Algarve Holidays

Things To Do on Algarve Holidays

Renowned for its golf courses (there are around thirty to choose from), if you want to improve your handicap, golf holidays in the Algarve will see you spoilt for choice. From Vilamoura’s Old Course, Tavira’s Colina Verde and Carvoeiro’s Gramacho Course, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to dabble in a full round or a game of pitch and putt. And when you’re ready to retire from your day on the green, there’s always the chance to sample some local wines or saunter through the sleepy coastal towns, where life continues to centre around the seafront. If, on the other hand, you consider yourself something of a daredevil, don’t be fooled into thinking activities here are always slow-paced. You can go off-road in a jeep adventure, take a high-speed water safari around the coastline, or divulge in a selection of water sports - whether it’s surfing, sailing or paragliding. Even the little ones will be in their element thanks to the spotless stretches of sand and numerous aqua parks, including Zoomarine Stare, where you can watch water mammals perform their magic every day of the week.

Culture

The Moorish influence is still present throughout the Algarve, in particular when it comes to the architecture where narrow streets and lace-patterned chimneys are the norm. But it's not just through structural artefacts that the locals like to express themselves as food (think freshly-caught fish, peri-peri chicken and super-sweet afters), and dance have their part to play too. In fact anyone holidaying on the Algarve should make it their mission to experience the ‘corridinho' - a traditional folk dance that stems back to the nineteenth century.

Characteristically laid back and tolerant, the Portuguese lifestyle is set at a completely different pace in comparison to the British guests that flock there, with family meals and regular church visits a must; but with a huge cafe culture and welcoming atmosphere, tourists usually slip into the carefree customs at ease. You won't find language barriers a problem either, with most Portuguese happy to switch between the local lingo and fluent English at any given time.

Covering 6% of Portugal, the Algarve has an incredibly diverse landscape with the coastline bordered by sky-high cliffs, the inland bursting with rich vegetation in the form of fig trees and orange groves, and the north filled in with their very own mountain range. To explore the entire region it's worth hiring a car or booking on a tailored tour when you first arrive.