"Sagres - The Algarve - Portugal" HowardMurphy's Profile

Sagres.
The intrepid travellers thought of Sagres in days past as the end of the world. If it catches your heart in the same way as it has caught mine then like me you may consider it the beginning and the end of a search for an earthly paradise.

Hotel Da Baleeira have their own website at http://www.sagres.net/baleeira

My account is from long stay holidays over the winter months (Jan-March 1999 & 2000). I have no experience of the hotter summer months. The hotel is a very good four star that rates a much higher marking. The standard of cleanliness throughout the hotel is of the highest with staff taking a pride in their work. When you see a chambermaid cleaning the underneath of the tables and chairs on the room balcony, it only highlights that pride and perfection.

Travellers & backpackers will recognise the importance of the above as the first question asked of someone who has returned from the next place you are headed is "What are the toilets like?"
Well, in the Hotel Da Baleeira they are first class.
It is a hotel where you receive a very warm welcome from both management and staff. When you return for another holiday, it is to warm bright smiles and sincere greetings. The entertainment is of the best quality because you make it yourself. It is a return to the days when talking and making new friends had some meaning.

However, there is one night of entertainment when the local Folk Club visits to demonstrate Portuguese dancing. What a night that is when you see how much energy and finesse they put into their dancing - a joy to see. Then you have the opportunity to try the dancing yourself as they take you by the hand to dance. I can never miss an evening and over the six weeks holiday it was just as enjoyable each week. There is nothing impersonal about the Hotel Da Baleeira the staff share a smile and a word. In addition, they are always delighted when they hear you trying out your grasp of the Portuguese language:
Good morning. Bom dia. Good afternoon. Boa tarde.
Good evening. Boa noite Good-bye. Adeus.
See you later. Ate Logo. How are you? Como esta?

If you make a mistake, the hand comes up and with a smile, they correct you.
I always feel it is a good idea to learn a few words to greet people in their own language.

During our stay, we made friends with many Portuguese Seniors from the north of Portugal. Each Tuesday evening a group arrived looking so tired and disoriented. Then the following Tuesday morning they left with happy smiles and many hugs. Over the six weeks I received three proposals of marriage, the only difficulty being tha they were made with the aid of some of the other ladies acting as translators! Their holiday is more regulated with fixed times for meals, afternoon coffee and the entertainment. We had so much fun, and even the lack of a common language proved no handicap to quite a number of the gentlemen and ladies and we chatted away quite happily, the words coming from warm hearts and inner spirits in true friendship. I find that it really makes the holiday special mixing with people of the county you are visiting. Thanks to the Portuguese rep, we were able to mix in and enjoy the entertainment laid on for them and, in the afternoon when they had refreshments, shared the delicious pastries of their home regions.

The people in Sagres have the same warm hearts; the old gentlemen sitting on the benches, the old ladies looking out from their windows, the fishermen in the bars or walking along the street, the young ladies of the Farmacia, the florist, the supermarket and others, such as the delivery men even the one who nearly ran us down last year as he came around the blind corner at the side of Pinoquio's, as, replete with the mouth-watering delights of Marcella's cream cakes, we staggered from Pinoquio’s into the narrow side street, taking up all the road.
Well, Roberio,forgave us for his shock and the tumbling around of his load and each day gave us a wave and a warm smile. The owners and staff of the cafes, shops and restaurants would always smile and wave, even those we visited on only a few occasions. Over the six weeks, we made friends with other guests from the UK, Portugal, Canada, France, Germany, Poland and the U.S.A.

The standard of food, friendly service and cleanliness is so high that the choice of eating-places becomes a difficult one, with those used by locals coming higher on the list for the selection of favourite local dishes.

You must visit Carlos Restaurant for the very best of tasty local dishes, excellent wine and good service.It is family run restaurant in which you are soon at home. It is a delight to enjoy the friendly atmosphere, excellent service and first class cooking. It is a place to remember and holds a special place in my book of happy memories that draws me back repeatedly. Good food in an excellent family atmosphere and the cleanliness of restaurant is perfect.

The Cafe Pinoquio provides a special delight to the taste buds with Marcella's homemade cream cakes, plus a wide range of meals that include specialities of the Far East, and food to suit everybody's taste. Marcella does her own baking and supplies the top hotels with her special cakes. Thank goodness, there is always a good stock of fresh cream cakes whenever you call. Although I am always on a special diet when I visit, I can recommend it too all forget the figure and enjoy the Heavenly delights. It is not often you have the choice of such out of this world delights as Marcella's Cream Cakes. My nose is not growing longer as I write this, as you will soon discover! The 'Cafe Pinoquio’ has a very cosmopolitan clientele with people from all over the world who have eaten there before or come on the recommendation of a friend. The local people and Portuguese visitors from elsewhere know good confectionery and can be found enjoying their coffee and cream cakes.
Her young ladies are a delight too making you feel especially welcome and they look after you so well. For lovers of a good pot of tea to go with their choice of food you cannot beat that served at The Cafe Pinoquio.

The Restaurante Atlantico, has both a choice of local food and the best of English, such as my favourite roast leg of lamb, with roast potatoes and veg. I do not usually eat English dishes when abroad, preferring to sample all the local specialties (In the Far East I enjoyed crispy deep-fried grasshopper, snake stew and glasses of fresh blood!)
However, the Atlantico,'Home Cooking' in this case is too good to miss.It is a family restaurant where in the evening you can enjoy the cosy surroundings inside or in the daytime you can sit at the outdoor tables and enjoy people watching, although be ready to acknowledge the greetings from the friendly folk as they pass by. In Sagres you are always made to feel at home.

'A Grelha'
A small restaurant very popular with the locals and wise visitors is the A Grelha situated by the Farmacia. Taste the wonderful range of well cooked local dishes, receive a wave and a lovely smile from the senhora busy working in the kitchen. The food and the warm welcome I can recommend.

The guidebooks write that Sagres has only one main road but there are many roads with bars, shops and restaurants for you to find. Look out for me there and be sure to say hello.