Putting a spin on your Portugal vacation

We are creatures of habit, particularly when it comes to holidays. Booking the same hotel year after year in the same Spanish/Italian/Greek resort is the norm for a lot of people. Familiarity rarely breeds contempt if returning means the staff know your name, have seen your children grow and pre-empt your requests. Covid meant an enforced absence from our favourites and removing the right to travel made us realise how much of the world there is still to see. But as new is sometimes daunting, rather than boldly going where you have never been before, why not shake things up in your preferred place.

Portugal is our preferred place, as it was where my mother had an apartment, which allowed us extended summer stays. Sadly that option has been taken away, so we have had to rethink our sojourns to the Algarve and find spots to make new memories. It’s worth noting that breaking up a fortnight with overnighters elsewhere makes a holiday feel longer, which is great when there have been so few. And this is why after years of walking from the flat to the beach in Olhos D’Agua, we hit the road and headed to the rolling mountains clad in heavy forest on the way to Monchique.

Set amongst pine, oak and eucalyptus trees, the little market town of Monchique is a world apart from the Algarve beaches and more similar to those found in France. Charming is the word for it as there are no high street brands or chains, just cafes, curio shops and sculptures made by the resident artists. We stayed at The Monchique Resort & Spa, which is the only property of its kind in this undiscovered area and its modern design dominates the unspoiled surroundings, but not in a bad way. Cool, efficient and silent, the hotel is reminiscent of a Swiss health spa and the treatments for face and body reflect that too. This is a place to really relax, lie down a lot in the spacious suite and eat excellent food on a dining terrace with uninterrupted views of the mountains and ocean. Bringing kids? Then the forest walk and bathing. followed by a meet-the-alpacas or a round of traditional Portuguese games, will tire them out. Ideal for a weekend break in the autumn when the western Algarve is still warm, Monchique was a revelation to us.

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Once on a roll, we took a break from the traditional hotels and went rogue by staying at Casa De Mondo. The family farmhouse with deluxe cabins on site is a real Portugal experience in the hills away from the madding crowd.

As an unimaginative cook, the chance to participate in a Portuguese cookery class and then eat the dishes was fun, instructive and broadened my own menu. The light and eclectically-furnished Vert suite was where we slept and I’d like to reserve it at least twice a year if the warm and hospitable hosts allow it.

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Unable to entirely stay away from the place we know, Olhos D’Agua, we booked into The Patio Suite Hotel, which is close to The Pine Cliffs in Praia da Falésia  but not as pricey. That isn’t to say that The Pine Cliffs isn’t worth every penny as I distinctly remember waking up there, but convinced I was still dreaming. The garden, the views, the cliff top cocktail bar – all of it is stored in my memory, but shaking up a familiar destination got me to The Patio which is an aparthotel of the kind celebs stay in when on location and the staff are equally on the ball when it comes to providing that level of service. The open space lobby leads into the restaurant where buffets are set up for breakfast and dinner, and it was wonderful to just drop in there instead of loading up at the supermarket. And the food is good, in fact I can’t recall a fish/meat/pasta or salad dish that wasn’t on offer and better than typical buffet fare. An all-inclusive includes drink, too, and this really works for a family, as do the large suites with even larger bathrooms and cooking facilities. The beach is a 15 minute walk, but there’s a shuttle for the lazy and the staff don’t like to see their guests struggle. Fetching and carrying is done so willingly it’s a lesson to sub-service providers and a reason to book. In fact returning to Olhos D’agua was easier than I thought it would be because of the warm welcome at The Patio lead by the general manager, Joaquim Lemos da Costa. He is like the caring father you long for when away from home and as he has now moved to be director at the Montado Hotel & Golf resort in Palmela, that’s where we’re going next.

www.monchiqueresort.com (From £300 for two nights)

www.casademondo.com (£90 per night)

www.thepatiohotel.com (from €233 per night)