A five-minute guide to Albufeira, Portugal
Albufeira, the Algarve’s largest resort town, is somewhat surprisingly also one of its most attractive. A seaside town with a picturesque old quarter and miles of sandy beaches, Albufeira’s quaint centre belies a vibrant nightlife and thoroughly modern new town. What with the added bonus of being under 45 minutes from the Algarve’s main Faro airport, Albufeira is often seen to be the ultimate holiday destination by families, couples and singles alike. To familiarise you with this popular town, here we’ve written up a quick guide to things to do in Albufeira.
The beaches of Albufeira
With more than 300 days of sun a year on average, as well as miles of beautiful, golden sand, it’s not surprising that the first thing many travellers decide to do when they get here is take of their shoes, spread out their towels and disconnect from their daily grind at one of the area’s famed beaches.
The main Albufeira beaches – the Praia dos Pescadores and the Praia da Oura (the “Fisherman’s Beach” and the “Golden Beach”) – are both lined with honeyed sand and filled with clear blue waters. They can get very popular in summer, so if you fancy something a little more relaxed, it can be a good idea to investigate the stunning beaches between Sao Rafael and Galé, about 5 km to the west of Albufeira. There’s various watersports on offer in Albufeira, such as diving and even swimming with dolphins.
The New Town and the Old Town
Albufeira is split into two parts: the Old Town and the New Town. The Old Town is a charmingly typical labyrinth of narrow cobbled streets, and features some attractive old (mostly late Renaissance period) churches, an art gallery and an archeological museum. It’s also a great place to try out some of the Algarve’s best restaurants.
The New Town is geared up towards Albufeira’s younger visitors. A great place for people to come and meet up, you’ll find all kinds of clubs and bars here, which are mostly concentrated around the southern end of the ‘strip’ (located on the Avenida Dr. Francisco Sà Carneiro). There’s numerous drinks offers, and various bars often run a happy hour.
Albufeira is also close to some of the Algarve’s main attractions, such as various waterparks, the FIESA sand sculpture festival and the twelfth-century Castle of Paderne.
…and that’s all, folks (we think). If we’ve missed anything off the list, write in and let us know about your experiences in Albufeira!
Penelope – Marketing Team
