10 GREAT ALGARVE DEALS
SEAFOOD AND CASTLES
ABOUT four miles west of Praia da Rocha, in the Algarve, the town of Alvor has a charming harbour with fishing boats and seafood restaurants. It’s an ancient settlement with the ruins of a 13th-century castle up a hill.
There is also a beach outside the centre, where most tourist accommodation is clustered. Great birdwatching on the peninsular by the mouth of the River Alvor; guided tours are available.
BEST THING? Fish dinners by the harbour.
DETAILS: A week at Club Alvorferias Apartments from £233pp self-catering, departing on September 3 from Gatwick
BEAUTIFUL BEACH
PRAIA da Oura is a fine sandy beach, with a rocky bluff, topped by pines and a coastal path at its western end leading to the busy, popular tourist resort of Albufeira. There is plenty going on close by, though with good restaurants and jolly bars.
The golden sands, 900 metres long, can get overcrowded in normal years; the quietest parts are at the eastern end.
BEST THING? Walks along the coast.
DETAILS: A week at Ouratlantico Apartments from £385pp self-catering, departing on September 20 from Birmingham
TRANQUIL TAVIRA
THE ancient town of Tavira was founded in 400BC and was an important trading port with North Africa for many years. There’s a tranquil, traditional feel along the waterfront of the River Gilao.
Boutique shops and restaurants can be found near the old market. The beach on Ilha de Tavira, an island reached by ferry, is wonderfully peaceful.
BEST THING? Peaceful picnics on Ilha de Tavira.
DETAILS: A week at Robinson Club Quinta da Ria on the edge of Tavira, with two golf courses, is from £823pp all-inclusive, departing on September 10 from Gatwick (firstchoice. co.uk).
FUN IN ALBUFEIRA
WITH its whitewashed buildings and lanes lined with bars and restaurants, Albufeira is one of the Algarve’s best spots for letting your hair down.
The beach is reached via a tunnel from the main square — and it’s a beauty with fine golden sands. A day trip to the picturesque village of Alte, one of the prettiest in the region, or to see the cathedral and castle in Silves is recommended.
BEST THING? Knees-up meal on Largo Engenheiro Duarte Pacheco square.
DETAILS: A week at the Cerro Mar Colina apartments in Albufeira from £373pp selfcatering, departing on September 10 from Manchester
SUNSET COCKTAILS
ONE of the most developed stretches of coast on the Algarve — but Praia da Rocha is popular for a reason: its excellent sandy beach backed by low, ochrehued cliffs.
There are bars and restaurants galore, plus an old sea fort and a casino. A day trip to Ferragudo, with its cobbled lanes and little seafood restaurants, offers a
change of scene, and there are plenty of nearby coves to explore.
BEST THING? Sundowners at a clifftop bar.
DETAILS: A week at Jupiter Algarve Hotel in Praia da Rocha is from £487pp B&B, departing on September 12 from Glasgow (jet2holidays.com).
MAGNIFICENT MARINA
VILAMOURA is a big resort built from the Sixties onwards, round what was once a small harbour in the Algarve. Now it is home to Portugal’s largest marina. So expect yachts aplenty, boutique shops, restaurants and cocktail bars.
As well as sandy beaches, tennis and golf can be played close by and there are Roman ruins to investigate at Cerro da Vila, on the outskirts.
BEST THING? Boat trips along the coast.
DETAILS: A week at Vilamoura Golf Apartments is from £326pp self-catering, departing on September 12 from Manchester
GOLF GALORE
QUINTA do Lago is a big, luxury golf resort with two top-class courses. Its rolling, wellmanicured landscape leads to a lovely beach, Praia do Ancao, from where nature trails run
along the coastline. There are a choice of apartments and hotels. The England football team stay here when playing international matches at Estadio Algarve, close to Faro, the Algarve’s capital.
BEST THING? Golfers will love it. DETAILS: A week at the five-star Conrad Algarve spa hotel is from £1,090pp, departing on September 12 from Heathrow (ba.com).
CLIFFTOP SPLENDOUR
ON A cliff above the beautiful, secluded sandy beach of Praia da Falesia, Pine Cliffs Hotel is a family-friendly resort with pools, a spectacular golf course (with fine holes including shots over gullies) and the Annabel Croft Tennis Academy. There are no fewer than 11 restaurants, kids’ clubs and a beach club/bar. It’s on the edge of Olhos de Agua, a tiny town with a natural spring.
BEST THING? Secluded beach.
DETAILS: A week at the Pine Cliffs Hotel is from £770pp B&B, departing on September 12 from Heathrow
HILLTOP HIDEAWAY
STAY in the foothills of the Serra de Monchique, a mountain range that divides the Algarve from Alentejo to the north. Slopes are covered in thick pine, chestnut and oak forests. The hill-town of Monchique has a market and a 17th-century monastery. A thermal spa at Caldas de Monchique is four miles away. The area is known as the Garden of the Algarve.
BEST THING? Hikes in the hills. DETAILS: A week at the Monchique Resort & Spa is from £917, departing on September 13 from Stansted PEACEFUL SOUTH
OLHAO is a fishing port that is home to the well-known Bela sardine brand and is six miles east of Faro.
It’s a relaxing spot within the Ria Formosa Natural Park by an estuary sheltered by the islands of Culatra and Armona. Expect narrow streets with tiled buildings and a superb fish market designed by Gustave Eiffel, no less. A boat trip to the secluded beaches on Culatra is a must.
BEST THING? Trying the local octopus and squid, some of Portugal’s best.
DETAILS: A week at the Real Marina Hotel is from £1,290 for a single traveller, including B&B and some meals with wine and activities, departing on September 13 from Stansted (friendshiptravel.com).