Where To Stay In Albufeira
luxury
Sao Rafael Atlantico A super chic and stylish hotel complex with a wide range of facilities for guests to enjoy, Sao Rafael Atlantico is the place to stay if youre looking to really get away from it all in what is practically a town in its own right. Theres two indoor heated pools, a large sun terrace, and sprawling gardens. Its under ten minutes to Praia de Sao Rafael beach but thats if you can tear yourself away from this elegant, luxury experience.
budget
Alfagar Village This is a great all-around holiday hotel that boasts apartments for those traveling on a budget or who like to make their accommodation their own. These come complete with their own kitchens, sitting areas, a balcony or terrace, and views of the sparkling Atlantic Ocean. The whole holiday complex also comes with everything you might need from an onsite shop for all those essentials and a gym to a restaurant and a pool bar. Santa Eulalia beach is nearby.
Aljezur Vibrant Surfing Scene And Charming Historical Sites
Located thirty kilometers north of Lagos, Aljezur is a small town with whitewashed buildings, colored windows, castles atop hills, old churches, and charming views of the ocean. It is close to some fine surfing beaches on the Atlantic Coast of the Algarve.
The landscape takes yet another turn here, this time to lush green fields and hills. It also features the Southwest Alantejo And Vincentine Coast Natural Park, which stretches from the hills to the golden sandy beaches on the coast.
The main beaches near Aljezur are Praia da Arrifana , Praia do Monte Clérigo, Praia da Amoreira, Praia da Pedra da Agulha, and Praia de Vale Figueiras.
Beyond the natural sights, there are also attractions with historical importance, such as Aljezurs Castle, The Church Of Carrapateira, and the 10th-century forts of Ponta Da Atalaia and Ponta Do Castelo.
This combination of scenery and attractions makes it a perfect destination for those who like variety in their vacations.
The accommodation in the area is very reasonably priced, however, there is only a small number of hotels so booking well in advance is essential. Bars and restaurants in the area are also limited, so be prepared for a more local, traditional experience.
Stay in Aljezur if you love surfing you dont like touristy areas, you like good value accommodation, you like to contribute to the local community, you like a variety of landscapes to explore, you like historical locations.
Best Places to Stay near Aljezur:
Where To Stay In Algarve For Golf
Vilamoura
As mentioned before, Vilamoura was designed as a luxury location on the Algarve for a high-class clientele. With this came the creation of many amazing and extensive golf courses.
There are six 18-hole golf courses. Luckily they each do an effort to reduce their environmental impact in a region that is mainly dry.
This allows visitors to come into contact with the Algarves natural beauty while also enjoying a game of golf.
Vilamoura is considered an elite golfing center and its courses are of international quality.
The Hilton Vilamoura is a great place to stay if you are looking for a hotel with easy access to golf. You can find our complete review here.
The Anantara Vilamoura Resort is an equally good choice with a golf course that borders the property.
Quarteira
Nearby Quarteira is one of the original Algarve tourist towns.
It is home to a beautiful beach promenade, bustling markets, interesting shops and cute cafes.
It is also one of the most popular destinations for Portuguese tourists, rather than international tourists.
Quarteira is also considered a great option as a base for a golfing holiday, as it is close to a number of the top golf courses, without having to pay luxury prices.
It is convenient for visiting the top-class Vilamoura golf courses without the top-price Vilamoura cost.
As a more scaled-down town, it also maintains a bit more of its original charm, which is great for those days off from golf.
Best place to stay in Quarteira
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Where To Stay In Faro
midrange
Hotel Eva Situated right in the center of Faro itself, staying at this 4-star hotel means youll have everything the town has to offer on your doorstep. Its excellent location also boasts views across the marina and features great public transport links its close to both the train station and a bus stop. Rooms are decorated in calm, muted colors, making for a chilled atmosphere thats good for a peaceful nights sleep. Featuring a warm, friendly vibe, Hotel Eva also serves up a complimentary buffet breakfast.
budget
Faro Boutique Hotel A contemporary, design-oriented urban hotel situated just a few minutes from Faros lovely Old Town and a short walk to Faro marina this hotel is a great choice for anybody looking for a slice of affordable cool on their Algarve getaway. The staff here are very professional and offer helpful advice about sightseeing in the area. The rooms at this hotel are decorated in a boutique style some even come with their own private sun terraces.
Where To Stay In Quarteira
Dom Jose Beach Hotel Spotlessly clean and sparkling, staff at the Dom Jose Beach Hotel are always on hand and willing to help. The elegant design of the hotel itself is contemporary and reflects the seascape outside. Quarteria Beach is only 100 meters from this hotel, meaning seaside fun is never far away. The onsite restaurant here can cater for different dietary requirements, and in the summer months, theres a BBQ served up on the sun terrace.
