Meet Steve from Sunseeker Steve Handy from Sunseeker Portugal Steve moved over to Portugal with Sunseeker as it makes a lot of sense for this international boat builder to have a presence down here in the Algarve. I got to chat to him about how it all started for Sunseeker in the Algarve and what life is like for Steve in Europe's favourite holiday destination. Listen along! Show notes Steve has been here for three years and relates the story of how Sunseeker came to be in...

Alexandra Vanstalle is a mother of four kids, husband of one and runs unbelievable distances along rural tracks. Her latest adventure is to train for a 111km long trail run… Listen to her story: Show notes Alex was born in Oeiras, close to Lisbon, studied in Lisbon and worked at a Mexican restaurant, before setting off for Mexico and heading back to the Algarve! Holidays in her youth were spent in Manta Rota in the Algarve. Teenage party times! We talk about Praia Verde and Pézinhos na...

  I interviewed Maria in the new Centro de Congressos do Algarve and we managed to sneak into an empty conference room as the sound was GREAT in there. Her life is really varied taking in a lot of projects like online tourism startups, the Lagos Food Fest, other big events, food tours, the Rota de Petisco (read all about it as we didn't have time to discuss it).   Show notes   Born in Lisbon, moved to Macau, China when she was 2 due to her fathers involvement with Portugal broadcasting. Her...

Jason Brown, originally from South Africa made the move to Portugal a few years back and loves it here. We met at my house in São Brás de Alportel and had a great 30 minute discussion filled with tips for people arriving in the Algarve and how to acclimatize to the area. Show notes Moving to Portugal and pre-arrival impressions: A sleepy fishing village and similar to South Africa. Vilamoura, Carvoeiro and Lagos get heavily marketed but smaller and more local places don't get as much...

Yvette Martins Yvette grew up in Canada and moved to our beautiful Algarve. She now owns an online travel business and is brimming with advice and tips. Listen to her one important takeaway from this podcast. Show notes Yvette grew up close to Vancouver in Canada from Portuguese parents. In her youth figure skating was a pastime, motocross was a passion. Her move to Portugal when she was 14. Her parents were from Sabugal, near Castelo Branco in Portugal. On moving to the Algarve, 4...

Moving to Portugal The Tilleys arrived this summer, hailing from Surrey and settling in the Algarve. We talk about where exactly a little later into the podcast. It was fantastic meeting them and great to hear their story! Listen along...               View this post on Instagram                         A post shared by Louise-Marie Tilley (@loutilz) on Aug 24, 2018 at 3:44pm PDT   Show notes They're currently living in Olhão but originally from Kent and Surrey Prior to...

Diogo Sousa, SUP Champion Diogo has lived in Albufeira for most of his life and still loves it. It's probably the most contentious city in the entire Algarve when it comes to tourism as many people hate it, others love it! Do you love it or hate it? Listen up for Diogo's take on Albufeira... Show notes Welcome to Diogo Sousa who was born and still lives in Albufeira. We discuss the quality of life that the beach affords us here in the Algarve. When he was young he started skim-boarding on the...

Meet Becky. She dances at the Vilamoura Casino in their regular show, entitled "Timeless E-Motions" this year.  It's on at all three SolVerde Casinos: Praia da Rocha, Vilamoura and Monte Gordo, so wherever you are in the Algarve you'll be able to catch a glimpse of this highly entertaining show (and no, they aren't paying me to say this!). Show notes Accommodation in Vilamoura and one of the bigger problems in the Algarve: finding long term rentals. Growing up in Yorkshire: rainy, cold but...

I had no idea who Blair was... the only connection I had with this guy, was that he took a mesmerizing photo of Benagil cave. It was an image picturing his girlfriend. An image which was pretty sexual, but sensual, natural and bold at the same time. It showed that this guy knew a thing or two about photography but what it didn't tell me was that there was a brilliant story behind how he got down to Benagil. Blair grew up in Cape Town into a nature friendly family. His father was a nature...

This podcast is slightly different from my regular show where I interview people and chip away at their stories of the Algarve. Today, I speak about my experiences as I changed my career (call it a mid life crisis if you will) and stumbled across the harsh reality of the changes our beautiful planet is reeling from. Have a listen, it's only a quarter of an hour...   Show notes Global animal population has declined by 58% Boyan Slat develops "The Ocean Cleanup". The Facebook donation...

Natasha Donn Natasha is an engaging and delightful character, brimming with personality and juicy tidbits of life in the Algarve. She is a career journalist, reporting on all the fascinating stories in the Algarve. Let me tell you there are some miraculously scandalous stories about! Listen on to her engaging tale:   Show notes On journalism in the modern day. Natasha always wanted to be a journalist, ever since the age of 9. Living in a whorehouse in Portsmouth at college. The Surrey and...

Algarve Rock Brewery Their website reads. "Algarve Rock was started by two guys that are passionate about drinking real beer. Somebody had to do something about the lack of quality craft beers available in the Algarve; why not us? That’s why we created Algarve Rock. We’re here to put Portuguese craft beer on the map." They certainly have! I interviewed Neil from Algarve Rock Brewery. Have a listen! Show notes How Algarve Rock started. After 10 years of holidaying in the Algarve, Neil and his...

