With over 3,000 hours of sunshine each year, the Algarve has a certain charm that attracts people year after year. It has a varied nightlife and an excellent range of restaurants, with cuisine combining Spanish and African influences.

It is also one of Europe’s top golfing destinations. The area is a rambler’s paradise, with stunning coastal walks and beautiful inland routes, especially in Spring when the abundance of wild flowers are in bloom. Sun, sand, sea, fantastic sporting facilities, superb eating out and lovely friendly people – what more could one ask! There is something for everyone – families, couples, golfers, walkers, fishermen, or people just wanting to relax and chill.

Albufeira is famed for its beautiful beaches where the sand is fine and the sea is turquoise blue, and for the countless shades and tones of its rocks and cliffs. High sandstone cliffs, providing shade in summer and protection against the wind in winter, surround the small sandy coves that are so characteristic of this area. A section of the town’s long beach, known as ‘Fisherman’s Beach’ (Praia dos Pecadores), can be easily accessed from the streets leading off the main square, and a selection of pretty beaches extend both east and west from the town. Just a few miles inland and the landscape switches to lush green countryside, dotted with almond, fig, orange and pine trees.

The town itself consist of both ‘old’ and ‘new’ sections which merge effortlessly into the surrounding towns and villages, extending to the east along the coast to Balaia, Olhos d’Agua and Falesia, and west to Sao Rafael, Gale and the links golf course at Salgados. Albufeira’s development is spread out rather than high rise, and this allows the town to retain it’s original charm as a sleepy fishing village, while keeping pace with today’s tourism industry.

Best Beaches near Albuferia

Praia da Albufeira & Praia dos Pecadores (Fisherman’s Beach)

The big popular beach right in front of the old part of Albufeira is reached through a tunnel next to the Tourist Information Office. From here the sand stretches a long way to the east. The name of the beach changes from Albufeira to Fisherman’s where the local boats are hauled up and here you can walk straight off the street and on to the sand.

Santa Eulalia

A big beach with a big following in summer and a big car park too. It is reached by a signposted slip-road off the Areias de S. Joao to Olhos de Agua road.

Praia do Castelo

From a short stretch of track ending in a parking area some steps, nothing too arduous, lead down to this well sheltered beach, flanked by rocks and low cliffs. It is signposted from the Alubfeira – Pera road.

Praia da Coelha (Rabbit Beach)

Approached off the Albufeira – Pera road. Small and sheltered. One of the most beautiful beaches with a small cave that can be explored on foot, only before the tide comes in.

Praia da Sao Rafael

This is a big sheltered beach. A turning off the Albufeira – Pera road leads through the development to a parking area. A few steps and you are on the sand.

Amacao de Pera

The most famous beach in the Algarve with sand stacks and flat sands.

Praia de Dona ana

A perfect cove just outside Lagos. Take a boat trip from here to see the grottoes and caves of Ponta da Peidade.

Praia da Marinha (Blue Beach)

Praia da Marinha is one of the most picturesque and photographed beaches on the whole of the Algarve. Embedded in the typical rocks of the Western Algarve it offers breathtaking scenery for visiting bathers and walkers alike (there are beautiful cliff top walks along the coast). Distinguished with the “Golden Beach Award”, this beach is not only famous for its high golden cliffs and rock formations, but also for the high quality of the water. Praia da Marinha is about 5 Km south east of Lagoa and 1 Km east of the small village of Benagil. From Albufeira turn off the N125 in the direction of Benagil, looking out for the signpost to Marinha. This beach is one of the few beaches which is also accessible by public bus. Albufeira Tourist Office should be able to provide details of the bus schedule.

What our guests say:

This is a lovely villa in an elevated and quiet position on this complex. It is very comfortably furnished and well equipped. The gardens are beautifully kept with plenty of outside furniture to sit in the sun or the shade. It’s probably a pleasant 30 minute walk to the old town although it is uphill on the way back so we got a taxi and it normally cost about 5 euro. The pools on the complex are lovely with the nearest one less than a 10 minute walk. We had a car and drove to the various beaches along the algarve, we found the best shop to be the one in the Algarve shopping center easy to get in an out of. 

Barbara was very helpful with the booking and any questions and Alison is also on hand for any problems. 

We would definitely like to come back to this villa again.Thank you, Barbara and Roger.

