ABOUT THE ALGARVE REGION
The Algarve is the most southerly end of Portugal and has more days of sunshine than California! It’s no surprise that 7 million people flock to its award winning beaches, historic towns, competition level golf courses and stunning landscapes every year.
The beautiful golden sandy beaches are some of the best in the world. 86 have received the much coveted Blue Flag award, so it’s no surprise they’re one of the major attractions of the Algarve. The beaches are fully equipped to meet all your needs offering spectacular views of the coastline, relaxing beach front bars and restaurants, loungers, parasols and water sports activities for summer fun and much more.
The Algarve is also known for its unique contrast between the golden coastline and the beautiful rural countryside, its many historic attractions and thousands of species of flora and fauna. If you want more than just a beach holiday, this is the perfect destination for photography, painting, and nature watching, walking, cycling and sailing too.
How to travel to the Algarve
Due to its location, bordered by both land and sea, Algarve resorts enjoy good transport connections. Various international airlines, including the low cost carriers, fly regularly to the Algarve, via Faro Airport.
The Algarve also benefits from a recently modernized road network, making road travel around the region uncomplicated. Rail travelers in the region have easy access to the Portuguese rail service (CP – Comboios de Portugal) which links the Algarve with the rest of Portugal and beyond.
Your Holidays in Albufeira
Albufeira is one of Portugal’s most famous tourist cities in the Faro district of Algarve. Since the 1960’s when it first became popular as a holiday destination with tourists from northern Europe, it has developed from a picturesque fishing town into a bustling holiday resort. Its history stretches back to Roman times when it was known as “Baltum”. The Moors, who occupied the town in the 8th century, renamed it Al-Buhera, which means ‘The Castle on the Sea’.
Albufeira, which lies just forty minutes’ drive from the Algarve’s international airport, Faro, can be divided into two main areas of interest: Albufeira old town and Albufeira new town.
Vilamoura, the Best Golf Destination
The city of Vilamoura, recently voted Europe’s premier golf destination, lies just 15 minutes’ drive to the east of Albufeira but there are still a couple of good quality courses close to central Albufeira itself.
The Weather in the Algarve
The Algarve enjoys the best climate in Europe. With only a short period of rainfall (between November and March) and long hours of sunshine (the highest in Europe). During the summer months, temperatures are high, with water temperatures of around 22°C.
The Algarve climate is influenced by continental Europe, North Africa, the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean. Average temperatures in the Algarve vary between 15ºC and 31°C, almost never falling below zero in the winter months.