Holiday Villas in Algarve

Holiday Villas in Algarve

Situated on the southernmost tip of Portugal is the Algarve where visitors come every year to enjoy some of the best weather in Europe, which you can enjoy when staying at holiday villas in the Algarve.  The picturesque coastline is a mixture of long stretches of soft, golden sand and secluded coves, separated by jagged cliffs with numerous limestone caves.  Families staying in the Algarve will find spacious beaches with gently sloping sands shelving into clean, sparkling waters.  Couples who stay at villas in the Algarve  may prefer the intimacy of tranquil coves reached only by taking a walk along the scenic coastline.  The lack of rocks on some beaches makes them perfect for water sports, such as parasailing and jet skiing, for the more adventurous holidaymaker renting villas in the Algarve.

Luxury Holiday Villas in Algarve

If you happen to tire of sunbathing, there are lots of alternative things to do when you stay in Algarve villas.  The larger towns have numerous shops that you can browse, in particular Albufeira and Lagos.  Locally made pottery and ceramics are available in most souvenir shops and make fantastic gifts to take back home for friends and family.  For keen golfers staying in villas in the Algarve, the region has developed a number of golf courses which remain popular with visitors right through the winter months.  There are plenty of Algarve villas with pools where you can take a dip to cool off during the heat of the day if you simply wish to relax in peace.

One of the more lively towns to visit when you stay in a private villa in the Algarve is Albufeira.  With numerous shops, bars, restaurants and a pretty marina there is plenty to see and do.  Narrow streets and beautiful buildings make it an alluring town and its numerous beaches attract many tourists.  For those staying in Algarve villas that want to experience some lively nightlife, Albufeira is the place to come to with plenty of bars and nightclubs located on ‘The Strip’.  There are also many quieter places to be found within the Old Town where you can enjoy a more relaxed nightlife.  Particularly worth a visit if you stay in an Algarve villa near Albufeira is the 12th century ruined hill fort of Paderne Castle which is situated just outside the town.

The most historically interesting town to visit when you stay in a holiday villa in the Algarve is Lagos.  Saint Anthony’s church was built there during the 18th century and while it might not look like anything special from the outside, the interior is extravagantly adorned with gold leaf and is home to six Baroque paintings of Saint Anthony himself.  Next door to the church you will find a charming museum filled with a mixture of archaeological discoveries, from dinosaur bones and Neolithic pottery to Roman mosaics.  Also worth visiting when you stay in a villa in the Algarve near Lagos is the Forte da Ponta de Bandeira.   Offering fantastic views across the bay and the town, the imposing fort was built in the late 17th century to guard the entrance to the harbour and it is reached by a drawbridge.

Experience holiday villas in Algarve

Algarve Villa

Another place that you can visit when you stay in villas in the Algarve is the capital, Faro, a university town that is often neglected by tourists.  There are plenty of things to do there such as wandering around the cobbled streets exploring the 16th century architecture in the walled Old Town.  There is also an interesting maritime museum, a small but delightful 13th century cathedral and the Nossa Senhora do Carmo church with a bone chapel made of the skeletal remains of former monks.  Often people who rent holiday villas in the Algarve travel to see the Ria Formosa Lagoon near the town of Faro, a spectacular nature reserve where hundreds of migratory birds come to rest each year.

Most of the villas in the Algarve are self-catering which means that you can choose to eat in or out whenever you like.  If you decide to cook for yourself then there are supermarkets located in all of the larger towns where you can purchase supplies.  If you prefer to eat out you will be spoilt for choice with the number of restaurants there are.  Staying in villas in the Algarve gives you the opportunity to sample some of the local dishes and being by the coast there is fresh fish such as sardines, sole and bream on most of the restaurant’s menus.  Red and white wine is also made in the area surrounding the town of Lagoa and there are wine tasting tours that you can take part in during your holiday at an Algarve villa.