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1st September 2007

Hotspot - Portugal, Ferragudo

This unspoilt fishing village used to be the Western Algarve’s best-kept secret – but not any longer.

Think you know everything there is to know about Portugal’s Algarve? Then think again. Because there’s one coastal spot that has, until now, kept itself out of the spotlight.

That place is Ferragudo, a traditional fishing village where old women greet you from their gardens, fishermen lazily mend their nets on the quayside, young couples stroll happily along its sandy beaches and the occasional tourist admires the castle at the river’s mouth.

All this has sparked a property boom in the village that, until recently, included just a handful of foreign-owned holiday homes. Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho is a famous son, and his father Felix is currently building a house on the quayside.

So why have this pleasant little village sudden woken up? One answer is that, until recently only a small rickety bridge connected the village to Portimou. A new bridge now connects Ferragudo to Portimou, as well as the costal dual carriageway.

Ferragudo is still very genteel. A curved port is surrounded by original fishing cottages and stone warehouses, behind which a warren of streets climbs up to the apex of the town.

It’s not the celebrities signing up to buy here that’s generating such excitement - it’s plans to build a marina at the side of the village. Due to be completed in 2009, it will contain 140 villas and berths for up to 350 yachts. A smart 1,000-seat theatre is also under construction.

“When the marina is finished, we expect prices to catch up with more expensive places on the Western Algarve such as Vilamoura or Val so Lobo” says the town’s mayor, Luis Alberto. If past price rises are anything to go by, he may very well be right.”

My Place - Ex-footballer star, Tony Dorigo

It’s easy to name sports celebrities who endorse luxury resorts and developments. But former footballer Tony Dorigo has gone one step further and is building his own boutique development just outside Ferragudo - in which he will have his own villa.

The former England defender who played for Chelsea, Leeds and Aston Villa - has launched Vale de Lapa Parque, with two and three bedroom villas starting at £313,000.

“I’ve always been interested in property and have a few buy-to-lets in Manchester,” says Tony 41. He currently lives in Hartford, Cheshire with his wife Heather 40, and their kids Todd, 15 and Sasha, 12.

“We took out time to find the right location. It’s a prime piece of land just outside Ferragudo,” he says. Faro airport is only 35 minutes away and flights to the UK take just over two hours.

There will be a limited number of three-bedroom, lakeside villages with private pools, and two-bedroom townhouses with terraces. A clubhouse with communal pools, restaurant and health spa will also be on site.

For further details call Your Place Abroad on 0800 731 0837, or visit their website – www.yourplaceabroad.com