Long stretches of white sand, a stunning climate and great leisure facilities make the Algarve one of our most popular villa holiday destinations.


The lush greens of world class golf courses and the excellent choice of watersports and family leisure activities make the Algarve a favourite villa holiday choice for all ages.

Six Reasons to go to the Algarve

White sandy beaches

Good sporting facilities

World class golf courses

Year round sunshine

Cobbled whitewashed villages

Kind hearted hospitality

Go to the Algarve for family fun

The clear blue sea and miles of white sand on the Algarve’s beaches are sure to delight the children, but the Algarve offers activities to entertain the whole family.

Water parks are plentiful and a great place to cool off and tire out the tots. Aquatic centres have live animal shows. Other popular choices are go-karting, wildlife parks, dolphin shows or even a trip on a pirate ship!

Take a train ride or explore the coastline on horse-back, or take a stroll through the mountains at Monchique. A tour of the Algarve’s attractions is sure to keep everyone happy!

Go to the Algrave for the beach

On the south coast of Portugal, the Algarve has over 100 miles of white sand, making the area perfect for beach holidays. The coastline has a wide choice of sandy beaches beside the clear azure ocean, a refreshing place to cool down after a day of baking in the warm sun. To the west, small coves and sweeping inlets are backed by dramatic rock formations and cliffs. Wide golden sandy beaches are plentiful so whatever you choose to do, there is something to suit you.

Go to the Algarve for shopping

The two main shopping centres of the Algarve are in Guia and Faro, where a range of shops, restaurants, cinemas and bowling can be found. The resorts shops have all your immediate shopping needs covered.

For something more authentic, discover a traditional market, held weekly in most towns and villages. Stalls heave with locally produced leather goods, decorative tiles, pottery, crystal, jewellery and embroidered tablecloths. Markets are a good place to purchase local food, from olives to oranges.

Get up and go…

If you enjoy the outdoors, and seek great facilities, the Algarve is the place for you. World class golf courses in scenic countryside offer a challenge to any enthusiast. Year-round sunshine keeps the fairways busy, the tennis courts full and water sports thriving.

Sample deep-sea fishing or a trip in a glass bottomed boat; bathe on the beach or scuba dive in a picturesque inlet. Inland, choose from horse-riding, cycling, walking or trekking.

Take time to go…

Discover the largest open air water park in Europe. Take the children to Aqualand and has over 1500m of slides. Try the almost vertical Banzai Boggan or the fast pace of the Kamikaze. For the little ones, explore the Rainbow Park.

Explore the crystal clear water and go scuba diving. Discover the coast’s numerous wrecks, reefs and caves hosting a wide choice of different fish and underwater species.

Take a walk along the hillsides of the Serra de Monchique and enjoy the bracing fresh air.

Settle on the terrace of a traditional restaurant and sample Cataplana, a local speciality or Caldeirada (fish stew). For something spicy, try the famous Piri-Piri chicken. Finish with the delectable Tarte de Amêndoa, almond tart with caramel glaze, or Arroz Doze (sweet rice pudding with a tang of lemon and cinnamon) Wash it down with Vinho Verde (green wines) young semi-sparkling wine with a refreshing twang, as you enjoy the sunset on a balmy Algarve evening.

Explore the pottery shops along the N125, and take home some colourful ceramics, or visit your local market and choose from good quality locally produced handicrafts.

Catch the Aquabus at Lagos marina, and tour the coastline in a glass bottomed boat and discover the wonders of the underwater world.

Explore historic Faro, and visit the Bishops Palace or Renaissance-style cathedral. Take in Carmo Church where chapel walls are decorated with bones, or discover the Roman ruins of Estoi at the Archaeological museum. Finish the day in a restaurant hiding in a tree-lined street and enjoy the ambience of this tranquil old town.

Make the most of the great outdoors and take a walk in the Rio Formosa National park and see some of the regional birds which nest there.

Enjoy a round on one of the area’s world class golf courses.

Getting there to the Algarve

Most low cost airlines fly into Faro. Search our flight database for the easiest way to book, or call us to arrange all your travel needs. Most people hire a car for their villa holiday and leading car rental companies have branches at the airport. We recommend you book a car in advance, and we can easily do this for you online. If you don’t want to hire a car, we can arrange transfers for you to your villa, or metered taxis are readily available at the airport.

Language

Portuguese is the national language of Portugal. Many locals have excellent English.

Currency

Euro.

Time Difference

The time in Portugal is the same at in the UK

Public Holidays

Listed below are the Portuguese National Public Holidays. There are occasional extra ‘local’ ones which are not listed here.
January 1st
23rd March
6th & 8th April
25th April
1st May
7th & 10th June
15th August
5th October
1st November
1st December
8th December
25th December.