Introduction:
The Algarve offers a little of everything for many different types of travellers.
Type of holidays:
Time of year primarily dictates what type of holiday guests have. Summer is the main tourist season and will find groups traveling together enjoying the beaches and the nightlife of the Algarve and families who find a great many activities.
Holidays during the summer months tend to be weekly in nature, while off-season holidays are longer: two weeks or even longer.
Main holiday season:
Because of the beautiful weather, the most popular time of year for tourists to visit the Algarve is summer. From the end of June to the end of September, guests can enjoy wonderful temperatures and only light rainfall.
Spring and autumn, however, are also pleasant for visiting the Algarveâs many beaches. A trip at this time of the year will mean you can avoid the crowds of tourists, while still enjoying the weather, and may find a better deal on your accommodation.
Since golf is such a popular activity in Algarve, courses are open all year long, making any time perfect for a golfing holiday.
Popular excursions:
Tours are particularly popular excursions in Algarve. Some of them are conducted via ATV or quad bike.
Rooster Quad Day Tours in Faro offers personalised attention and many safety measures to ensure tourists get the most out of their trips into the countryside.
Sailing tours are also popular, with. Alvor Boat Trips one company to try out. These tours can be for anything: fishing, dolphin spotting, or simply relaxation.
Another of these companies, Mar Ilimitado out of Sagres also offers mini-cave tours.
Mountain Bike Adventure Day Tours lets tourists of all levels of ability ride constantly-changing trails for a day or even a week and Algarve Balloons in Lagos allows tourists to enjoy a stunning aerial perspective of the area.
Another unique experience comes from Holistic Riding Center Quinta Creativa. Clients relax with yoga exercises and bond with the horses before taking an unforgettable ride across sand dunes and into a valley that captures the sunset.
Popular sports and activities:
Golf is an extremely important part of Algarveâs year-round tourism. There are many courses to choose from, depending on tourists' ability.
The Vilamoura Old Course is reminiscent of an old-fashioned English course, while the Monte Rei Golf and Country Club is an all-in-one modern resort complete with swimming pools and villas to accommodate a family stay.
Zoomarine is a park designed to give visitors an up-close look at dolphins, sea lions, seals and many species of bird as well.
The Slide and Splash water park is a great option for a day out for people of all ages and water sports can be tried at the several different training centres, such as Future Surfing School and Freeride Surfcamp and School.
Algarve Watersport is situated perfectly on the southwest tip to offer surfing, wakeboarding, and kite boarding.
A non-water outdoor activity is the Parque Aventura, where guests are harnessed into safety gear and then are allowed to climb through the forest on rope bridges and zip lines. The course also has a paintball area.
To relax in the Algarve, guests should visit Spa Villas d'Agua or a similar establishment for pedicures, reflexology, facials, and open-air massages with relaxing sea views.
Beaches:
Depending on the group and type of holiday, there is a beach in Algarve to suit any preference.
Families enjoy the beaches in central and western Algarve between Quarteira and Lagos.
The beaches of Albufeira, Praia de Rocha and Lagos are where the young adult party crowd flock to. Vila do Bispo's coast is also popular with young travellers.
Vilamoura and Ferragudo are perfect beach resorts for luxury and relaxation.
Beaches such as Monte Gordo and Vila Real de Santo Antonio offer easy access, perfect for older holiday makers and those who have mobility problems.
Nightlife:
Many bars and nightclubs in the area cater to tourists all year round.
Sports Cafe in Alvor has 20 television screens, while MJ's in Lagos entertains guests with dance music and superb drinks. Shaker Bar in Lagos has a little of everything as well.
Floyd's Bar in Albufeira always has something exciting happening, such as quizzes. Similarly, Michaelâs Bar in Alvor has karaoke and a huge screen for showing all the important sports matches.
For a night of dancing, try Le Club Santa Eulalia or Kiss. Matt's Bar has a reputation for being a wild and crazy dance party venue.
For a chilled-out bar experience, Bahia in Lagos, O'Shea's Irish Pub in Vilamoura or Bar CheSsenta in Faro are all excellent choices.
Most popular hotels/resorts:
Great accommodation can be found all over Algarve, Portugal.
The Sheraton Algarve Hotel, Colina dos Mouros and Jardim do Vau are all great options if location is one of your main priorities.
Hotels with a long list of guest amenities include the Sheraton Pine Cliffs Vacation Club and Alto da Colina Aparthotel.
To feel comfortable and have a great base for travelling around the area, Quinta de Cebola Vermelha is a bit inland, while Aparthotel Sagres Time is located near a great many things to see and do.
Other hotels located in prime territory are the Alcazar Hotel, the Carvi Hotel and Vila Gale Nautico.
Five-star experiences can still be found at places like the Real Marina Hotel and Spa in Olhao, and for golfing holidays, the pre-arranged packages are available from hotels such as Apartmento do Golfe Hotel.