Have you ever thought about living in the Algarve? Or do you prefer Algarve vacations? Very often, the Algarve has enticed holiday-makers to make this place their home or even a home away from home.
Michele Wolters can certainly vouch for that. She first started visiting the Algarve in 1988 after her parents decided to live there. In 2002, she finally decided to leave her homeland of Holland in favour of the sunny Algarve coast. The following year she set up her property rental business (Algarve Housing).
“What I like about the Algarve is that it’s a different world here, a more relaxed, outdoors lifestyle, with mild climate and beautiful natural surroundings. It’s also not too far away from my family and friends in Holland, the country where I was born”
Michelle Wolters, Owner of Algarve Housing
I met Michele during my Algarve network tour in April 2018. We had never met previously but we had a lively and interesting conversation and Michele was keen to help me further by introducing me to her friends and business network. This facilitated my return to Algarve during July and August 2018.
Here we have an opportunity to find out more about the Algarve from the perspective of someone who has a lot of knowledge and experience of living here.
"Portuguese can be a difficult language to learn to speak along with the grammar and pronunciation. With the growth of tourism in the last twenty years, more and more Portuguese people speak English but not so much with the older generation. Along the coast, in the tourist bars and restaurants, most are speaking English but if you go more inland you will find that it is harder without an understanding of the Portuguese language."
‘Better to come on a holiday and book a nice villa with me’, was Michelle’s witty reply. She also had this to add, ‘It’s not so easy to make a living here as the cost of living can be expensive, you might not expect this if you are only visiting on vacations. If you are planning to live in the Algarve, make sure you spend a winter here as houses are not well-insulated and usually do not have central heating. And then we have the very hot summers, so you need to find out if this is for you before making a big commitment.
"My work keeps me very busy, so when I am not working, I prefer the less crowded beaches like the ones on the West Coast such as Carrapateira and Bordeira, I also love the beaches of Monte Clerigo and Aljezur and the Islands in the East such as Armona, Culatra and Farol. My favourite town is Olhao it is so authentic and full of character."
"I am a flexitarian, I rarely eat meat, my favourite Portuguese dishes are Cataplana (a fishy stew made in a typical Portuguese copper pan) and Ameijoas (clams with lots of garlic and coriander). Although I do not eat a lot of meat, I love the chicken piripiri!"
"It all depends on what type of vacation the client requires for example, families with young children usually require a different vacation style than a group of young people who like to party until early morning. Some clients prefer a more romantic vacation location. The beauty of the Algarve is that we have it all here!"
"I provide personal contact, plus the properties I rent are all handpicked. I never rent a property without visiting myself. Due to my experience of living and travelling in the Algarve (and Portugal) I know almost every square meter, so I can give the best advice to my clients about Algarve vacations."
Contact Michele Wolters for Algarve vacation rental advice or visit her website for further information about Algarve holiday options.
Visit Algarve Housing on Facebook for ideas and offers for Algarve vacations.
Email: [email protected]
Like Michelle, I had a curiosity about living near the sea in a sunny location. My network tour of 2018 was a daring move for me but I succeeded in making friends and business connections in a short space of time. Michelle was one of the people I met there who introduced me to her contacts.
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