Bars - most places charge the same for Coke as for beer. They are supposed to display prices but they are usually in such miniscule writing you cannot see them.

Which type of bar - locals or English bar with the football on TV? I can make a few recommendations as I live not far from Casa Mitchell and have been known to frequent the odd establishment.

Cafe/restaurant - quite close to Casa Mitchell is Bagatelle ( a kind of Italian pizza and pasta place but plenty more on the menu) which I haven't been to but people say it's OK. Also nearby is a little Indian restaurant which I have been to and is quite OK. In the same street are two Portuguese cafes which do snacks and set lunches.

Further down into the town (about 10 minutes walk) there are restaurants of every known description on just about every corner and the main square has about ten. Prices are fairly reasonable by UK standards (but don't buy fish by the weight or you will get a nasty shock) and as many cater mainly for tourists to be honest I find them much of a muchness.

Cafe Amorim in the road to the tunnel is mainly used by locals and is quite nice with plenty of outside seating. They do beer, coffee and snacks. Closed on Sundays.

Down by the beach things can get a bit expensive and touts will practically drag you in.

There is a LIDL supermarket about half a mile away - you will see the sign at the top of the hill - and a few hundred yards further along the same road there is a fair-sized Modelo shopping centre with supermarket, sports store and Worten (a bit like Dixons) for boys toys/electricals/computers etc and opposite that a Pingo Doce supermarket. The latter are a bit of a hike if you don't have a car so I get the bus back to save my fingers! There is also a fairly decent Alisuper store in the Av da Liberdade, which is in the old town centre but you still have to walk back up the hill with your bags. Finallty there is a corner shop (expensive) by the roundabout opposite Bagatelle.

Trust that helps - I can fill in on bars (plenty of experience!) if you give an idea of preferences.

Sorry - I forgot that there is a medium sized Alisuper and a few other shops if you follow Av do Tenis towards the sea, bear right at the end and go past the Hotel Boa Vista. it's opposite the cemetery and is actually the nearest. But it's still an uphill walk back!

Thanks cubsur
Thats all really helpful. As for what sort of bar - if it is clean, comfortable, reasonably priced, with pleasant staff who don't mind kids, it doesnt matter what nationality it is. However, I suppose we will need least one recommendation of where to watch the footie!

Right on the beach you have Wild Bill Hiccups , Steve and Annie will sort you out for good beer, good food, and good company and they also show all the footie. Although you will have to put with Steve being a Chelsea fan!!!!!

I can second Will Bill Hiccups but problem is that major construction work is taking place until end June right outside and Steve is not sure if when or if he will be able to open or whether he will have a JCB through his window. Same goes for several other bars in that area.

Eddy's Bar just a short way down the hill towards town is usually Ok and fairly busy also has two big screens; Merlins is a much smaller establishment close by also probably worth a look. They have a covered terrace for the summer.

Jo-jo's bar also near the beach is undergoing a refit and should be Ok for April. New manager in as well.

Also, nobody here minds kids (well behaved ones of course!) or they wouldn't do any trade.

hi we have just returned from a week at the casa mitchell and can highly recommend it, spotlessly clean, daily maid service with clean towels etc, nice quiet pool. As for bars can certainly recommend eddys bar, very friendly family bar, plenty of tv screens and he loves his sport. The food is excellent and very reasonably priced breakfast was 4euros including tea or coffee, and beer and lemonade prices reasonable(generally found prices very close to here if not a bit dearer in places. hope you have fun

Good restaurants with reasonable prices. Alfredos, Fabios and Doce diner, close to the Camera (Town Hall), bit of a hike from where you are, but worth it (Alfredos closed Mondays BTW). O Manjar in the MFA road - hugh portions and reasonable. if i may be so bold as to recommend my bar, as it fits all your criteria, and san Miguel is 2 euros a pint, soft drinks 1 euro a glass - Floyds bar, also just behind the town hall (and up the hill).

Staying at the Brisa Sol in 8 weeks time, is your Bar far from them.

You will be pleased to know we are the closest British run bar to the Brisa Sol sweet 42, about a five minute walk, I will PM you directions.

When i stayed at the Brisa Sol we drank every night in floyds Bar good friendly english bar with a pool table too

Algarvedick Have you got the football caps back in Yet?

Got loads of Scotland ones available...

LOL