Birdwatcher’s paradise « The Loft »

LOFT WITH A VIEW. The bird watcher’s paradise is a trendy renovated loft with airconditioning, stunning views and WiFi.

The Loft is in a perfect location for exploring the Eastern Algarve, even without a car.

Renovated from a carpenter´s workshop into a light and airy, open planned Loft style apartment, with the most fantastic view through the double glazed doors, which make up the whole back wall.

Facing East overlooking the salt pans with flocks of flamingoes and sea birds, the ever changing scenery is a pleasure to enjoy day after day in luxury at The Loft.

As you come into The Loft, you are immediately greeted into a large open space all the way up to the roof, with the immense view in front of you. The ground floor still retains the old cobbles in the entrance hall, downstairs shower room and in the stylish fully equipped large galley kitchen with adjoining breakfast nook. There is Table football in the entrance hall for your enjoyment. The lounge area has a wooden floor, with comfortable leather sofas, flat screen TV, DVD and Wi-Fi Internet for entertainment. An air conditioning system heats the loft in the winter and cools it in summer.

Down a few steps and a large dining table adjacent to the double glazed doors and windows over- looking the cobbled garden and salt pans. The view is fantastic both from the inside and from the cobbled courtyard and small garden. A low wall separates the property from a sea inlet which feeds the salt flats and fills and empties with the tide.

Two sets of stairs lead you to the upper floor, with a double bed and additional seating area with large bean bags . A separate dressing room with a sofa bed for additional guests or older children opens into the bathroom which has a double washbasin and a spectacular round bath tub in which you can relax and enjoy the view over the salt flats. There is also a terrace from which the view is even more spectacular as you can see into the far distance to the mountains of salt.

Tucked into the traditional, picturesque old fishing port of Fuseta, the Loft is a very modern structure in the spirit of a New York loft. The Loft is 5 minutes from the train station. Train travel in Portugal is inexpensive, reliable and is pleasant for sight-seeing. You can take a bike on board. A 5 minutes walk in the opposite direction brings you to the main shopping street of the charming, friendly village of Fuseta, a typical animated small fishing port with it’s main square where you can sit in one of the cafés to sample the delicious Portuguese pastries to accompany a “Bica”, the Portuguese version of an espresso coffee. Newspapers, magazines, etc., are available in English, French, German, etc.

There is also a great Restaurant in the square and a very popular Restaurant down by the quay and daily market. Opposite to the Loft there is a small supermarket , good and inexpensive, with a large choice of Portuguese products including vegetables, meat, cheeses and a nice selection of affordable, good wines.

The streets and squares of Fuzeta are busy, bustling and noisy, a very festive mood. There are a lot of little concerts and jam sessions taking place in the various little pubs and bars close the port and the beach.

Portuguese is a language which is spoken loudly and so do not be surprised if you hear singing and chatting on the street.

Walking along the waterfront you will pass a wonderful old boatyard repairing old wooden fishing boats painted in bright colours on your way to the covered market where stalls sell local produce: fish, fruit, vegetables, meat, eggs, fresh goat’s cheese and honey.

You can walk from the Loft to the ferry boats in a few minutes. They ply to and fro from the island which separates the lagoon from the Atlantic Ocean. A ten minutes trip will take you to near deserted, miles long sand beaches. On the lagoon side the sea is warm and calm, on the other a bracing , wave swept beach.

Kitesurf, sailing, kayak, fishing and other water-sports are available, as well as excursions by boat to watch the dolphins playing in the sea.