Just noticed on a real estate website that there are three restaurants for sale in Monte Carvoeiro, apart from at least one other that has closed down. Surprisingly enough one is the original stone steak.
When we first started coming to Carvoeiro, Monte Carvoeiro was a real buzzing place, all the restaurants and bars were open and it was a great place for families, the children could run around the fountain and there was always clowns and other entertainers. What has happened, why isn't it popular anymore? Somebody needs to save it.

Tricky

Yes, I wonder why that is Tricks?
the recent times Ive been there eat to, its been quiet..but then I do go 'out of season' ...even so,as you say, it was always busy/lively spot..puzzling

Monte Carvoeiro is still very busy in mid summer but that season is short maybe 8 weeks. In general most vistors eat in the village centre at other times, there are enough restaurants there without having to walk/drive uphill.
Several restaurants for sale as most of them have not been run by the owners and have been rented out over the years at ridiculously high rents (not just for the summer months but for year round contracts) so thoses that have tried to make a go of it made good income in the summer but soon lost it in the off peak season just paying the rent. That is why many have changed hands numerous times over the years one alone has been Traditonal Portuguse, Italien, French , Greek, a rib shack,Indian, Brazilian and last year empty.
Owner run restaurants have been much more successful eg O salmao.

I also see that there are two properties for sale in MC 119 & 120, it might not mean anything but i thought it was quite rare for properties to become available in that area.

on the last three or four visits to cvo i have noticed that the area around the fountain and the pizza restaurant has become a considerable amount quieter - it used to be buzzing -

I don't recall Monte Carvoeiro ever being busy apart from perhaps in August when it is a little livelier. The original idea back in the 80's was that Monte would become the new social centre of Carvoeiro. No chance really was there with a natural tendency for visitors to walk down to the village.

I believe that Carvoeiro attracts in my imho all types of people. Some prefering a quieter exsistence such as Monte Carvoeiro and who no doubt enjoy a stroll down to the town.Having said that most these days hire a car. As for businesses which close for a while, normally in the quieter season or changing hands, well lets face it, in a tourist area, this happens from time to time for a number of reasons and besides Carvoeiro and surrounds has more than enough good restaurants to suit everybodies needs and pockets. Lastly, we travel all over Portugal to attend restaurants for their reputation of serving good food and wines. Only recently, we were invited to Lisboa by family and Portuguese friends who reside there and where we had a wonderful meal. So again imho, location should not be a consideration.

I am with Biffa on this - although I cannot go way back - my experience from 1990 through until the present has been the MC was never that busy except perhaps at the very height of the season which must be hard for businesses to sustain a profit.

However I also agree that any restaurant that opens, captures and sustains a fantastic reputation for its kitchen will be a year round success where ever it is - Le Manoir aux Quatre Saisons is hardly in Oxford High Street, and Gidleigh Park is a definitely a run out to the country.

Seldom cheap and very hard to achieve in the first instance though.

Maddi

They didnt compete...were complacent and are are poorly patronised....you will note that the most succesful bar in town ( Round up) is for sale ..WHY ???
Ask yourself....Carvoeiro is a dying resort as people go elsewhere ..more for their mony...but most of all......a smily race of people..Algrvians are really a miserable bunch and time has been called...fact

So guest !!, if you are right why is tourism UP in the Algarve, why are there more flights every month.
Can only speak as we find but have yet ( in 3 years of visits 4-6 times /year ) to meet the " miserable " Algarvians you speak of.

The problem with CVO and it needs to be attended to soon is the traffic.
Ban cars from the centre, NO parking in the square.
A free shuttle that does a loop around town ( until at least midnight ).

Look down on it you will but look at what the camara is doing in Albufeira.
Millions of Euros being spent on new road systems, a new central square and refurbishing old buildings.

Gosh...and I thought I was the one on here to say it as I see it, guest.

I think you have some valid points, guest but I think we have to ask ourselves why a lot of our Portuguese brothers and sisters are miserable. I think it is because a lot of them don't see much of a future for the "average" person. I was speaking to a guy this evening in Silves, who is from Oporto and he was telling me that he would like to get hold of most of the politicians, professionals and officials in Portugal, plus the overbearing Portuguese bureaucracy and dump the lot in the Atlantic. There are quite a few frustrated people out there. I hope in the future that Portugal will slowly mature as a political being...but...who knows...I really don't know. I see such a huge gap here between the "haves" and the "have nots" and something has to give.

