are witness to nightly goings-on in the town square, for which all the locals turn out to take part. It’s something of a non-stop party, with everyone invited!
Getting There
Ferragudo is about an hour’s driving along the A22 motorway from the airport at Faro, and the road is rarely busy. From the airport, follow signs to the A22 Lisboa/ Portimao. It’s around 12 kilometres to Junction 13, then you drive 45 kilometres along the A22 motorway and turn off at Junction 6 (signed Lagoa). After that you’ll see
the town signposted regularly and should find it easily.
Beaches
From the town, the two nearest beaches are the famous Praia
Grande and Angrinha. They're neatly separated by
the romantic shadow of the riverside fort, São João de Arade
(pictured above). If you
fancy trying some Algarve
watersports, then you can indulge yourself at
Angrinha.
A little further along the coast is Pintadinho.
It's fairly compact and peaceful, with calm water if, like
me, you're not a strong swimmer.
Also famous and a little more picturesque, Caneiros
is a great favourite of those who like a stunning backdrop
(the cliffs) for their holidays photos.
Ferragudo - slightly overcast, but still picturesque!
Restaurants
As with most coastal places in Algarve, you’ll be impressed with the choice of fish dishes on offer in local restaurants. Quite often, the smaller restaurants that are frequented by local residents are the ones to
seek out, if you’re after flavour and value. The town square
in Ferragudo is easy on the eye and you can sit outside any
of its cafés and restaurants and watch the world go about
its business.
Activities
Although it has plenty of places to eat and partake of
refreshments, the nature of the town means that you may need to
look outside of its boundaries for ‘something to do’. Fortunately, because of its relatively central position, it’s surrounded by lots of opportunities for recreation and enjoyment.
If you fancy Algarve
birdwatching, then Ferragudo could be a good spot
to stay. There's the nearby estuary, which usually proves
rewarding for sighting of popular species.
Accommodation
There’s plenty of choice in types of accommodation in
the town; but so many visitors return that booking your chosen place might best be done well ahead of time!
Whether you’re interested in self-catering, hotels, villas, apartments, residencials or bed-and-breakfast, Ferragudo has it all. And there’ll be
more built soon, to cope with the town’s future plans.
There’s even the chance to enjoy some Algarve camping at the local site, but you’ll need to be a C.C.L., C.C.N. or F.I.C.C. cardholder.
Ferragudo Shopping
As with many Algarve coastal towns, there are plenty of small shops selling such necessities as groceries, many from local farms and virtually guaranteed fresh. If you’d prefer the ‘supermarket experience’ you’ll need to drive to Portimao, where you can shop to your heart’s content.
You’re also a short distance from the out-of-town Portimao Retail Park just off the N125 west of Hospital. It has a good selection of outlets for sporting goods, household stuff, electrical and entertainment, clothing and shoes (of course!) and plenty of choice for cafés and restaurants when you get peckish.
Then, there’s an in-town shopping complex on the main Avenida V6 (the north-south arterial road for Portimao and Praia da Rocha. It’s recently been expanded and has cinemas as well as plenty of shops, cafés, restaurants, supermarkets and good parking.
Golf
If you fancy trying some sun-kissed golfing in the Algarve, Ferragudo would be an excellent base. Within a few kilometres, you can choose from some of the region’s best courses. (See the map on my
Algarve Golf page, courses 4, 5, 6 and 7).
History of Ferragudo (the short version)
Although its roots lie in national defence and the
fishing industry, Ferragudo is now mainly a dormitory town
serving Portimão. Its main source of income is now
tourism, and therein lies its future.
 The fort (also known
as the 'castelo') started life as a watchtower back in the
late 15th century. A village sprang up around the
watchtower, probably within defensive walls. Since the fort
was intended (along with its counterpart at Praia da Rocha)
to defend the entrance to the Arade river and the inland
areas it serves, it was furnished with artillery batteries
to repel marauding ships (many of them manned by British
privateers).
During the 1755 earthquake, the fort was devastated,
even to its foundations, and cost the authorities a packet
to repair. About 140 years later, it fell into disuse and
was sold at auction.
Early in the 20th century, it was prettified and
renovated by a Portuguese poet and remains in private hands
today, although it has been classified as a building of
historic national importance. Its walled gardens extend as
far as the two beaches, Angrinha and Praia Grande, which it
separates.
Without the watchtower-cum-fort as a focal point, the
settlement might well have been established elsewhere.
Since it was classified a town in 1999, its growth has
enveloped surrounding hamlets such as Aldeia de São
Francisco, Gramacho, and Vale de Lapa.
Ferragudo News
 There are big changes afoot for Ferragudo, with plans to construct a new marina to rival that of
Portimão. You can imagine what an injection of development cash on that scale will do to the town, which is why my
page heading reads ‘catch it while you can’.
Of course, if you’re thinking of purchasing Algarve property, your investment
might show some encouraging growth if you invest in
Ferragudo!
There have been problems along the way for the new project, but it seems now that a compromise has been reached. (You can read more on the new marina
here…)
Visitor Impressions of Ferragudo
Jim Litchko, from Kensington in the good ol' USA
contacted me about his family's enthusiasm for the
village...
Great articles. Thank you very much for doing this. We are building a place in Ferragudo, because we love it so much.
I have to say that the sun, quaint towns, food, beaches and creative
atmosphere had a great influence on our deciding to build and live there
fulltime in two years, but it was mostly the joyful, welcoming and helpful
people that made the decision easy.
We visited the Algarve in the summer of 2006 on vacation and loved it. We
returned that following Christmas to ensure we would like the weather at
that time of the year. We did and contracted to have a villa built in
Ferragudo. Again it was the people that sold us.
Example: On New Year's Eve, we climbed to the church in Ferragudo to view the tri-synchronized fireworks
between Portimao, the Portimao/ Ferragudo Bridge, and Ferragudo beaches.
Before midnight, we asked a Portuguese woman to take our picture. She did
and invited us to join her family to celebrate in the New Year. They taught
us the tradition of eating a grape and making a wish for each gong of the
bell. We toasted in the year with their champagne and received hugs and
kisses from everyone. The grapes were raisins; fireworks were awesome;
champagne was bubbly; and, the people were great.
Yes, the Algarve is the best and that is from a couple who lived in Greece
and Florida for six months each; Japan, Germany, and San Francisco for three
years each, and, Washington DC for 15 years. We are so looking to live in
the Algarve for the rest of our lives.
Thank you again for the response and for providing the newsletter. I will
be happy to contribute in the future.
Jim
***************
Not much to add to that, except to thank Jim for sharing
his enthusiasm and Algarve insights!
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