Albufeira, Portugal

Like many Portuguese Algarve towns, Albufeira has the remains of a castle, which dates back to Roman times; the castle however, along with most of the town, was destroyed during an earthquake in 1755.  After the earthquake, this once thriving fishing port suffered a very long period of poverty and really only recovered with the boom of tourism in the later half of the 20th Century.  Happily though, most of the older parts of the town survived and is carefully maintained.

Old Town.

Old Town.

Old Town.

Albufeira in the central Algarve region of Portugal attracts thousands of visitors every year.  It’s attractions boast the old town with it's pretty cobbled streets lined with restaurants, bars, cafes and shops; the lively nightlife in São João and the new Albufeira marina with it's sugar candy coloured apartments and last but not least its sandy beaches.

Marina.

As a result of the tide of tourism, this "once upon a time" fishing village has expanded since the 1960s into a major holiday resort.  Substantial development then turned it into a major holiday resort, probably the most popular holiday destination in the Algarve.

Sand Carvings.

This was my first visit to this region and I based myself at nearby Montechoro, which unfortunately doesn’t appear to have had a facelift since the boom times of the 70s and 80s.  Within easy reach of the lively nightlife area known as the “the strip” (Avenida Dr Francisco Sa Carneiro), it wasn’t going to be particularly quiet break, especially during peak summer UK holiday season.  With plenty of bars and restaurants catering for the hordes of British tourists, you don’t need to walk far for a pint of Stella or a full English breakfast.

Tear yourself away from the live football TV bars and you can find some pleasant respite from Wayne and Tracy with their kids in tow.  We found a warm welcome at a couple of local restaurants with some excellent food and a good selection of fine wine.

Narrow Streets in Old Town.

Unfortunately, like all regions of the world nowadays where different cultures and races mix with alcohol, trouble is inevitable.  Albufeira is no different, on at least two occasions I was woken up by running battles between gangs of youths outside our hotel.  This region has been in been in the Press all too often recently with violent attacks on tourists   Tourist attacks

Beach Bar Re-supply.

On the other hand if neon signs and late night revelry aren't for you, it will be better to stay near the old town! Which is more relaxed and has a lovely central square decorated with trees and colourful shrubs surrounded by street cafés and restaurants for a quiet meal or a cool drink.  The bars in the old town still open late - most will be open until 4am during the summer months but may close at 2am in the winter.

There are two main beaches in Albufeira itself – Fisherman’s beach, overlooked by a variety of restaurants with the tempting aroma of barbecued fish in the air.  Adjoining Fisherman’s beach is Albufeira beach, which you gain to through a tunnel in the old city walls.

Tunnel to Beach from Old Town.