Albufeira

Holidays to Albufeira take you to the Algarve’s tourist capital. You get 25 beaches to choose from, an up-for-it nightlife and the biggest selection of fish restaurants in the region.

Portugal’s big hitter

Set on Portugal’s southern coast, Albufeira is the Algarve’s biggest holiday hotspot. It’s a really clued-up resort, pulling together a modern seafront with a traditional old town stacked with shops, bars and restaurants. And it’s also come up with a can’t-lose combo – an all-you-can-handle nightlife and a coastline crammed with Blue Flag beaches.

Award-winning beaches

Albufeira’s 30-kilometre coastline is divvied up into 25 beaches which run from busy central stretches to quiet coves backed by ochre-coloured cliffs. To get you started, you’ve got 2 sandy spots right by the old town – Fisherman’s Beach and Praia do Peneco. Both will sort you out with sunloungers, cafés and watersports.

Activity options

The Algarve and golf go together like Tiger and Woods. Just up the road you’ve got a challenging 18-hole course at Salgados, or you can try the 9-hole at Balaia instead. Alternatively, if you want to be swinging from trees rather than swinging your club, nearby Parque Aventura deals up rope bridges and zip wires, with a bit of paintballing on the side.

Day trips to Silves

Thirty minutes’ drive gets you to Silves, the former capital of the Algarve. Up on the hill you’ve got an impressive castle with 11 towers, and a Gothic cathedral next door. When you’re done, head for the narrow, cobbled streets of the town – there’s a Michelin-starred restaurant here if you fancy it. And you might want to round off the day with a boat trip up the river.