The name Albufeira is probably familiar to a lot of people who have an interest in Portugal, specifically the Algarve. It is a popular area to visit and it has lots of delightful places and venues to offer to all holidaymakers. Albufeira is certainly a great place to go and if you base your holiday here you will find it virtually impossible to be disappointed.

Albufeira has something of a split personality to be honest, since it has a dedicated area where nightlife is the order of the day (or night) and another one where the more relaxed activities take place. This latter area is the Old Town, and it is a charming part of Albufeira that many holidaymakers head for.

One thing you won’t find a shortage of in the area is accommodation. You can stay anywhere you like, from a small apartment near the beach to a whole villa all to yourself with its own pool included as well. There are also a number of complexes and hotels you could opt for; it just depends on where you want to stay, what your budget is and how many people are in your party.

In essence the accommodation tells you a lot about Albufeira itself. Whatever you want from it, Albufeira can offer it. This is a truly versatile area and it is incredibly beautiful and laid back as well. It can certainly get lively as far as the nightlife is concerned if you go to the right places, but this is also an ideal spot to visit for those who want a more relaxed kind of holiday.

Of course one thing that the whole of the Algarve is known for is its beaches. Albufeira certainly won’t let you down in that respect, since it has some amazing stretches of golden sand to lie back on and enjoy while you are there. In fact it would be hard to find anything about Albufeira that wasn’t delightful and well worth seeing. We’ve only just scratched the surface here and yet there is already plenty to look forward to. Why would you want to head anywhere but here?

Given the bad weather we often have during the winter months in the UK, it isn’t surprising that some of us start seeking out foreign climes to escape to for a week or so in the early stages of the New Year.

One of the more popular destinations people head for is the Algarve. Nestling down the very bottom of Portugal, the Algarve benefits from having a great deal of winter sunshine for you to take advantage of. Even when we’re still in the middle of January or February, you can expect to get around seven hours of sunshine every day in the Algarve. This is an average but it just goes to show it is worth planning a holiday in this area.

Obviously it will be quieter in winter than it is during the height of the holiday season in the summer months. But this is not necessarily a bad thing. In fact after all the excitement of Christmas, what could be better than lying back and relaxing on an Algarve beach for a week in January?

It is worth considering where in the Algarve you want to go though. For example you should check out which attractions and venues will be closed for the winter. A good example is Aqua Land, the water park that is open throughout the summer season from June until September but closes for the rest of the year. In a sense a winter holiday in the Algarve is quieter for more than one reason.

However if it’s a laid back and relaxing holiday getting away from it all that you’re after, you will be in luck. The Algarve is a delightful and attractive place to visit no matter what month you might pick. Just be sure you plan to take something to cover up with during the evenings. While it can be lovely here during the day, it can be colder at night when the sun has gone down. It might feel odd taking a couple of jumpers or cardigans, but you’ll be glad you did when you get there.

Lots of places abroad have villas that you can stay in while you are on holiday. But the Algarve seems to have a particularly good selection you can choose from if you are looking forward to a holiday with a group of friends or perhaps with the family.

Most villas are well appointed and located in some of the most popular areas of the Algarve as well. It is also very easy to book a villa as your choice of accommodation if you are booking with one of the main travel agents, whether that is online or offline. Villas are extremely popular and with such a good selection of them in this part of Portugal it makes sense to book early to get the best possible selection of wonderful villas to choose from.

One of the most important things to consider is how many people will be in your party. If you are looking for a villa for you, your partner and your children you may be happier in a smaller villa. But if you are intending to have a superb time with a dozen or more friends in the Algarve you will clearly need something bigger.

Villas have the advantage of having private pools attached to them as well. Be careful though because not all of them may have this facility. In addition, depending on where the villa is, you may have to share a pool with people from other villas. So make sure you know what you want, where you want it and what is included in each accommodation deal you find.

It is definitely advantageous to have your own pool though, because you may not want to go down to the nearest beach every single day. If all you want is peace and quiet and relaxation, and the ability to go indoors to pour yourself a drink or grab a snack whenever you want to, a villa will be ideal.

There are many places you could stay in when you visit the Algarve. But as you can see a villa offers you one of the best experiences you could possibly have.

Most people who visit the Algarve will be at least a little familiar with Faro. It is, after all, the airport at which you will arrive in the Algarve for a week or two of sun and fun filled holidays.

But Faro has a lot more to show you than just the airport. Even if you have plans to stay somewhere else for the duration of your stay, try and spare a day or two to start your holiday in the city of Faro itself. If you can, you will see another side to the Algarve as well.

One of the most notable things about Faro is its history. It isn’t hard to find signs of life dating back many hundreds of years here. Roman times are well represented, but there are also more modern areas that blend well with the history of the city. Take the marina for instance, with its stunning array of boats bobbing around lazily in the water.

If you have only ever passed through Faro on your way to your Algarve destination, you might be surprised to discover how much you have missed thus far. This is a city that is known more for its airport than anything else, but this is an unfair statement to make. Holidaymakers are usually so busy and so eager to reach their final destination they forget to take a look at the first place in the Algarve they land in.

