Tourists who want to enjoy superb weather, a great selection of activities and attractions that the whole family will enjoy spend their holidays in Albufeira on the southern coast of Portugal. To ensure it remains the popular holiday destination that it has become, the resort offers a huge range of excellent attractions, with something to suit all interests and age groups. So whether your perfect holiday involves exploring the local area, soaking up the sun at the beach, zipping down water slides or enjoying a round of golf, you'll find just what you're looking for in Albufeira.
Theme parks
Adrenaline junkies won't want to miss the chance to spend the day at Luso Aventura. Open every day from 2pm, this adventure park offers a variety of challenging obstacle courses, as well as a 2,500m2 paintball zone, to explore. Luso Aventura is suitable for visitors from four years old and up, making it a day out the whole family can enjoy. The tree-top trails are divided into three categories: one for beginners, one for standard routes and one for those experienced in this sort of activity. The price you pay includes three hours of adventure, insurance, safety briefing and training, safety equipment and qualified monitor to watch over you.
Open through the middle of March until the end of October, 10am until 5pm, 6pm or 7.30pm depending on the season, Zoomarine Algarve is a fantastic place for the whole family to enjoy a day out. This theme park features a large aquarium, several water enclosures and animal shows, as well as a 4D cinema, rides, water slides and swimming pools, making it a hit with almost everyone. If you're celebrating something special, why not sign up for the dolphin emotions programme? This one-of-a-kind experience includes an educational chat about the creatures, followed by 30 minutes in the water where you'll have the chance to interact with a bottle nosed dolphin.
Families travelling with little ones should definitely visit Krazy World Zoo, where you'll find a wealth of things to see and do. There are numerous animal enclosures to observe, with large and small birds, mammals and reptiles, as well as educational presentations and interaction opportunities. Adventure seekers will have a brilliant time working their way through the tree-top obstacle course and zip lines, whilst those looking for a less challenging experience can enjoy the swimming pools and mini golf course. Here you'll also find outdoor bouncy castles and indoor play areas for the children to enjoy.
Aqua Show is a great place to cool off, if the hot Albufeira sun is getting to be a bit much for you. A fantastic blend of theme and water park, Aqua Show offers something for everyone to enjoy. Here you'll find adrenaline-pumping water slides, such as the White Fall and Wild Snake, as well as the Jacuzzi and Lazy River for those who just want to relax. The list of attractions is just as extensive and includes rides such as Top Swing and Air Race as well as several animal shows and a museum. Aqua Show is open from May until the end of September, from 10am until 5pm.
Sightseeing
Sant'Ana Church is one of the most popular attractions in Albufeira, Portugal. Although the white-washed exterior can appear to be rather plain, the inside of the church is stunning and features several pieces of art work and sculptures. If you're familiar with lighting a candle when you visit a church, Sant'Ana Church is sure to surprise you. Instead of regular candles, this church has a series of electric candles, one of which flashes for a few sections before remaining lit after you've given a donation.
One of the major landmarks of Albufeira, the Clock Tower was originally part of a castle tower, which is now in ruins. Despite its age, the working tower continues to chime every hour and offers incredible panoramic views of the resort, so don't forget to bring your camera.
Igreja Matriz de Albufeira dates back to the eighteenth century, when it replaced the old parish church which collapsed during the 1755 earthquake. This neo-classical church features a single nave, four side chapels, a baptismal chapel, choir, two pulpits and two side rooms. The highlight of Igreja Matriz is the spectacular painting above the high altar, depicting the patron saint of Albufeira.
Castle Wall is one of the very few sections of the Old Town castle which is still standing and provides a great reminder of the grand old castle. Here you can stroll along the wall and enjoy the breeze blowing off the nearby beach. Although there isn't much more to see than the small section of wall and a plaque in Portuguese, this attraction remains a popular tourist hotspot.
Situated in Old Town Albufeira, Misericordia Chapel is a fantastic place to visit and is a must for both history and art lovers. If you have the option, this small church is definitely worth seeing after dark, when the building is illuminated by a number of lights, creating a very holy atmosphere and providing a wonderful photo opportunity. Nevertheless, the church is just as beautiful during the day, when you can take in its full glory in the daylight. You'll find a great selection of cafes, bars and restaurants in the area, where you can enjoy a drink or meal after you've visited the church.
Golf
Golfers will be pleased to hear that there are a number of spectacular courses to be found in Albufeira, Portugal. Balaia Golf Village is one of the most popular and is suitable for golfers of all abilities. This nine-hole par-three course features undulating fairways alongside well-maintained greens, creating a pleasant and interesting game. As well as the course, Balaia Golf Village also offers a golf academy with training programmes for various levels and abilities led by a PGA-accredited resident professional player. Other facilities include club house, driving range, putting green and chipping green.