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Albufeira Where To Stay For Nightlife
Albufeira is located in the western part of the Algarve and is a 40-minute drive from Faro. It is a very cute fishing town known for its beautiful long stretch of beaches, scenic views, and lively nightlife. So, yes you can start to get excited as this town has a lot to offer!
In Albufeira, you will find so many charming sandy beaches along the coast offering beautiful views and crystal clear water. You can simply enjoy chilling on the beach and charge yourself for the night or, you can go on whale watching and diving tours.
After a day on the beach, it is time to discover the vibrant nightlife of the town. The area you need to go to is the Strip Albufeira and Montechoro. Here you will find numerous clubs, bars, and restaurants. Get ready to try beautiful cocktails, delicious wines, and to dance all night! Albufeira certainly has enough places to make the party animals amongst you happy.
- Take golf lesons at Pestana Golf Academy
- Get a suntan at sandy beaches like Praia dos Pescadores, Praia dos Olhos d Agua, Praia de Santa Eulália and Praia dos Salgados
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Olho Where To Stay In Algarve For Relaxation
The nearest town to both Faro and the Ria Formosa Natural Park is the old fishing village of Olhão. If you plan to take any day trips by ferry to nearby islands, they leave from Olhão, making this a good place to stay. Looking for quiet places in the Algarve? Olhão is a quiet respite from nearby Faro and the proximity means you can still enjoy anything youd like to see in Faro, but have a quiet retreat at the end of the day.
Olhão itself has many cute cafes, shops and restaurants, and youll definitely have a more local, authentic feel than in some of the larger cities and ports.
Portimao Where To Stay In Algarve For Shopping
At the mouth of the Arade River, Portimao is the largest city in the western Algarve, and was once a large hub for shipping and fishing. As a larger city, this is a good option if you want to know where to stay in Algarve without a car, as you can use public transportation to get to and from Portimao, as well as getting around the city easily.
Portimao itself does not have a beach, but you can easily find a boutique hotel with an outdoor swimming pool, or simply take a day trip to nearby beach resort of Praia da Rocha, just two kilometres from the center of Portimao. The central location of Portimao makes it easy to check out Lagos and Albufeira, each less than 30 minutes by car.
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Where To Stay In Monte Gordo
Hotel Alba Hotel Alba, with its serene and sophisticated setting, combines holiday hotel apartments with high-end facilities. Theres a sauna here, as well as a team room, plus an outdoor pool and an indoor spa pool. At this hotel, you can unwind with a book in the hotels lounge or head out on a bike ride to explore nearby beaches or head to Castro Marim Castle for some history. For sea and sand, Monte Gordo beach is right on the doorstep.
Salema Burgau And Luz
As you head east along the southern coast, the next two fishing villages of note are Salema and Burgau. Salema has attracted more attention and therefore investment in recent years but they are both protected by being within the natural park so not overdeveloped.
Read more about Salemas charms in this post.
Luz is the first beach and town after leaving the natural park and is dominated by a massive cliff. The pleasant promenade is lined with cafés and restaurants and there are more of these as you head up the hill and into the village, which is a mixture of the traditional and the tourist-oriented and still quite attractive, especially when compared to some of the more popular destinations between Lagos and Faro.
Accommodation options
For a two bedroom holiday home try Townhouse Estrela Do Mar. Its right on the beachfront and perfect for gazing out to sea from your terrace. Very good amenities and a fully equipped kitchen. Take a look at the photots.
Set back from the beach by about 1 km youll find the cute and colourful Quinta do Mar da Luz, Burgau, which offers various types of apartments and rooms in a stone building and outlying wings surrounding a pool. Perfect for relaxing in natural surroundings. See photos and check availablility
Sleeping in a tent may not be your cup of tea but theres a wide range of lovely apartments and studios available at Salema Eco Camp. Theres a peacefulness and tranquility but be warned, wifi is minimal at best. Check out the choices.
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Where To Stay In Armacao De Pera
Pestana Viking Beach Resort With its fantastic location close to town, this hotel is set on a cliff overlooking the sea and Tremocos beach a perfect position for watching the sunset. Spend an enjoyable holiday here, luxuriating in the spa, dining in one of the two restaurants, soaking up the sun in the outdoor pool, or hitting the gym. Theres even a Turkish bath here. The hotel gardens lead directly onto the beach for a simply sublime setting.
Where To Stay In The Algarve Map And Overview
Below is an interactive map of the Algarve, highlighting the major resort towns and finest holiday destinations.The yellow pins show the larger and livelier beach towns . The green pins highlight the smaller and calmer beach destinations . The grey pins show the non-coastal towns and cities , which are ideal for a cultural holiday, or as day trips.
