Albufeira, Place to be in the Algarve

Albufeira holiday

Albufeira has it all!

Located in the centre of the Algarve, on a beautiful coastline, at only about 40km from the nearest airport of Faro. Albufeira has become the hub of tourism from where you can easily explore the rest of the Algarve. Albufeira offers all you could wish for: from the most amazing beaches, to an endless choice of activities in and around Albufeira. Going through a wide range of restaurants in the charismatic old town Albufeira, and the possibility to shop till you drop.

What time can we arrive at our Holiday Villa in the Algarve?

arrival time holiday villa

What time can we arrive at our Holiday Villa in the Algarve?

This is a question we very often get, and I do understand why. Weeks, if not months, you are looking forward to your holiday to the Algarve, and finally you arrive at Faro airport, but the villa you have booked is not ready yet! Or you are with a large group, the whole family from grandparents to baby’s, and you arrive 9am at the airport and the villa is not ready till late in the afternoon! WHAT A BUMMER!!! It is hot, sweaty weather in the Algarve, and the baby is crying, and need changing, granddad really need his afternoon nap!!!

What to do???

Easter Holidays in the Algarve

Easter holidays

Easter Holidays 

Portugal is a catholic country (above 80% of the population is catholic). The Holy week (or, as the Portuguese call it: Semana Santa is celebrated with just devotion and has a predominantly religious character. Although it is less intensive than in Spain, you will still find traditional festivities in the Algarve that are fascinating to attend.

It all starts forty days before Easter, when the period of soberness and fasting is begun and many people abstain from eating meat. Easter Sunday 2019 is 21 April.

Carnival in the Algarve 1-5 March

 

Carnival in the Algarve

This year Carnival in the Algarve is in March. A traditional and colourful event not to be missed. Most towns has the traditional celebrations with colourful parades and samba music in the streets. The best and largest is in Loule, but smaller towns like Messines, Alte, Moncarapacho, they all celebrate carnival. It is hard to miss this nice yearly event in Portugal. This article of Algarve Housing, will tell you all about Carnival in the Algarve, the carnival programme, other things to do in March and a private paradise in the Algarve.

Bike and Hike in the Algarve

Hike in the Algarve

Bike and Hike in the Algarve

With the sun already warming the coast and the countryside of the Algarve, but the fresh breeze still making it enjoyable, it is the perfect weather to take up any of the walking or biking trails the Algarve has to offer.

There is no better way enjoy the wonderful and diverse natural environments at a slow and quiet pace and to sniff in Portuguese culture in the small villages you might pass through.

Do not worry: there are walking routes Algarve for all levels and wishes, from short and easy day-trips, to a full-on hiking experience of several weeks. You pick and choose your hike in the Algarve! Algarve Housing like to inform you with the main hike trails in the Algarve.

February in the Algarve

February in the Algarve

February in the Algarve

February is a bit like January, nature is unfolding with many nice flowers blooming, and spreading nice smells like the Mimosa, the poppies and the daisies. Weather can be nice, very nice, with lots of sunshine, BUT it can be stormy and rainy too. Be aware!

February is the perfect month if you like hiking and biking (watch our next blog!) and playing golf.

What else can you do in February in the Algarve?

Algarve Housing like to share a few events in February with YOU!

Spring break in Portugal, and soak up some sunshine in the Algarve!

Spring break portugalSpring break in Portugal

It’s March, and spring has already knocked on the Algarve’s door. Nature is waking up, and there is no better season and place than to also awaken after your own winter sleep. Algarve Housing would like to share with you some nice facts about spring in the Algarve. Why not have a spring break?

January in the Algarve

january in the Algarve

January in the Algarve

Happy New Year!

‘Algarve host 150 events in January’ I just read at the front page of the Algarve Resident…who think January is a dull and boring month in the Algarve, is completely wrong. Today it is 3 January, and up until today I had every day breakfast and lunch in the sun! Lovely temperatures, and plenty to do in January in the Algarve. Music, art, gastronomy, a variety of cultural events in January. Algarve Housing like to share with you a few events in the Algarve for this month!

Christmas and New Year in Portugal

Christmas in Portugal

Christmas celebrations

Although Christmas celebration is somehow universal, you do get the small and bigger differences per country or culture. Christmas in Portugal, is mainly a time to spend with family. Although Christmas trees have been more popular since the 70’s, the main decoration still is the “presépio”, the nativity scenes, that each home will have, and that towns will display in larger sizes and sometimes even with real people and animals playing out the roles. The Portuguese love to go and visit them. You will witness plenty of light decoration during December in the cities too, and although palm trees with Christmas lights might not give you the same feeling, it does get you into a winter atmosphere. Plenty of Christmas trees though during Christmas in Portugal!

Christmas Algarve

Faro, worth a visit?

Faro Portugal

Faro Portugal

Although most people visiting the Algarve for a holiday in Portugal, will land in Faro, not many think it worth a visit. That’s a big mistake, because Faro has it all.

