Albufeira

An Algarve popular destination

City Overview

Albufeira is the largest and most energetic resort town of the Algarve coastline and it has been a very popular holiday destination in the south of Portugal since the 1970s, as it offers typically  gorgeous beaches and great weather.

The city proper had a population of approximately 30,000 expands to around 300,000 in the summer.

Whilst mainly a summer beach destination the city has a beautiful historic centre and other attractions. It is the busiest city in the Algarve region, which offers busy nightlife full of bars and restaurants. The historic centre of Albufeira (Old Town) comprises of a traditional village with the simplicity of the whitewashed houses and narrow streets on the hills leading down to the sea.

After a day as the beach it recommended to wander on foot, around the pedestrian-only streets lined with cafés, restaurants and shops leading to a picturesque central square, surrounded by multiple gastronomic options.

With a jagged coastline full of beautiful paradisiacal scenarios, Albufeira is stunning from all perspectives but if you want some panoramic views, the two main viewpoints are worth visiting.

The Pau da Bandeira viewpoint is one of the classic viewpoints due its privileged location between Praia dos Pescadores and Praia de Albufeira makes it one of the most sought after.

You can also visit the Peneco Viewpoint which has a spectacular view as it is on one of the highest points of the Old Town.

With a perfect combination of golden cliffs, blue-green sea and white sand, the beaches of Albufeira are truly beautiful, so much so that some are on the list of the best in Europe. The municipality has approximately 30 km of coastline, divided into 25 beaches.

Getting Around

Some parts of the Algarve coast are rather flat while others are quite hilly. So while you can find plenty of nice long beaches for leisurely stroll, keep in mind that there are many quite steep areas as well. For example, many of the most scenically located hotels in the Algarve have lots of stairs between the main area and the beach.

Airport Transfer

Most tourists arrive via Faro Airport which is 28 miles away and take about 40 minutes to transfer. A taxi will take around 30 minutes.

Transportes do Algarve operates a bus from Faro Airport to Terminal Rodoviário de Albufeira every 3 hours. FlixBus also services this route 5 times a day.

Places to stay

Albufeira is a big town, so do some research before deciding on the best area to stay. Do you want to be close to the beach? Do you want to dine out at a different restaurant every night? Are you looking for nightlife or maybe quite the opposite and do you mind having to take a taxi for all this?

Plus, there are lots of very different beaches in Albufeira. Some beaches are wide and long with all kinds of facilities and some are surrounded by rocks, much smaller, and with hardly any facilities at all. So if you are looking for a specific type of beach and it’s important for you to be able to walk to it, keep this in mind when looking for accommodation.

Finally, some areas in Albufeira have tons of restaurants and several grocery stores within a short walking distance. In the meantime, in other areas, you will have to rely on hotel restaurants, even more so if you are traveling in the lower season.

Sightseeing

While in Albufeira if you have time don’t miss the opportunity to take the boat trip to Benagil Caves and other unique rock formations and marine caves which depart from the Albufeira marina.

Bars, Clubs & Parties

The tourism area of the city is divided into two main areas, Areias de São João, known colloquially as The Strip, and the Old Town. The Strip's main street is Avenida Francisco Sá Carneiro which is full of bars, restaurants and open-air discothèques.

Beaches

São Rafael Beach is one of the best and mostly frequented by younger people. It is surrounded by beautiful rock formations and bushes. To get down to the beach there is a ramp with a restaurant on the sand.

Castelo Beach (Castle Beach) is set among imposing 30-meter-high rocky walls that form a beautiful natural backdrop.

Coelha Beach is one of the most beautiful beaches in Albufeira, also surrounded by beautiful cliffs. It shares a same bay with Maré das Porcas beach and Fraternidade beach.

Cafes & Restaurants

As the is a local fishing industry a local culinary specialty is a rich steamed stew dish of local shellfish, traditionally referred to as Cataplana (named after the cookware used in its preparation), which is a well-known dish from the Algarve.

Caldeirada which is a fish stew or grilled fish are also popular examples of the traditional dishes popular typical of Portugal's coastal areas.

If you are visiting Albufeira in the peak summer season and want to dine at a popular restaurant late in the evening, it’s best to reserve a table in advance.

If a restaurant doesn’t take reservations or if you rather just walk around and look for a nice place to eat, try to go early (ideally, before 7.30 pm). It’s usually not a problem to find a table even at the most popular restaurants in Albufeira if you arrive early. But if you are going around 8.30-9 pm, you may find a long queue outside

Try to look beyond the most popular restaurants. Often, people choose a restaurant purely because there is a queue outside thinking that it automatically means that a place must be really good.

Other

Currency - Euro (EUR)

Language - Portuguese

Visas - Not needed for travellers from the US, Canada and Europe

Best Time To Visit - March – October

Timezone - Western European Standard Time (GMT)