I wish my hard-working, honest and decent Portuguese friends lots of luck for their future, so they might smile more for the tourists, who of course, bring a lot to the Algarve. I try to smile and be polite to everyone I meet but I don't expect it back much any more and that isn't just in the Algarve, I am sorry to say.

Sorry, off topic from Monte Carvoeiro. I went there once with a friend a couple of years ago and it was very quiet but apart from the peak months, Carvoeiro IMHO has always been a quiet, family resort. Only time will tell of course and yes, there is a lot of competition out there for holiday choices. That's life, I suppose.

Anonymous wrote:They didnt compete...were complacent and are are poorly patronised....you will note that the most succesful bar in town ( Round up) is for sale ..WHY ???
Ask yourself....Carvoeiro is a dying resort as people go elsewhere ..more for their mony...but most of all......a smily race of people..Algrvians are really a miserable bunch and time has been called...fact

Hi Guest,
Whilst I do understand some of what you say, I am afraid that figures do not support your view. Last year was a marked upturned and property sales were strong and the forcast for this year implies more to come.
This time of year, is always quiet, although a lot of owners from colder European countries together with Americans and Canadians appear to favour this period. This time of the year is also and for obvious reason a good time for businesses in the catering industry to perhaps change hands.
Yes some Algarvians do not smile a lot and this for sure is a great pity. But if you could see the conditions that some Portuguese nationals live in, together with working long hours for poor pay, is it any wonder when they see some of us from other countries...... appearing to be affluent....that it makes them depressed. Try smiling really hard at them...and if they don't smile back...feel sad for them...honestly it will make you feel good that you have tried.
Nightrider

Guest wrote

They didnt compete...were complacent and are are poorly patronised....you will note that the most succesful bar in town ( Round up) is for sale ..WHY ???
Ask yourself....Carvoeiro is a dying resort as people go elsewhere ..more for their mony...but most of all......a smily race of people..Algrvians are really a miserable bunch and time has been called...fact

I have found since the introduction of the Euro, that costs have increased across all the member countries I have visited - I think you are right to be a little concerned as the joy of visiting places such as Carvoeiro has diminished when a cocktail bought in a bar costs as much (if not more than the UK) but the prices to purchase spirits in a cave are at least half those of the UK, it is that factor that makes people feel "ripped off".

Portugal has always been one of the more expensive southern european destinations as far as travel and accommodation is concerned but previously presented a saving in spending money.

Other euro countries are the same and I am aware that in some places there has been something of a backlash against it, in order to maintain long term growth rather short term profit.

Whilst the prices are still cheaper in restaurants than going to a 'good' uk restaurant, and for the most part the food is excellent across many restaurants and is one of the reasons why I keep going back, it is not cheap. As the prices reflect those in the UK these but the wages and the standard of living for the waiting staff don't unfortunately - a bone of contention?

There will always be many of us who will continue to holiday in your country and other southern european destinations - more often than not for a greater chance of guaranteed sunshine and the wonderful attitude the southern europeans have towards children.

Maddi

p.s. I posted most of that previously in June 2003

I agree with guest who says Algarvians dont smile ..they seem to be a grumpy lot to me...always shoving me off the road...they cant stay behind for one second...and almost wipe me out daily....As for their squalid living conditions....they must ask themselves why....I agree fully with the person (Portuguese) who stated he wants to dump the beaurocracy in the sea.....Only then can this country grow......

Yes, guest, bureaucracy, nepotism, corruption, tax evasion...my usual bug bears about Portugal and how it is strangling itself. However, it is always easy to generalize or stereotype people and whilst there are for sure a lot of miserable people in these parts, there are some great smiley ones too. But then again, there are genuine smiles and fake smiles, aren't there?



We are away from Monte Carvoeiro...



Have to say, whilst I know only too well that beach front cafés are much more expensive, in that you pay for the view, I was shocked to find the price of a bifana at €5,85 in Carvoeiro...wow...it is €1,50 down the road from me. If you are from the UK though, I suppose €5,85 seems cheap.