Last Updated on February 5, 2023
Luxury and more in the Algarve
The reason that the majority of Portuguese desserts only use the yoke of the egg”, explains our cookery teacher “is that many early recipes were originally devised in convents – and the nuns kept the whites back to starch their habits”.
This is just one of the new pieces of information I am gaining at Mimo, a new cookery school at Pine Cliffs, Portugal, where Portuguese culinary skills are seamlessly passed on to young and old alike in the most modern of surroundings. This school is the most recent addition to the many facilities on offer in what is one of the largest and most luxurious resorts in the Algarve.
As part of my cooking experience, we learn how to cook the Portuguese seafood stew “Cataplana” and I find out that “Cataplana” is the word for both the dish and the spherical pot it’s cooked in. As it is made with both pork and shellfish and I do not eat either, I make my own variation using fresh local white fish. Afterwards, we sit down in the dining area with our teachers Joana, Pedro and Olga to eat our own creations. It is a lovely experience and also a great way to ask any other cookery questions we may have. Mine is how to get a fuller better flavour without using Prawns. In a kind, subtle way, the answer is it is not really possible! Later in the evening, the same space is turned into a great venue to leisurely enjoy tapas and drinks on the outside terrace.
It is not only cooking that is based here, as learning while on holiday is one of the themes of the resort. A beautiful nine-hole clifftop golf course with its famous signature hole, the par-3 “Devil’s Parlour” and the renowned Annabel Croft Tennis Academy fit well into the ambience of a place that offers lessons and stimulation. There are also 8 swimming pools and 12 different restaurants.
Families especially love it, partly because it has the biggest kids club in the region as well as many other child-friendly facilities. To cater for the adults there are two places to fully relax and or, keep fit. The Art of Well Being has been awarded the accolade of “Europe’s Best Wellness Spa” with its many amenities that include 13 treatment rooms and authentic local signature treatments using local ingredients. My only regret is not having more time to try some more of the experiences.
“Active by Serenity”, is on another site, and is the health club of the resort. Its many offerings include a Hydrotherapy Pool and also a Kneipp Pool. I wondered what that is and was told it has two sides with water at different temperatures, one warm and the other cold. The aim is to walk for a few minutes in the water, which is acknowledged to produce a significant improvement in blood circulation.
Not knowing much about the place before my arrival I did find it a bit complicated, until I realised that, Pine Cliffs, a fully integrated resort, is home to The Pine Cliffs Hotel, The Pine Cliff Residences and the Pine Cliffs Ocean Suites, all under The Luxury Collection brand – a franchise of Marriott International.
These different types of accommodation are found within the 178 acres of landscaped garden where cobbled paths link the various areas. It is laid out above the huge sandstone cliffs that are scattered with pine trees. Hence the name. All the accommodation has full air conditioning with satellite TV and sound systems, as well as complimentary wireless internet. There is free on-site car parking. The important part is that although the resort opened in 1992, it is constantly being updated.
The location is excellent, just outside Albufeira, a picturesque town on Portugal’s southerly Algarve coast and flanked by any number of family-friendly beaches. More beautiful beaches are just a short drive away, and the resort’s location in the heart of the Algarve region makes it an ideal base for exploring the many other attractions the area has to offer, such as the historic towns of Lagos, Tavira and also Silves, with its well-preserved castle.
There are countless other pretty whitewashed villages too. The stunning Ria Formosa Nature Park is nearby and it is just a 40-minute drive to get here from Faro International Airport.
I am staying in the 217-roomed hotel with its spacious bedrooms and suites in five categories, with views across either the ocean or the gardens from the privacy of a balcony or terrace. Breakfast is served in Jardim Colonial, a classically decorated spacious restaurant that opens to an outside terrace. A relaxing way to start the day. Other restaurants include the Piri Piri Steakhouse which offers a wide selection of prime meat from all over the world – which can be paired with the best Portuguese wines. In the heart of the resort, Corda Café provides a more casual experience and serves international dishes.
I decide to spend the following day by the sea and go to seek out the lift that whisks holidaymakers down to an attractive shoreline. It is a pretty scene with the beach set into mountain rock and a gentle seabed that is safe for all levels of swimmers.
As the light fades it was great to visit the panoramic Maré Restaurant right by the sea where that day’s catch is displayed on a large slab for the customer to choose exactly what they want to have for their meal. It soon became my favourite restaurant in this large but excellent Portuguese resort.
From £189.00 (€216.00) based on 2 adults sharing a deluxe room resort view, including breakfast.
https://www.pinecliffs.com/en/