There is a lagoon and nature reserve right next to Faro too, which gives you something else to explore if you linger here. Watch out for the older part of Faro, which can be identified by the Roman walls that still stand here. Wandering around the streets, enjoying the views, the buildings, the marina and much more, you would be forgiven for feeling a little guilty that you didn’t visit sooner. Faro is a surprise waiting to be discovered, and if you land at the airport and scuttle through it without finding some of its many treasures en route to your holiday destination, you’ll definitely be missing out.

The Algarve is an incredibly popular part of Portugal that takes up its southernmost end. Packed into this strip of the country are lots of towns and villages that are worth a look. Whatever kind of holiday you have planned in the Algarve, you should certainly carve out some time for Tavira.

It probably isn’t the kind of place you’ll have heard of before now, unless you happen to have booked a holiday there specifically. Let’s start our exploration by finding out exactly where Tavira is in relation to other major parts of the Algarve. It’s right on the southern coast of the Algarve, offering lots of attractive water based things to do for starters. It’s also easy to get to, because Faro – where the main airport is situated – is just a short distance to the west.

But is it worth making the short journey to Tavira and booking a holiday there in the first place? If you could see what this town is like beforehand, you would have no hesitation in booking at all. This town has lots of history to share with you, and it fairly pours out of many of the sights to see here. It also has some superb beaches and is ideal for family holidays that require lots of things to entertain the kids with.

One of the best things about Tavira town is that it is very close to Tavira Island. Yes, there is an island close by as well, and you will be delighted at this news because you could conceivably call the island a beach by itself. Indeed the island is known for offering some sensational beaches and there are plenty of them to choose from here.

Back in Tavira town you can look forward to exploring lots of whitewashed buildings and browsing around the local market as well. Whatever you want from a holiday in the Algarve, Tavira can provide it for you and give you lots more besides as well. Architecturally speaking, it is a stunning town and it will make you wonder why it isn’t better known than it is already.

Everyone who has ever visited the Algarve will probably have a different answer to this. But many would agree that Carvoeiro is one of the best ones, and there are lots of reasons why this should be so.

For starters it has the advantage of being fairly close to Faro, the airport where most holiday flights come into. It should take well under an hour to get to your Carvoeiro accommodation once you are on the road and on your way from Faro.

But what else does it have to offer? Well there are plenty of beaches in and around the area, and many of them are simply delightful. Carvoeiro itself has a small beach but it is well worth a look, especially if you want something a bit different to the usual large and sprawling beaches. This one is positively cosy and it has cliffs towering over each side of it. Small, personal and very nice indeed, it could be what you are looking for.

Carvoeiro is also popular for its variety of accommodation. If there are lots of you heading off on holiday together, you will certainly find some great villas to hire for a week or two. Elsewhere there are hotels and other forms of accommodation too – quite literally something for every single budget you could think of.

This destination is also ideally placed to open up many travel opportunities to you. There is a water park not too far away that you will be able to visit for the day. You can also sit by and watch as the fisherman who live in Carvoeiro catch their haul for the day. Later on you can try one of the many sensational restaurants in the area, and sample some of the fish that was caught earlier on. Seafood does not get any fresher than it is here!

Carvoeiro is a veritable treasure of delights for lots of holidaymakers, no matter what kind of break they are looking for. Make sure you enjoy every minute of your holiday here, and explore everything it gives you.

Normally you would either visit a zoo or a marine attraction of some kind. So when you come across a venue with the name of Zoomarine, you know you will be getting something slightly different to enjoy.

The Zoomarine theme park can be found just outside the popular resort of Albufeira, in a spot called Guia. It’s a great place to go if you have kids with you, because this is a good family attraction to see. It certainly packs in a lot of entertainment and attractions, with an aquarium, swimming pools and much else besides to keep everyone entertained for the whole day.

You’ve got the Wet Zone to explore first of all. This is where you will find various pools to use for the entire family. Even babies have a suitable pool they can enjoy splashing around in with their parents, so no matter how old or young your kids are you can enjoy sharing some watery experiences with them.

Another popular spot in the park is the Aquarium Museum, which shares with you what it is like to be a shark. Their lives and daily habits are shared here, and it is quite an educational and eye opening experience too.

Even though there are plenty of marine creatures here and a wealth of exhibits to see, you can also enjoy the range of amusements the park packs in. The water slides and chutes are always a big draw, and you can grab a double blow up dinghy to enjoy splashing down in them with someone else too.

You can see you’ll be spoilt for choice for things to do here. The wide range of activities and educational exhibits at the park makes it a top choice for families of all descriptions. Even adult couples will love the activities at the park, so don’t be put off if you haven’t got kids. It really does have something for everyone to enjoy.

There are even areas you can just sit back and relax and watch the world go by for a while. You can grab a bite to eat and then get ready for the next activity at the Zoomarine park.