Villa Rentals in the Algarve

Bars in Carvoeiro

Spoilt for choice

Whether you're stopping for a post beach quick one, a pre-dinner cocktail, or even late night partying, Carvoeiro has the establishment for you. You won't find too many discos and loud music is rare, so the 18-24s are perhaps a bit less well catered for.

This list is far from comprehensive. It's simply a subset of those bars that we have visited more than once and would return to at different times.

Rachel's infectious smile welcomes you to Bar Talvez

Bar Talvez		Elegance on the hill
		In 2006/7 Rachel (pictured right) and Sergio opened the Lounge at Rascals and built a reputation for sophistication, a friendly welcome and decorative cocktails. In 2008 they moved to this new bar adjacent to Casa Algarvia near the top of Restaurant hill on the left going up. The background music is subdued and the decor combines modern crisp lines with warm colours and an abundance of tasteful features.

Cheers Bar

A long time regular haunt

You'll always get a warm welcome from Monika and Kurt, who serve an amazing list of cocktails, as well as glasses of champagne and a selection of Cuban Cigars. Also try Kurt's special Rösti for a change of culinary experience.

Cheers is a small but friendly bar, and can be found opposite the pottery market on the right hand side of the road coming IN to Carvoeiro from Lagoa.

The Cocktail Garden		Evening fun in Monte Carvoeiro
		For a fun experience, try the Cocktail Garden in Monte Carvoeiro Square where you'll be entertained with puzzles that blow your mind, and every now and then a show of juggling and cocktail mixing (or maybe missing) skills ! Luis calls it freestyle bartending. We call it fun.

A Boa Vida

A friendly place to sit and chat

Roel with his lovely Brazilian born assistant

This bar is run by Roel who is a golf pro during the day and looks after the bar in the evening. Life cannot be better than that, and if there is anything golf you want to talk about, Roel is your man.

(smoking permitted)

Some others	Our camera was not always present (fortunately!)
Bar Havana	Cosy, colourful, Cuban themed bar run by Craig and Jennie. This is a great place to enjoy post dinner cocktails in a very different but friendly atmosphere. The small bar can be found on Restaurant hill, about half way up on the right hand side after leaving the square.
Carvoeiro Bar	Right opposite Bar Havana is a more traditional dark wood panelled bar, favoured by the Dutch and English communities, with comfortable seating galore, and always someone to chat to. (smoking permitted)
Hemingways	Another tiny bar that spills out onto the pavement to watch the world go by when the weather is glorious (which, of course is most of the time). Hazel and Murray keep everyone amused and ensure that whenever Scotland plays any sport, the TV sets all around will be switched on.
Smilers	You cannot miss the bright red chairs outside this bar opposite the main town square and capturing the sun most of the day. A great place to sit, people-watch and just laze away doing as little as possible.
Sullys	Very cosy bar right in the middle of town, off the main square next to the ice cream parlour. It seems to be set into the cliff and is always bubbling with many locals, residents and visitors all day and night. (smoking permitted)
Innside Cafe	On the parade of shops on the OUT road, we've not been there yet, but it comes recommended for the cocktails and displays of juggling and stacking tumblers. (smoking permitted)

Live Music	For a more boisterous evening
Bars with live music are not really our chosen cup-of-tea, so the listings below are predominantly based on word of mouth and/or accidents!
The Jailhouse	Up a small side street next to the Post Office (Correiro), on the right hand side of the road as you come into Carvoeiro, you'll find the Jailhouse, which only gets going after 10.30pm and you can hear Big Dave with his electric guitar, his awful jokes and dance to tunes that you need to have been born before the Queen's coronation to recognise.
Manoels	For very late night Jazz, this tiny hot bar at the entrance to Monte Carvoeiro (pictured right) is the best, maybe only place for real jazz in the local area. Music is on Fridays and Mondays from around midnight onwards.
Bradys Irish Bar	Bill Brady, an Irishman, has set the town on fire with this lively and welcoming Irish bar a little over half way up restaurant hill on the left. Live music most nights throughout the summer, and a bunch of really friendly bar staff to keep the drinks flowing to your table all night long.

Drink OR Drive

Portugal has a low tolerance for drunken drivers and the police WILL stop and prosecute.

Villa Rentals

Both of our rental properties are within stumbling distance of all bars featured on this page.

No Smoking

Like most countries around the world, Portugal introduced a smoking ban in all public places at the beginning of 2008.

However, special provision was made for establishments to install appropriate air flow systems and thus be specially licensed to allow smoking.

Many bars chose not to allow smoking, but a number of them have taken the necessary action to permit smokers to sit indoors at the bar and enjoy a smoke with their drink.

Where this is allowed, we have made a special note.

All other bars are NON SMOKING.

Entrance to Monte Carvoeiro square where you will find Cocktail Garden, Manoels jazz bar and various restaurants.

What to drink

Nearly all these bars have their own cocktail menu with a veritable plenitude of alcoholic (and some non-alcoholic) concoctions.

They are all mixed on the spot with love and care, and dressed with all the pretty umbrellas, colourful cocktail stirrers and fruit adornments that you would expect.

If you're looking for something approximating to the national drink, try a Caipirinha, which is really the national drink of Brazil.

The Algarve's claim to fame is called Medronho. Its a liqueur made from the Medronho berry, which is akin to a Strawberry.

Extremely powerful, there are dozens of small distilleries in the nearby Monchique mountains producing this firewater.

We would rather put it in the tank of our Ferrari which would then get us to Faro airport in 10 minutes flat.

Well that story may possibly be an exaggeration, but if you drank 2 shots, we guarantee that you'd believe it.

If beer is your tipple (its mine!), you can get various (local) bottled beers. Super Bock, Crystal and Sagres are the three biggest.

Draft beer is served in two sizes, "small" and "large". The small, which is about 33cl is called an Imperial, whereas the large draft often mistakenly referred to as a "pint", as thats a close approximation to its size, is locally known as a Caneca. If these words escape you, simply ask for a "large" or a "small".

And finally, don't forget that Portugal makes some excellent wines, and of course its world famous Port.