All of our rental properties are within walking distance, or just a few minute’s drive, to an amazing selection of 8 outstandingly beautiful ‘Blue Flag’ beaches !

All have their own beach bar restaurants.

Praia da Galé and Praia dos Salgados - Lots of water sports including surf, SUP, jet ski, wheelchair friendly, a beautiful long sandy beach stretching 6 kms to the next resort of Armacao de Pera, with 5 beach bar restaurants, one of which, Pedras Amarelas, has a wonderful outdoor decked bar on which you can enjoy the sunset. Plenty of space for finding a private sunbathing spot, and to play beach games.

VALUE FOR MONEY

‘’Portugal’s Algarve tops the Worldwide Holiday Costs Barometer chart for the first time in five years as a result of low prices for meals and drinks‘’ https://www.postoffice.co.uk/travel-money/worldwide-holiday-costs-barometer-2016

The Algarve enjoys the best climate in Europe with over 3,000 hours of sunshine a year.

The climate type is warm wet winters, tempered by the ocean, and hot dry summers. (although really the Algarve is a 3 season region, and does not have a winter season) Rain normally arrives anytime from the end of October, with most rainfall in January, and then sporadic, coming to an end around early May.

Total annual rainfall is only 300mm, but a large percentage can fall in just one day ! Temperatures : The annual average is 17º / 18º c.

In January the coldest it can reach is around 6ºc (night temperature) for just a short period, with often bright sunny days with 15ºc, and in the summer from the high 20’s to mid 30’s c.

Albufeira town – bustling old town and marina with restaurants and shops

Guia – famous for its numerous chicken piri piri restaurants

Zoomarine park - https://www.zoomarine.pt/en/discover-the-park

Water slide parks - https://www.slidesplash.com/en/

Armação de Pera – Has a very good fish and fruit and vegetable market, especially good on a Saturday morning, with the farmers stands in the streets selling organically grown local produce.

Silves – Once the capital of the Moorish province of al-Gharb, Silves remains dominated by the castle, with its charming old cobled narrow streets, and daily fish and vegetable market. An inviting place to enjoy a drink in one of the many cafes. Silves is also well known as being at the centre of the orange and cork production. The archaeological museum is very interesting, and can be found on the narrow walking street leading from the old town gateway, next to the Camera (town hall) to the castle.

Suggestions for a day out :

  1. Head for Silves, explore , have a drink, and then drive on to Caldas Monchique (you will pass the Quinta do Francis winery – see link below), a small spa town, and then continue up to Foia, above Monchique town, which is the highest point in the Algarve at 458m, where you can enjoy panoramic views of the region. Monchique is also well known for its medronho, a strong drink, distilled from the berries of the arbutus (strawberry) tree .
  2. Cape St Vincent - the most south westerly point of Europe. Henry the Navigators Fortaleza at Sagres, is where Sir Francis Drake raided and stole the then superior Portuguese maps. Just beside is the Rosa dos Ventos (wind compass) made in pebbles. and unearthed beneath a church in 1921.
  3. Alte – One of the prettiest villages in the Algarve, consisting of a serious of narrow cobbled streets gathered on the hillside.
  4. Wine Tastings at local Algarve Wineries – here are two wineries with award winning wines :

    https://www.quintadofrances.com/incio (on the road from Silves to Monchique)

    https://en.quintadosvales.eu/ (Take the EN 125 and you will see their sign just after Lagoa)

  5. Rio Formosa nature park trail. An interesting, signed, 2/3 hour walk with descriptive boards of local fauna and flora, and a restored tidal mill.

For any further information or advice, please call into our management office, Principal Lda, where also you can buy discounted tickets for most attractions, including boat trips, with or without a BBQ on a secluded beach, fishing, Zoomarine, waterparks.

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