Albufeira
Albufeira is the largest, liveliest and most energetic of all of the resort towns that line southern Portugal’s beautiful Algarve coastline. Albufeira provides stunning beaches, a glorious climate, a vast selection of restaurants and a buzzing nightlife; there is so much to love about Albufeira and this has transformed the once peaceful fishing village into the Algarve’s most popular holiday destinations.
Being the largest resort town of the Algarve, Albufeira has an extensive range of activities, attractions and hotels, making the town an ideal holiday destination for families, couples or groups.
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Why Visit Albufeira?
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Albufeira is an outstanding holiday destination, as it offers so much more than just gorgeous beaches and great weather. Within the charming and historic streets of the “Old Town” there are over one hundred different restaurants and bars, while the nightlife scene is vibrant and social, and continues late into the night. For those groups of visitors wanting a more of a hedonistic holiday should head to “The Strip”, a street crammed with bars and clubs that actively encourages excessive drinking and partying.
Though Albufeira welcomes a wide range of visitors, it is still primarily a family holiday destination, with facilities and activities that are perfectly suited for children of all ages. Young children will be welcomed throughout, while difficult to please teenagers will be entertained by the waterparks, themeparks and the general excitement about the town.
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For those visitors who tire of the beaches there are many interesting day trips, including the towns of Silves, Faro and Loulé, and these can be explored independently using the inexpensive public transport. A more leisurely activity is to join one of the excellent boat tours that depart from the marina, these tours range from deep sea fishing trips, coastal tours, dolphin watching trips, all the way through to party boats.
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When to Visit
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Albufeira has hot summers, warm springs and autumns, while winters are mild but can have extended grey and wet periods. The height of the summer season aligns with the school holidays (July and August) but the high season extends from June until September. This extended summer season of Albufeira, which is much longer than many other resort towns, is due to the fact that Albufeira is popular with visitors who do not have children. If you are planning a holiday during the high season always book accommodation and flights well in-advance.
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The weather of the Algarve is suitable for spending time on the beaches from May until mid-October but be warned the seas are surprisingly cold, only reaching 18C at the height of the summer. The spring and autumn months are a great season for visitors who wish to explore the region, as days are bright and sunny but without the intense summer heat.
The winter months are mild but are unpredictable, with an equal number of sunny days and wet days. Albufeira should not be considered as a winter sun destination but as there is a large permanent population, the town never fully closes down for the winter and there are always restaurants, bars and cafes open.
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Food in Albufeira
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Albufeira has the largest selection of restaurants, cafes and bars in the Algarve and in the extended town there are over 500 different establishments. These are all designed for tourists and the wide selection covers all styles of cuisine and dining, include Portuguese, English, Indian, Chinese, Italian and Spanish. The evening meal is an important part of the Portuguese day, and meals tend not to be rushed. Expect the evening meal to last for a good couple of hours and there to be a wait for freshly cooked food.
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Portugal has the added appeal, that it is a comparatively inexpensive country; with food, accommodation and transport much cheaper than many of the other established holiday destinations, especially when compared to Greece, or the Balearic islands.
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Faro Airport
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The nearest international airport to Albufeira is Faro Airport, which is located 40km to the east. Faro airport has connections to the whole of Europe and all of the low cost airlines fly into Faro. There is very limited public transport from Faro airport to Albufeira and the majority of visitors pre-book a transfer. Transfers are either private (€40) or shared mini bus/coach (€20), never get a taxi from the arrivals lounge as this will be very expensive.
The journey by public transport from Faro airport to Albufeira requires two buses (airport to Faro city and Faro city to Albufeira).
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Information courtesy of http://www.algarve-tourist.com
