Charm of the Season Part I: January & February

The Charm of the Season ..

Every week I get the question "What is the weather like in February / March / December?" and that makes sense, especially if you are planning a holiday you want to know what to expect. And even though nothing is as changeable as the weather, I can of course share my own experience. What is important to know is: what are you here for? Do you want to lie on the beach or by the pool or would you like to relax in a spot in the sun with a book? Do you like 28+ degrees best or are you more of a 22 degree enjoyer?

Sven and I were thinking yesterday that it would be good to tell us something about the charms of the season. We drove in the convertible through the hills of Santa Catarina, in a T-shirt and shorts on January 25. It smelled wonderful because the orange starts to blossom early in the year. The hills were beautifully colored pink by blooming almond trees. Now the weather was very nice at 24 degrees, but certainly no exception, with a little imagination I could have even seen us lying on the beach.

Valley with almond blossom

So here:

Charm of the Season Part I: January & February

The weather:   _111000 00-0000-0000-0000-000000000111_ _11100000-0000- 0000-0000-000000000111_ To start with, Tavira has the most hours of sunshine in Europe and officially has a Mediterranean climate. The summers are warm and dry, but the winter is also relatively warm and sunny. In January and February, the daytime temperature normally varies between 16 and 19 degrees and the weather is mainly dry and sunny, alternating with the occasional rainy day. Sunny periods when temperatures rise above 20 degrees are no exception. It is not without reason that many choose the Algarve to 'hibernate' for a month or longer, with or without a remote workplace.

Activities:    _1110 0000-0000-0000-0000-000000000111_ _11100000-0000- 0000-0000-000000000111_  _11100000-0000-0000-0000-00 0000000111_  _11100000-0000-0000- 0000-000000000111_   Tourism is a lot less prominent in this season, many restaurants are closed one or more extra days a week, but there is still plenty to do enjoy.

The weather is ideal for relaxing, there is always a spot to sunbathe or retreat with a book. Even if it is not sunny on a day, this is the ideal season for beautiful car rides through the authentic eastern Algarve or perhaps even a day trip to Seville. As a lover of walking, cycling or golfing, you will certainly get your money's worth now.

Nature:   _111000 00-0000-0000-0000-000000000111_ _11100000-0000-0000 -0000-000000000111_  _11100000-0000-0000-0000-0000000 00111_   _11100000-0000-0000- 0000-000000000111_  _11100000-0000-0000-0000-0000000 00111_  _11100000-0000-0000-0000- 000000000111_  _11100000-0000-0000-0000-000000000111 _ Simply, it's beautiful! The oranges are in abundance in the orchards and the first blossoms for the new harvest are starting to emerge. Between November and Marchthe most rain falls in the Algarve, so the fields are now bright green and wildflowers are in full bloom, all framed by the exuberant pink blossoms of the almond trees.

The birds that breed in the Algarve are now often arriving and preparing to nest. There is a lot of flying beauty to be seen in our orchard and the various owl species can certainly be heard loudly. The Ria Formosa Natural Park, a beautiful lagoon that extends from Cacela Velha to beyond Faro, is practically on our doorstep and is an important breeding ground for various special bird species.

With us in the B&B:  _11100000-0000-0000-0000-000000000111 _ _11100000-0000-0000-0000 -000000000111_ It is low season, which does not mean that it is necessarily quiet, but we see guests who come as a change from the dark winter weather of Northern Europe. The underfloor heating and modern insulation make it comfortable. It is often so nice in the morning in the sun that you can have breakfast outside. For guests who stay longer, there is good internet and we can provide a workplace to work remotely. We do not heat the swimming pool in the low season for sustainability reasons (we do in the early and late season), but many diehards are not deterred by the temperature of the Atlantic Ocean (17 degrees in February). The attractive room rates in the low season combined with the cheap ticket prices make these months an accessible and extra interesting alternative to the cold Netherlands.