I interviewed Maria in the new Centro de Congressos do Algarve and we managed to sneak into an empty conference room as the sound was GREAT in there. Her life is really varied taking in a lot of projects like online tourism startups, the Lagos Food Fest, other big events, food tours, the Rota de Petisco (read all about it as we didn't have time to discuss it).

• Born in Lisbon, moved to Macau, China when she was 2 due to her fathers involvement with Portugal broadcasting.
• Her first impression of the Algarve was at Cabanas de Tavira when she was really small. The next time she visited was Vilamoura in her teens... (!)
• Typical vacation spot for the whole of Portugal.
• Escaping from the Algarve in August.
• How she moved to the Algarve.
• First job in the Algarve and then working for Eddie Murphy!
• Algarve Tech Hub makes its way into one more of our conversations.
• Share Algarve is coming soon and we discuss the new vision for the conference.
• Maria has a food tour company which started "by accident" over three years ago. Canned food from Maria do Mar in Portimao.
• Culinary Tourism as an incentive from the Tourism Boards, both the Região Turismo Algarve and Portugal Tourism.
• Lagos food fest 25,000 people come to Lagos for one weekend. It's in July 2019.
• Gastronomic Conference has been designed to build a strategy around the food and beverage industry in the Algarve. The web site is coming soon and will be here: http://congressogastronomiadoalgarve.com/
• Maria's top spots! Beaches (all Google Maps links):
  • Camilo,
  • Ingrina,
  • Amado,
  • Arrifana,
  • Tavira
  
  
• Restaurants: Polvo e Compania (Santa Luzia), Come Na Gaveta (Tavira), Ferradura (Lagos)
• Coastline: Walk the cliffs of Lagos from Ponta da Piedade to Burgau
• (about 10kms)
• Monchique: Find a medronho distillery and then enjoy the different food. Maria talks about the origin of Carne de Porco Alentejano (pork and clams).