Instead of having been taken over by resorts and tourism, the capital of the Algarve still has a real Portuguese flavor to it. The roughly 8000 students make for a lively nightlife, while the fact it’s a marine town gives it that laid back atmosphere you can only find near the sea. Faro can cater to anyone’s taste: from an attractive marina to a charming historical center; from long stretched sandy beaches close by to many pedestrian shopping streets packed with nice outdoor cafés.

And to top it all off, the Parque Natural da Ria Formosa, a protected wetland where Nature lovers can get their fair share. Algarve Housing likes to share with you more about Faro Portugal, the capital of the Algarve!

Weather in the Algarve

weather in the algarve

Weather in the Algarve

“What is the weather in the Algarve in January (or any other month) like?” is one of the many questions people often ask me. As you know, weather is unpredictable, that is a fact, but Algarve Housing likes to give you a guideline what you can expect of the weather in the Algarve in the four seasons of the year.

AUTUMN

The summer is over, the first rain has arrived and we can finally feel a little sniff of autumn. And for those who cannot stand the heat of the summer, this is the best period to consider a holiday in Portugal, until sometime in spring.

Silves, Historic Town Worth a Visit!

Silves Algarve

Historic Silves

Quietly hidden amidst the rolling hills of the Algarve along the banks of the slow-flowing Arade river, with its peaceful atmosphere, Silves Algarve is one of the best locations in the Algarve to still experience authentic Portuguese culture. It has that contagious relaxed pace of life that will instantly throw you in a good holiday mood. You could easily spend your days just wandering through the cobbled streets, drinking a good Portuguese coffee in one of the many typical local cafés or sipping a wine from a terrace watching Portuguese life pass by.

Only in August, during the Medieval Festival, you are reminded of the glorious times when Silves was the capital of the Algarve, a major defensive stronghold and an important trading centre. During the ten days of the Feira Medieval, the rich and turbulant history of the city at the Moorish times is played by actors while the old city centre is transformed in the vibrant town it once used to be.

You can find all you need in Silves, three large supermarkets, a post-office, and enough to keep you busy if you like.

Winter in the Algarve

 

 

algarve winter

What is the winter look like in the Algarve? What temperatures has January?

Questions I receive very often, together with an enquiry for multiple months rent for a winter in the Algarve.

Unique winters

As every villa is unique so are the winters in the Algarve. Like last winter, October and November, during the day it was still 30 degrees! And it was dry for many, many more months. We all were worried, if it stays like this, we will have a huge water shortage problem!!! But it did change, I cannot remember exactly when, but late in the winter, I think it was February, maybe March, it started raining. Lots of rain, between some sunny days, don’t worry!

Things to do in September in the Algarve

September in the algarve portugal

Things to do in the Algarve

We survived the busy summer!  Gosh it was busy! Busy in many ways, but with September ahead, we can look back at a successful summer in the Algarve. Personally, I really like September in the Algarve, why?

Because:

  • It is after August
  • The temperatures are still nice, very nice!!!
  • The beaches are less crowded
  • Roads are much less crowded, ideal for a road trip
  • Airline tickets are cheaper
  • Villa rentals are cheaper
  • Amazing sunsets
  • And nice things to do!

Top 10 Beaches of the Algarve

beaches algarve

With more than 150 beaches Algarve in all colors and shapes to choose from, we can rightly say that the Algarve is the perfect beach destination.

It’s mighty hard to pick the most beautiful ones, since they all have their share of charms and it is of course subjective, so we’ve tried to make a nice mix of those we think stand out, each in their own way.

Whether you are on holiday in the Algarve or planning your holiday to the Algarve, Algarve Housing made a top 10 of beaches Algarve for YOU!!!

Top 10 Beaches Algarve:

Thing to do in August in the Algarve

algarve portugal

Are you on holiday in the Algarve? Or do you live here? August is a busy and warm month! Make sure you protect yourself well against the sun and drink enough water.

Apart from that, there is so much to do regarding festivals, live bands performing along the coast plus various DJs who will guide you through the long hot summer nights in the Algarve.

Hopefully you have a nice place to stay in the Algarve. IF not, check our website for nice villas in the Algarve. We already receiving many bookings for 2019. So contact me for more information regarding your paradise in the Algarve!

Facts about Food in the Algarve

FOOD ALGARVE
Whether you are now on holiday in the Algarve, or you will in the future, Algarve Housing like to inform you about the food in the Algarve Portugal. This article will tell you everything you need to know about the Portuguese food and other food in the Algarve.

Although many exotic ingredients were introduced to Europe by the Portuguese, traditional Portuguese cuisine knows a strong home cooking culture, passing recipes down from generation to generation, with few influences from outside.

July in the Algarve

July in the Algarve

July in the Algarve

We started the first of July with a cloudy morning, but later in the day the sun came back as well as the heat. It is summer without any doubt.

July and August are the busiest months of the year in the Algarve Portugal. Algarve Housing update you every month with things to do for the coming month.

Along the coast you will find a lot of sunset and other beach parties with DJs and live bands performing at beach bars.

So here we go for July in the Algarve. There is so many things to do, but we will go for the highlights Algarve.