6 Reasons to Visit Albufeira in the Algarve

After the beauty of Prague, Split and Copenhagen last year, I was ready for a more relaxing holiday. One that didn’t involve waking up early and running around to various museums, galleries and historical landmarks (although that is my dream escape).

Albufeira has the beaches, activities and bars my partner and I were looking for. But in the runup to going, I found myself regretting our choice. Not only was Albufeira considered a ‘party town’, some suggested it was the least attractive part of the Algarve.

Luckily, this was not the case. One street – known as ‘The Strip’ has created its party reputation. The strip has cheap bars, clubs and restaurants which attracts stags, hens and young groups of people. I wouldn’t say it’s rough or unattractive, but I stayed away from this area as The Old Town felt more ideal for a 30-year-old couple.

Here are my favourite reasons why you should visit Albufeira for your next European break.

The history

During a quad bike tour, I learnt about the Algarve’s Christian, Roman, and Moorish (Muslims of North Africa) history. Albufeira is filled with different historical landmarks from these periods.

For instance, the Castle of Paderne is from the 12^th century. The site was taken from the Romans in 713 by the Moors which was then captured by a Portuguese King in 1248. From the site, you can still see a Roman bridge intact.

Albufeira’s Old Town has various historic buildings such as the Church of Sant’Ana. This was once a former chapel that was destroyed in the 1755 earthquake — rebuilt into a church in the 18^th century.

Although small, The Municipal Archaeological Museum has incredible artifacts from the Roman and Moorish periods.

The Old Town

From experience, most old towns are built around a central square — the further you go away from the square, the less bars and restaurants. This leads you to stay within the same area.

But Albufeira’s Old Town has various sections that cater to different evenings. If you fancy a romantic, upscale restaurant with an Instagram view — head to the seafront. For live music and relaxed bars, go to the main square. For a quiet restaurant and spot of shopping, head to Rua 5 de Outubro.

It’s the largest Old Town I’ve experienced — my partner and I went out there almost every night and managed to find different places each time.

Prai de la Falésia

Voted the sixth best beach in the world — according to Travelers Choice Awards by TripAdvisor, this beach is truly European paradise. Finding golden sand and blue-green sea can be a rarity on this continent.

I love the red sand cliffs and that the beach stretches for miles on end. A quick walk down and it was like being on a private beach with only a handful of people somewhat near.

It’s incredibly clean and well maintained, with a local beach shop nearby for refreshments.

Activities

If you watch my Instagram stories, you probably know that I went on a quad bike tour and a dolphin/Benagil Cave one.

At Albufeira Marina, you can do just about every watersport and activity imaginable. I’ve been waiting to see dolphins since a child so I couldn’t believe how many we spotted on the boat tour. The dolphins came over and seemed to enjoy swimming under the boat.

The Benagil Caves is built from eroded limestone from around 20 million years ago. My tour took us through three different caves, but we were unable to get off the boat.

As a touristy location, you can expect countless activities such as wine tasting, water parks, mini golf (the most difficult course I’ve ever played) and tours to other Algarve towns.

Loulé

A traditional Portuguese town, Loulé is an ideal spot if you want to get away from tourists. On Saturday, they hold a gypsy market, farmer’s market and a daily indoor food one. The town is known for crafts so it’s ideal for souvenir shopping.

The buildings remind me of Havana with various bold colours and old structures. In Loulé, we visited the castle which dates to 1249. As with many historical sites, it suffered damage from the 1755 earthquake.

Portugal 100%

I’m a complete sucker for souvenirs. Those shops that sell magnets, cups and bottle openers that others dub ‘tacky’ — I run towards. Portugal 100% is dotted around Albufeira. It’s designed for tourists like me who want to bring back fancy cups and plates I won’t drink from.

It sells such a beautiful range of Portuguese-style homeware that even people who wouldn’t bring back so much as a postcard will end up purchasing.

Small aspects I loved:

• Portuguese custard tarts (not ashamed to say I ate four in a week).
• The friendly taxi drivers – unbelievably affordable and full of tips for where to go and what to eat.
• Everyone speaking to me and my partner in Portuguese – spending our trip saying, ‘We speak English’.
• The small train that runs around Albufeira.

Things I didn’t enjoy:

• Tuk-tuks – they are everywhere in Albufeira but are expensive, noisy and not particularly comfortable.
• The Strip — not my cup of tea.
• The Marina — unless you’re planning an excursion, there is not a lot to see. For a beautiful marina, go slightly further out to Vilamoura.

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