Discovering the Algarve: Lagos and Albufeira

April 27, 2017

As planned, I’m starting to discover some regions and cities in Portugal that I don’t know yet. Today, I’m going to tell you about my two days in the Algarve in Portugal with my husband. We decided to go to Lagos and Alfufeira, where we planned to meet real estate partners. Might as well combine business with pleasure! From our home (Aroeira), it takes just under 3 hours to drive to Lagos, which is easy on the freeway. You’ll need to pay around €50 in tolls to get there and back.

If you’d like to find out more about the Algarve, check out our article “Why choose to live in the Algarve?

1. Lagos

To get to Lagos, we pass through Albufeira, which is necessary to get to either side of the Algarve. Lagos is a historic town and a central point for discovering the western Algarve. Indeed, many activities and getaways to Sagres, Portimao or Silves are accessible by public transport. It’s less than an hour from these towns to Lagos

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In Lagos, I was seduced by the small pedestrian streets and the cute downtown area with its many restaurants, bars and pasteleria. Along the harbor, there’s a market with stalls selling clothes, wall hangings, souvenirs, jewelry…followed by numerous stalls offering activities and excursions such as a day on a boat to see dolphins or access to amusement parks such as Zoomarine or Slide & Splash

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the main street along the port of Lagos with its many stalls

It’s a rather quiet and peaceful town, even if there’s a lot of life in the streets in the evenings. It’s much livelier in Albufeira, but I’ll tell you more about that later 😉

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When you come to the Algarve, it’s for the beaches and the water, which is apparently warmer than in the rest of Portugal…So as far as the warmer water is concerned, I have to admit that I don’t notice any difference between the beach at Costa da Caparica (near Lisbon) and the one in the Algarve. On the other hand, the landscapes are quite different: the beaches are less extensive, the longest being Meia Praia beach, which is 4 km long. I’ve shot a short video of it for you 😉

Praia Dona Ana and Praia do Pinhão are pretty little beaches surrounded by sandstone cliffs and turquoise waters. This is where Lagos really comes into its own, offering a simply spectacular landscape with a series of cliffs sheltering caves, arches and caverns.

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We were on these beaches in April, so there were very few crowds, which was very welcome. Given the small size of the beaches, I suppose they’re quite full during the summer…I don’t know if I’d like that! I think it’s more enjoyable to discover the Algarve from April to the end of June and from September to the end of October, to avoid the influx of tourists. And as temperatures in the Algarve are pleasant all year round, going off-season isn’t a problem 😉

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Praia do Pinhao, Lagos

I find that even though Lagos is a tourist destination, it has retained its charm and traditional Portuguese culture. You’ll still find great restaurants at reasonable prices. We tasted the best Cataplana I’ve tasted so far 😉 We knew it was a speciality of southern Portugal and we were right to choose this dish – it’s a real delicacy!

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The best thing about this area is the mix of tourist activities while retaining a certain authenticity. A great vacation destination for families, who won’t get bored with all the activities and excursions on offer in the town.

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Professionally, we met Daniel who has been working in this region for some twenty years. We decided to create a partnership with him because he knows the region very well, has a great network and is very professional. This partnership will enable us to offer a varied selection of properties and personalized support to people who contact us about settling in the Lagos region.

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Daniel, a new partner for the Villa Feria team!

2. Albufeira

A change of scenery as we head for Albufeira, a 45-minute drive from Lagos. Albufeira has an undeniable advantage: it’s close to Faro airport and has direct access to the freeway to Lisbon (2h25 by car)

It’s a much livelier, tourist-oriented town, and the Algarve’s largest seaside resort. And that’s an understatement, with over 500 different establishments: restaurants, cafés and bars, you’ll find something to suit every palate

Algarve du Portugal Albufeira centre

The hub of the Algarve, this town was designed with tourists in mind. I have to admit I had trouble finding a Portuguese restaurant…probably because they were surrounded by English, Indian, Chinese, French, Italian, Spanish and many other restaurants.

So we opted for Italian cuisine with a home-made pizza on a terrace…I would have preferred a little grilled fish 😉 Of course, prices are the most expensive in the Algarve when it comes to food, even if it’s cheaper than in France.

So, the good thing about Albufeira is that you’ll have a wide choice of cuisines and won’t feel out of place; the bad thing (in my opinion) is that you lose the traditional, authentic feel of Portugal

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During the school vacations, expect the beaches to be crowded, the restaurants overflowing and prices at their highest. But isn’t that the case for all the best-known seaside resorts in any country? Well, as long as we know, that’s the main thing, because there’s a reason why Albufeira is the Algarve’s busiest town. The town has managed to adapt and organize itself around tourism: restaurants, hotels, B&Bs, package tours… Economically speaking, it’s great for Portugal!

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This town may not appeal to those seeking peace and quiet, as Albufeira, unlike other Algarve towns, remains lively and bustling all year round. On the other hand, this town will be appreciated by families looking for life and by young people looking to party.

Albufeira has two sides: the Old Town and The Strip. The old town is charming for its pretty little cobbled streets and the beach right next door. Small stores, restaurants and bars, open every day until late, allow tourists to enjoy all the pleasures of a vacation.

The Strip, located 2 km from the old town, is a livelier district with a party atmosphere, plenty of booze and beaches…to recover from the night before 😉 . A very popular place for stag and hen parties

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On a professional level, we first met Maria and her team, which is made up of Portuguese and a Frenchman (who has befriended manager Maria and helps her with French customers). We were made very welcome by the whole team, with a friendly, pleasant and even family atmosphere. Maria knows the area like no one else and the owners/clients work with her because she is fair, trustworthy and honest.

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At the agency with Maria and Virgil, trusted partners

Then in the afternoon, we met William and his team at a very nice pasteleria a few kilometers from Albufeira, a little further inland. William manages the group“les français sympas en Algarve“. A relaxed, professional and interesting discussion. The best thing about this partner is that they look for and find the property the customer is looking for directly with the owners. Their strength lies in their complementary approach to their work: a young woman researches properties, a young man visits customers and William is the leader of this great team.

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William and Christophe, the team!

In conclusion

As you may know, the Algarve has been very popular with the English for many years. That’s why you’ll find so many pubs and waiters greeting you in English. However, over the past year and a half, the French have become increasingly interested in the south of Portugal. The French love Lagos, Tavira, Vilamoura, the Albufeira area… What I’m about to write may seem obvious to you, but many people still regret their choice: get advice and support from people you trust to make sure you’re buying from the right place. I’m not saying this to promote us, but whether you’re with us or a competitor, make sure you get the information you need to be sure you’re living in the place of your dreams.