The best largest resort towns – 1) Albufeira, 2) Lagos, 3) Praia da Rocha and 4) Vilamoura 5) Alvor 6) Armação de Pêra 7) Quarteira 8) Monte GordoThe best smaller resort towns – 1) Tavira 2) Carvoeiro 3) Cabanas 4) Olhos de Ãgua 5) Praia da Luz 6) Burgau 7) Sagres 8) Vila Real de Santo António 9) FerragudoThe best non-beach destinations– 1) Silves 2) Faro 3) Olhão 4) Loulé 6) Monchique 5) Castro Marim 7) Portimão
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Cheap Places To Stay In The Algarve
Throughout this guide, we have mentioned a number of amazing towns and cities with beautiful places to stay. However, this doesnt mean travelers on a budget are excluded from staying on the Algarve coast.
Each of the towns we have mentioned has cheap options available, whether it be a more budget Airbnb or a smaller, simpler hotel or hostel room.
Where To Stay In Alvor
Pestana D. João II Beach Resort A world thats been custom built for sumptuous, sundrenched days by the sea, this beachside resort boasts incredible views over the Atlantic Ocean and Alvor Beach, of course. This 4-star hotel is set in lush, sprawling gardens, and boasts spacious communal areas to lounge around in. There are two outdoor saltwater pools, a heated indoor pool, two restaurants, and a total of four bars theres even an onsite golf course. There really is something to keep everyone entertained.
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Cooking And Nature Emotional Hotel
The big idea at these two hotels, set 200 metres apart among ancient olive groves near the village of Alvados in the Parque Natural das Serras de Aire e Candeeiros, is that meals are cooked and shared , using a lot of produce grown in the garden. There are guided walks across six routes, as well as an app for planning more, and e-bikes are available to rent. The Emotional Hotel has 12 rooms while The Nest has eight rooms and two apartments. There are outdoor and indoor pools and a massage area. The natural park is formed largely of limestone and the rugged landscape features caves, pits and underground lakes, with ammonite fossils to be found.Doubles from 120 room-only, uniquestays.pt
The Best Rural Escapes In The Algarve
- Companhia das Culturas is a charmingly rustic hotel with views over the apricot, fig and olive trees of the 40 hectare working farm the Companhia das Culturas is located on. The accommodation is in beautifully converted outbuildings: whitewashed and decorated with antiques, and with views of the garden. Theres a saltwater pool, and spa. This is definitely a wi-fi free zone, with no TVs or music, and youre encouraged to get back to nature.
- Monte da Vilarinha is a fabulous collection of lodges, studios and apartments in the midst of a beautiful valley surrounded by mountains, which makes it great for groups keen on outdoor pursuits. Expect all the mod cons. plus a lovely crescent-shaped pool and meals by arrangement.
- Vila Monte Farm House is large, but quite secluded, a light airy, moorish style retreat, amongst orange and olive groves, with 53 rooms and suites. This is the sort of place to come to relax, with two pools, tennis courts, an open air cinema and pottery and cookery lessons available. Food comes straight from their own farm, or from very local ones, and its all organic and flavourful, and as well as running cooking classes, you can go with the chef to a local fish market. Theres a house party feel and an ecological focus.
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Whats The Best Time To Visit The Algarve
You may wonder what is the best time to visit the Algarve? Well, its one of the few European destinations that has good weather all year round and offers fun activities throughout the year.
I have visited Algarve during the winter, summer and autumn months. During the winter, temperatures are mild . Its thus perfect to escape the cold European winters and to enjoy the great outdoors of Algarves coast. Winter is also the perfect time for birdwatching in Rio Formosa! The sea might be cold at that time of the year, but even then, I saw several swimmers.
During the summer months, from May to September, temperatures can get really hot . The good thing about Algarve is that theres always a slight refreshing wind blowing. Temperatures can remain quite high, also in autumn .
In case you want an uninterrupted party and beach time, visit Algarve from June until September. The best time for hiking holidays is from October March when temperatures are mild and nature is blossoming.
Where To Stay In The Algarve For All
Sometimes, all you need or want to do is to disconnect! If you are looking to completely unwind and to forget about the stress back home, I can only recommend the Algarve for your next stress-free vacation.
The best way to completely relax is probably by not having to think about anything!
If you dont want to scroll Tripadvisor for the best restaurants, nor to worry about the excessive prices at your hotel, then you should definitely opt for an all-inclusive resort in Algarve.
All-inclusive hotels in the Algarve are spread-out throughout the entire area. Thus you can find an all-inclusive resort in the western and eastern parts of Southern Portugal. Here, a selection of the very best:
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