Contactaddress: Marita Kruyswijk, Kerkstraat 32 8433LJ Haulerwijk tel: 0031516421612 fax:0031516422949 email: [email protected] Casa Marianta Chapadinha, Alferce Monchique, South Portugal A sunny, quiet and verdant location in the Algarve for four people. Six kilometres east of Monchique and two kilometres to the west of the village of Al- ferce lies the house Casa Marianta. Located in the middle of the Monchique National Park on the slope of Picota, the second highest mountain of this nature reserve. Situ- ated in the hamlet of Chapadinha it is surrounded with cork oak and eucalyptus trees, and looks out on our neighbour’s citrus trees. There is a wide view of the valley. In the distance is the neighbouring village of Umbria and behind that the mountains of the Serra de Monchique. There are countless walking trails in every direction, some starting directly from the house. Find the old paved Moorish Way leading from Mon- chique to Alferce, marked in yellow, that heads into the mountains directly after the turn for Umbria. Discover the three hot springs in the area: the “Fonte Santa”. The house in Chapadinha is situated ca. 60 meters under the parking-place. Within a 25-minute drive of Chapadinha is the most well known beach on the south coast: Praia da Rocha, a long sandy beach with incredible coloured sandstone formations. Ideal for swimming! Or take a forty-five minute drive to a less tame, rougher and also quieter West Coast with its steep granite cliffs and wild waves. But even here there are many peaceful bays where swimming is possible, such as Aljezur: Mte.Clerigo, Arrifana and after Aljezur the first turn to the left, a pristine beach with a single restaurant. It’s impossible to list all the possible excursions but here are a few: - To the south of Monchique is the Omega Parque; a special Zoo for animals which are threatened by extinction. -To the east of Monchique is the old Moorish fortified town of Silves, with its old city centre and castle. -Sagres, the most westerly point in Europe. Almost always windy! -There is a footpath through old-Monchique to the monastery above the town. Well worth the effort. -Milfontes, a romantic place on the West Coast. -Combine a visit to Spain with a trip to Mértola, a fortified town with Roman ruins, wonderfully situated on two rivers. Seville is 130 kilometres from the border. In Alferce are two small shops for the bare necessities, a free little swimming pool and two genuine Portuguese pubs. Monchique is recommended for supermarkets, res- taurants ,a free swimming pool, a free internet room or an evening out. At any time of the year there are many recreational possibilities along the South Coast, from aquarium to amusement park. Information can be found at the Tourist Office in Mon- chique. The interior layout of the Casa Marianta is as follows: A large living room with an open kitchen (simple furnishing), an open attic (can be used as an extra bedroom), and a middle room with a co- lour-TV and a radio. Connected to this are the two bedrooms, the one with a double bed and the other with two singles. All beds havebedclothes. A bathroom with shower, toilet, bath, bidet and washing machine. The kitchen has towels, a coffee machine and a 4-hob propane cooker with oven. In the living room are a wood-stove and a fireplace. There is also an electric radia- tor and a fan. We wish you a pleasant stay. Marita and Marian..