Pine Cliffs is another top pick amongst golfers who want to experience a game surrounded by dramatic cliffs and ocean views. This coastal course is one of the best nine-hole courses in the whole of Portugal and provides an interesting challenge for even the most experienced golfer. On top of the picturesque par-33 golf course, Pine Cliffs also offers a club house, numerous tennis courts, several restaurants, health club, driving range and mini golf for visitors to enjoy.
Located within a protected natural wildlife reserve, CS Salgados Golf Course is perfect for beginners who can follow the yellow tees and for experienced golfers who can follow the white tees. This course is behind the Praia de Gale beach and is open to the elements, with little vegetation and numerous water hazards. Club services include driving range, putting green, chipping green, bunker area, golf school, restaurant, bar, pro shop, changing rooms with showers and lockers, buggies, golf club and trolley rental.
Designed by Christy O'Connor Jnr, Oceanico O'Connor Jnr is an 18-hole par-72 golf course which features numerous lakes, undulating greens and palm trees, creating a lush, tropical feel. As well as the spectacular golf course, this club also offers a club house with pro shop, bar, café, restaurant and changing rooms, as well as a golf academy, practice putting greens, driving range and practice areas.
Day trips
Animal lovers won't want to miss the chance to go on a horse riding excursion with Centro Hipico Quinta da Saudade. Ideal for everyone from experienced riders to those who've never been close to a horse before, this ride takes place over a variety of landscapes, including green fields and the beach. The guide who accompanies you is very knowledgeable about the area and will be happy to answer any questions you have about the horses or the region. Each excursion lasts between two and three hours, so wear sensible footwear and long trousers to ensure you have the most comfortable experience possible.
A quad bike excursion with Quad Ventura is a great way to explore the area. This trip allows you to get away from the mass tourism areas of the resort and explore the more wild parts. Suitable for visitors aged eight years and older, the quad bikes can be driven by anyone, even if you've never had any previous experience. What makes this excursion stand out is the chance to explore areas that cars can't access and see things many tourists don't even know about. There are two different off-road itineraries on offer that cover different areas and offer different durations, ensuring something to suit everyone.
Algar Experience is one of the most popular boat excursion companies in Albufeira, Portugal. Suitable for the whole family to enjoy, these trips include a caves and coastline experience, beach barbecue and sunset experience, as well as providing you with the opportunity to privately rent the boats for special occasions. The caves and coastline tour is always a hit and features a three-hour cruise along the Algarve coast. Not only do you get to see the caves from the outside, but you can hop onto a smaller boat and explore the inside of them, too. This trip leaves every day at 10am and 3pm and children under three can enjoy it for free.
Foodies and wine lovers won't want to miss the chance to go on a wine-tasting excursion at Adega do Cantor. This large winery offers guided tours of the processing area and vineyards where the grapes are produced, all for a very affordable price. The excursion is led by an experienced guide who knows everything there is to know about wine making and will tell you many fascinating facts along the way. The trip ends at a small shop where you can sample several types of wine and buy a few bottles of your favourite.
Dolphins Driven is a one-of-a-kind company operating on the Algarve coast involved in preserving marine species and biological studies. This organisation hosts regular boat excursions, where visitors have the chance to see beautiful bottle nosed dolphins in their natural habitat. The trip begins at the Albufeira marina before sailing west along the coastline, passing by many beaches and caves, where you'll be able to go for a swim. After reaching Ocean Drive, the boat will head into deeper waters in search of dolphins. Although not guaranteed, dolphin sightings are very likely, so don't forget to bring your camera.
History buffs will enjoy the Historical Roman Tour, which passes by many fascinating attractions. This tour will take you to some of the most important Roman sites in Albufeira, including the famous Roman tiles in the Museum of Faro, a ruined Roman settlement in Cerro da Villa, the Roman museum and several cathedrals, amongst many other fascinating places. Multilingual tours are available for groups of a minimum of two people and must be reserved in advance.
If you want to explore many sights and attractions in one day, buy a city sightseeing bus ticket. This hop-on hop-off bus lets you enjoy as many trips from as many different spots as you want for just one price for 24 hour. If you're not sure which sites you want to explore, you can sit back and relax as this open-top double-decker bus takes you by all the biggest and best attractions that Albufeira has to offer. The itinerary includes Old Town, town square, ancient churches, the bell tower, famous statues, shopping districts and several beaches, amongst many others.