Hazel and Paul – Dublin – July 2018

This is a lovely villa in an elevated and quiet spot on this complex. It is very comfortably furnished and well equipped. The gardens are beautifully kept and the outside furniture provides various different options if you prefer to be in the shade or the sun. The complex seems to be very well run and we can recommend the blue restaurant which was surprisingly good. We are all relatively fit and did not use public transport into the town. It’s probably a pleasant 30/40 minute walk although it is uphill on the way back. You will pass a supermarket on the way although the one on site is great for convenience. We bought a tray of luscious cherries and a bag of huge oranges from the roadside sellers just outside the complex. Roger and Barbara were very helpful during the booking process and we would recommend this villa to others without hesitation.

Gareth F.

We first stayed at this villa in 2006, and it has certainly proved to be our lucky find, as we have holidayed here every year since. Our bit of serendipity ! Situated in a secure complex, but occupying a central location for all the many attractions the Algarve has to offer. The villa is very well appointed, and has everything to make the holiday home from home. We particularly enjoy the full range of british programmes available through the SKY receiver. For the winter months there is a lovely warming log fire to take the chill off the cooler evenings. Roger & Barbara maintain their villa to a very high standard, and Alison is on hand to take care of any day to day problems. Very much hope to return next year.

Andrew & Catriona P. – Shropshire

We loved our stay in this spacious villa. Roger and Barbara were very helpful throughout the rental process. Their villa is like a home – very comfortable and extremely well-equipped. We loved spending time on the front porch and enjoyed a many happy hour on the comfy patio furniture. The view from the porch was very relaxing. We also enjoyed many lovely dinners on the roof top patio. Having two bedrooms with ensuites was a bonus. The Club has free WIFI at the reception area and the main pool which was useful although the reception area tended not to be very reliable. There is a shuttle to town that we did not use as we had our own car. We did take the little tourist train around Albufeira which would we would not recommend. It has no commentary and is very limited but might be useful as a simple form of transportation. We especially enjoyed San Rafael beach – quite amazing. We would definitely like to come back to this villa again.Thank you, Barbara and Roger.

Shirley S. – Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

Myself, my husband and 21 month old have recently returned from our fab holiday. Prior to arrival the owners provided an excellent information pack including directions to the villa and answered all of my questions. Upon arrival the villa looked just like it does in the photos but there is so much more to it, they don’t do it justice. There is everything you could possibly need. Our daughter loved all of the 4 pools and they were only a short walk away. We were very lucky with the weather but there is plenty to do should it not be so kind to you. We would advise a hire car but it’s not essential. We would happily return.

Jo – Preston, Lancashire

We had such a lovely time. The villa is very clean, has everything you need, home from home. It was very quiet and relaxing. Our 4 year old really enjoyed playing in the garden. The pool areas are lovely, very clean. The poolside snack bar & restaurant by the reception was our favourite. Lovely food, very friendly. My husband found a great dive company at the harbour, Easydivers. We hired a car but there was a bus everyday to the old town for 1 euro each way. We enjoyed walking around the old town in the evenings and found many lovely restaurants to choose from. It was our first time in Portugal. We found it very clean, friendly and lovely food.

Flemings – Aldeburgh, Suffolk, UK

Just a few weeks back from holidays, we are already missing Portugal and this beautiful place. The house is just a dream, quiet atmosphere, really nice furniture including everything you need to feel comfortable. While our nice time we travelled to all the nice city’s around the Algarve, looked up every day for a new beautiful beach (and found it!) to get some tan and afterwards we enjoyed the sea!The evenings we spent with a bottle of wine on the terrace of our house!
We are glad about our time there and thank Roger and Barbara for the nice time in their house! We will come back!

Marion and Norbert, Uwe and Bärbel – Germany

Definitely the most relaxing holiday we’ve had for a long while, the villa was just amazing! It was very clean and spacious and had everything we could possibly need right down to games for the children (and us) to play, there was even a pushchair for our 2 year old to use. It was lovely to sit in the beautiful garden or on the furnished roof terrace just watching the world go by. The owners are very nice and helped with everything including airport transfers. The complex is great for families and the shop was excellent. It was the first time we had stayed in a private villa but it definitely won’t be the last and we can’t recommend this villa highly enough!!

Leonie – Stockport, UK