Albufeira Tourist Places to Visit in Albufeira, Portugal, Europe
Albufeira is a city as well as top tourist destination in Portugal, situated around 255 km south-southeast of the national capital, Lisbon. Because of its coastal location, Albufeira receives loads of tourists in the summer months, so the city houses dozens of world class hotels, restaurants and recreational centres. The economy of Albufeira is also concentrated on its rich tourism.
Geography of Albufeira:
Located on the south coast of the country, Albufeira coordinates with 37.1000° N latitude and 8.2500° W longitude.
History of Albufeira:
During the Roman rule in Portugal, Albufeira was called Baltum and the present name may be derived from the Arabic word Al-Buhayra which means “The Lagoon”. Albufeira achieved town status from King D. Manuel I on 20 August 1504.
How to reach Albufeira?
Albufeira is served by Faro Airport, situated about 35 km away from the centre of Albufeira. This airport handles flights from and to Copenhagen, London, Düsseldorf, Munich, Edinburgh, Paris, Dublin, Amsterdam and other prime cities of Europe.
Visitors can reach Albufeira from Faro by train or bus and by train, it takes around one hour. From Lisbon, train takes 3-4 hours.
The city of Albufeira houses many reputed car rentals including Hertz and Europcar. Other widely used options for local travel are buses and taxis.
Food and Shopping in Albufeira:
Avenida da Liberdade and The Strip are the two major shopping sites in Albufeira where tourists can purchase beach articles, jewelers, traditional handicrafts and potteries.
For those interested in sea food, Albufeira is the best place for with lines of sea food restaurants with mouthwatering dishes.
Some popular restaurants in Albufeira include:
- Cabana Fresca
- Dream Wave
- Vila Joya Restaurant
- Bom Garfo
Things to do in Albufeira:
- Dolphins Driven
- Dream Wave
- Portitours Day Tours
- Historical Roman Portugal Tour
Tourist Attractions in Albufeira:
Praia dos Pescadores:
Albufeira is the site of many spectacular beaches of which Praia dos Pescadores, Praia da Oura and Praia do Túnel are very popular among foreign tourists. Including Parasailing and jet-skiing, tourists can enjoy a variety of water sport activities at the beaches of Albufeira.
Areias de São João:
The Areias de São João or the Strip is a tourist favor area with dozens of nightlife enjoying options like bars, pubs, restaurants, and hotels. Other tourist favor site in Albufeira is the Old Town which houses many historic buildings.
Castle of Paderne:
The Castle of Paderne is a fortification dates back to the 12th-century and it comes under the Albufeira municipality. Entry is free.
Other places of interest in Albufeira include:
- Vale Navio Horse Riding Center
- Pince Cliffs Golf
- Balaia Golf Course
- Zoomarine
- Harbor of Albufeira
- Falesia Beach
- Olhos de Agua Beach
- Praia da Coelha
- Praia Sao Rafael
- Algarve Golf Academy and Sports Bar
- Praia dos Pescadores
- Museu Municipal de Arqueologia
- Albufeira’s Igreja Matriz
- Balaia Golf Village
- Casa Museu do Acordeao
- San Vicente de Albufeira Statue
Best time to visit Albufeira:
The recommended time to enjoy holidays in Albufeira is from May to September.
Accommodation options in Albufeira:
Albufeira is a coastal town housing plenty of natural as well as manmade tourist attractions along with all sorts of well facilitated hotels. Generally mid-range hotels charge €50+ per night. The major hotels in Albufeira are as follows:
- Porto Bay Falesia
- Falesia Hotel
- Hotel Riu Palace Algarve
- EPIC SANA Algarve Hotel
- Hotel Vila Gale Praia
- Velamar Hotel
- Alfagar II Aparthotel
- Sheraton Algarve Hotel
- ClubHotel Riu Guarana
- Hotel Apartamento Brisa Sol
- Aqua Pedra dos Bicos Hotel
- Vila do Ouro
- Cerro da Marina Hotel
- Pine Cliffs Residence
- Club Med Da Balaia
- Apartamentos Turisticos da Orada