It's wonderful to welcome Fiona Butler from www.myguidealgarve.com She has been running her website for ten years now and has picked up an awful lot of great information in the process. She shares it with you on the latest episode of Algarve Addicts. Thanks for listening! Fiona Butler show notes Her youth in Ireland and being a holiday rep in the Algarve. Faro airport at 3am back in the 90s. Praia da Rocha, Praia de Vau and Alvor, stories from the past. Alvor walkway and the lifesavers...

Professor Luis Coelho Meet Professor Luis Coelho from the University of the Algarve. He is a lecturer in the Faculty of Economics and is a respected voice in the community, writing for an online magazine as well as his day to day work and being invited to sit on various conference panels. I thoroughly enjoyed our chat and I am sure you will too. Listen here --> Show notes The vagaries of professional titles in Portugal - different to other places in the world. Luis was born in Beja, just...

Carlos from Take Algarve Carlos runs regular tours around Faro through his company Take Algarve. Listen to his story.   Show notes Carlos tells us the story of the place we are conducting the interview: Café Aliança (officially called Café Alliança Cervejaria) in Faro. Carlos was born in Faro but lived in Spain and Poland and we talk about the differences between Faro now and the Faro of his youth: the University and the airport. The people have changed, they used to play football in the...

Greg Boegner from PortugalConfidential.com Meet Greg, who moved to the Algarve from the USA in 2008. He runs a successful website all about Portugal over at www.portugalconfidential.com Listen to his story. Show notes Positive growth and a new department of the business. The story of Portugal Confidential, from a blog to a business. Travelling around Portugal discovering new businesses and writing about it. Travel boards and familiarization trips. About Greg and his history in Houston,...

Bradley Querl (really it should be Curl, shouldn't it?) has practiced hair design (now with his salon called B Hair Design) all his life and is a 3rd generation hair designer. Bradley is the consummate professional and does a fantastic job with anyone's head, even throwing in a super relaxing head massage into the deal. I checked in with Brad to here his story and what his take is on life in the Algarve. If you resonate with any of his suggestions, let us know! Tune in to Bradley's...

Show notes 100% Algarvian, born in Loule and raised in Albufeira. Shopping trips to Ayamonte in Spain. Dreams of Archaeology, History and Architecture all led to a University degree in Lisbon. Her love of the Algarve brought her to a job in tourism as a Duty Manager at a hotel in Albufeira, helping the clients. Albufeira Tourism Board: familiarization trips, roadshows, workshops and promotion which she realized she really loved. Desiderio Silva (current President of the Algarve Tourism)...

Mark Sebastian Kiss DJ Mark is a wonderful character full of fascinating stories and he agreed to sit down for a chat with us. Join us for a great chat! Show notes Mark Sebastian was born in Cheshire, UK. Holidays in Majorca led to getting a job there and explored playing records in clubs. A company called "Music Service" sent Mark out to ski-resorts, like Wengen. He started at St Thomas Hospital Radio in London and then moved into the pirate radio scene in London: Kiss100 and JazzFM......

Constantino Jordan He has worked on the most prestigious residential and hotel developments in the Algarve region including Quinta do Lago and Vilamoura. He has a very positive outlook for the future of the Algarve, find out in this informative half hour chat with me. Show notes Born in Argentina, Constantino moved to Liechtensten when he was 3 and holidayed regularly in the Algarve, due to his father's business interests (his father had founded the Quinta do Lago Resort near Almançil. Read...

Algarve Wine with Luis Figueira What is the quickest way to discover Algarve wines? Listen to this 40 minute podcast and you'll be off! Luis is one of the most prominent wine figures in the region and who better to give us an unbiased view of the region than an owner of a wine shop? Enjoy the conversation (preferably with a glass of Algarve Wine), because everyone loves wine... right? See the FULL SHOW NOTES on my site: www.algarveaddicts.com/23 

Isabel Mealha She grew up in the gorgeous medieval town of Silves and moved to Faro when she was ten. Having lived and worked in the Algarve all her life, she has a group of fascinating friends and has accomplished success as a restaurateur. We're looking forward to hearing her story! Show notes Izzy´s roots in a vineyard near Silves and moving to Faro as a young girl. Faro 30 years ago... an ugly city and it's current rise as a beautiful tourism destination in the Vila Adentro with art...

The father of the Via Algarviana João Ministro didn't start the Via Algarviana but he has worked on it from the beginning and knows it really well. Through his company Proactive Tur he has made a tremendous impact on sustainable tourism and ecotourism in the Algarve. Nick sat down with him in his Loulé office and discussed a huge range of issues.  Ecotourism in the Algarve show notes ProActiveTur started in Querença and has since moved to Loulé. João was born in Loulé, studied...

Nelson Carvalheiro Nelson is an award winning blogger and video maker hailing from the hotel industry. He took time out from his busy schedule to chat to Nick about food in Portugal and the Algarve in particular. We did this one over the internet as he had returned to Germany before we could meet. Listen up, there are some real gems in this one! Show notes Save water! Portugal is experiencing a drought (as is Cape Town, Nick's original home). Growing up in Coimbra and conversations about...