In and around
Albufeira on the Algarve
of Southern Portugal
In the popular holiday
destination of the Algarve in southern Portugal
there are many stunning villages and picturesque towns that line the
Mediterranean coastline and showcase the Portuguese culture,
architecture and landscape. One such town in the Algarve
is Albufeira. Albufeira was named by Arabic settlers over five hundred
years ago as they arrived in South Portugual near Faro.
The name Albufeira means "the
lagoon" and describes the beautiful seaside area which is
now home to a large marina and white sandy beaches.
The
city itself is relatively small, with a population of 13,000, but the
population numbers swell as over 200,000 tourists every year visit the
area in summertime to enjoy the hot, dry summer weather and long sunny
days. The city centre has all of the amenities and facilities expected
of an international tourist resort, including large shopping centres,
arts and crafts stalls and tourist information centres. Such centres
offer excursion packages to indulge in water sports like waterskiing
and deep sea diving in nearby resorts. After sunset the city really
comes alive as the numerous bars, restaurants and evening shops open
until the wee hours of the morning. Albufeira`s night life is very much
available to all kinds of people, with rustic Portuguese restaurants
for those interested in experiencing the local culture, massive
nightclubs for those wanting to dance until dawn and small boutiques
for those wanting to take a look at local handicrafts and paintings.
Many of the restaurants are family friendly, with many serving lots of
the locally sourced fresh fish. One of the regional specialties is
cataplana - steamed shellfish - and is not to be missed.
Illuminations
in
Albufeira
at
night
Aside
from the city itself, the area is surrounded by small quaint Portuguese
villages and is home to beautiful landscape. To the north there are
huge mountains with fantastic views of the Algarve
and opportunities for hiking, walking and mountaineering. For those
with expensive taste and hobbies, there are many golf courses along the
coast line and high quality golf resorts and related hotels. For those
wanting a cheap
holiday in Albufeira, simply enjoying the beaches,
architecture and hilly areas is more than enough to entertain you.
Portugese
architecture
in
Albufeira
Albufeira`s
nearest city is Faro,
which is only forty minutes away in the car. Faro
is the main port in the area and is accessible from international
ferries and ships. For those flying from abroad, Faro
airport is the nearest international airport and has all of the
amenities and facilities you would expect from such. If interested in
seeing more of Portugual, Lisbon airport is much larger with flights
from all over Europe. Lisbon also has
strong bus links with Faro
and to Albufeira.
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