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In the popular holiday destination of the Algarve in the south of Portugal there are many stunning villages and picturesque towns that line the Mediterranean coastline and showcase the Portuguese culture, architecture and landscape. One such town in the Algarve is Albufeira. Albufeira was named by Arabic settlers over five hundred years ago as they arrived in the South of Portugal near Faro. The name Albufeira means "the lagoon" and describes the beautiful seaside area which is now home to a large marina and white sandy beaches.
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The city itself is relatively small, with a population of 13,000, but the population numbers swell as over 200,000 tourists every year visit the area in summertime to enjoy the hot, dry summer weather and long sunny days. The city centre has all of the amenities and facilities expected of an international tourist resort, including large shopping centres, arts and crafts stalls and tourist information centres. Such centres offer excursion packages to indulge in water sports like waterskiing and deep sea diving in nearby resorts. After sunset the city really comes alive as the numerous bars, restaurants and evening shops open until the wee hours of the morning. Albufeira`s night life is very much available to all kinds of people, with rustic Portuguese restaurants for those interested in experiencing the local culture, massive nightclubs for those wanting to dance until dawn and small boutiques for those wanting to take a look at local handicrafts and paintings. Many of the restaurants are family friendly, with many serving lots of the locally sourced fresh fish. One of the regional specialties is cataplana - steamed shellfish - and is not to be missed.
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Aside from the city itself, the area is surrounded by small quaint Portuguese villages and is home to beautiful landscape. To the north there are huge mountains with fantastic views of the Algarve and opportunities for hiking, walking and mountaineering. For those with expensive taste and hobbies, there are many golf courses along the coast line and high quality golf resorts and related hotels. For those wanting a cheap holiday in Albufeira, simply enjoying the beaches, architecture and hilly areas is more than enough to entertain you.
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Albufeira`s nearest city is Faro, which is only forty minutes away in the car. Faro is the main port in the area and is accessible from international ferries and ships. For those flying from abroad, Faro airport is the nearest international airport and has all of the amenities and facilities you would expect from such. If interested in seeing more of Portugual, Lisbon airport is much larger with flights from all over Europe. Lisbon also has strong bus links with Faro and to Albufeira.
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