Featured Algarve Holiday Resort – Carvoeiro

If you are thinking of taking an Algarve villa holiday this summer or autumn, we have still got availability in the town of Carvoeiro – a popular Algarve villa destination in Central Algarve.

About Carvoeiro

The population of Carvoeiro is steadily on the increase. Last recorded in July 2011 as approaching 3000, this obviously does not take into account the huge influx of tourists that artificially swell the figures to 2 or 3 times that, for the better part of the year. Formally a small fishing village whose livelihood depended entirely on what its inhabitants could pull from the sea, Carvoeiro is now extremely popular with tourists, a popularity that has been growing steadily since the early 1960’s.

With this increase in popularity came the inevitable and much needed improvements in infrastructure and a rise in the standard of living, not just for the tourists, but also for the indigenous population as a whole. For fifty years now, tourists from all over Europe and especially from England have been flocking to this part of the world in their thousands, lapping up its sun, sea, sand and sangria lifestyle and in so doing, bringing with them, cultural changes and influences that have permanently altered life in this once sleepy little fishing village.

Carvoeiro is now a tourism hub and a hive of activity from daybreak to sunset and long afterwards. The streets in the town and its beaches are alive and buzzing with couples, families and groups of holidaymakers who are either enjoying the sun and relaxing on one of Carvoeiro’s five gorgeous sandy beaches, paddling or swimming in the sea or living it up on the busy Carvoeiro “strip”.

It’s not all about tourism though; Carvoeiro still has along way to go before it comes even close to comparing to the hedonistic fervour of Albufeira. Carvoeiro is first and foremost, a family resort, with plenty to entertain children and young adults as well as the grownups. The villas and apartments in Carvoeiro provide everything you could possibly wish for in terms of quality and convenience. Whether you are holidaying as a couple or as a larger family group or group of friends, there is the accommodation here, to suit. There are studio apartments, ideal for that quiet, romantic couples break and there are large detached villas that will comfortably accommodate larger family groups and groups of friends.

One of the joys of Carvoeiro is that despite its increasing popularity, it still manages to hold onto its roots, The charming atmosphere and character of old Carvoeiro is still very much present, particularly around the old harbour and this permeates the very fabric of its buildings with their traditional tiled roofs, white painted walls and colourful shutters. The modern, contemporary villas and apartments that have sprung up of recent years have been sympathetically created to blend well with these buildings of yesteryear and the result is a harmonious yet eclectic blend of style and culture.

Three “must dos” during your stay in Carvoeiro are a visit to Algar Seco, just down the road and visits to Zoomarine and Slide and Splash.

Algar Seco is arguably the most beautiful spot around Carvoeiro. It is a strange rock formation, carved out by the wind and the sea. It is amazing to see the effects that the elements have had on this rock face and the weird and wonderful shapes this has created. As with many tourist attractions in this part of the world, there is a bar on hand, in case you get thirsty.

Zoomarine and Slide and Splash are not far from Carvoeiro and both make for great days out with the family or with a group of friends. Their names are a bit of a give away and describe exactly what you can expect when you get there, but the chances are, you have never before seen anything quite like what’s on offer here.

Zoomarine, as the name suggests, is a waterpark for marine animals but more than that, it is an education zone with presentations about dolphins, sea lions, seals, birds of prey and reptiles. There is so much to see and do here, you’ll have fun and come away having learnt something about these wonderful creatures.

Slide and Splash is a water fun park with so many different slides and water based activities, you can be there all day and never get bored. In fact there are only two reasons the kids will want to stop playing; they’ll either get hungry or tired and if they’re hungry a quick visit to the onsite restaurant will soon have their batteries recharged. This is an ideal opportunity to give the kids a great and active day out, whilst the parents relax and enjoy the relative peace of the beautifully landscaped garden areas within the park.

If you fancy playing a bit of golf in what is after all, Europe’s capital of golf, you have three very good, local courses to choose from. The Gramacho, Pinta and Vale de Milho courses are all within reasonable striking distance. The first two are 18 hole courses and the last one; Vale de Milho is a par 3, 9-hole course. There are many more, further afield but these three are quite challenging in their own right and well worth a day out if you are a golf enthusiast!

Villas in Carvoeiro Algarve – click here to browse our Carvoeiro Villas and Apartments!

Last Minute Holidays in the Algarve – Its Not Too Late to Book Your Algarve Villa Holiday

If you haven't booked your summer holiday yet, it is not too late! Here at Villa in Algarve, we have hundreds of Algarve holiday villas and a few are still available for late summer and early autumn 2011.

Algarve Villas – click here to search our Algarve villas and Algarve apartments

Holiday Villas in the Algarve

The holiday villas available for rent through Villa in Algarve, range in size from 2 bedroomed townhouses with sun terraces in Carvoeiro and Rocha Brava through to large detached villas with beach frontages or set in land with breathtaking sea views, that can comfortably accommodate up to 16 people.

Many of our holiday villas to let in the Algarve come with their own private swimming pools and some come complete with well-appointed games rooms too. All of them however, are offered in superb condition and furnished and decorated to make your stay as comfortable as possible.

Located on Portugal’s popular Algarve coast, the villas, townhouses and apartments to rent here, benefit from the area’s fantastic Mediterranean climate. Indeed, the climate is so good here, that the Algarve has become one of Europe’s most popular holiday destinations. With an average of 3000 hours of sunshine every year the Algarve is actually sunnier than California and in the summer months, the Algarve will see around 12 hours of sunshine per day and have virtually no rain.

If it’s sunshine and heat you’re after, and for some there is simply no substitute, then head for the eastern coast. Here, the easterly press of the Mediterranean and the squeeze of the Atlantic from the west, keeps the temperatures up in and around Tavira, making the area seem just that bit hotter than the likes of Lagos or Luz. In the summer months of course, the variance is not enough to make any real difference, but in spring and autumn, you may just notice those few extra degrees.

Summers in the Algarve are hot, not unbearably so but certainly hot enough to make it well worth the trip. From June to September, long hot days and balmy evenings are the norm. Temperatures are up in the late 20’s regularly and rise to the mid 30’s in peak season but even this is not too uncomfortable as the sea breezes make it seem cooler and the low humidity means that as warm as it gets, it’s still a very pleasant, dry heat.

Activities and Places to Visit

Many people return to the Algarve time and again. It very quickly becomes a favourite holiday destination with holidaymakers returning to the same town, if not the same villa. It is interesting to see how much the place changes from one year to the next. The local government restricts building in the area so that it remains in keeping with the environment, but that does not stop improvements to roadways and it does not stop the constant upgrade and improvement of facilities and properties in the Algarve. So even if you’ve been here many times before, there is nothing better than wandering around and exploring to see how much the place has changed since your last visit and if this is the first time you’ve visited the Algarve, you’re in for a real treat.

Once here, you can explore the area to your hearts content. You can take yourselves off on lovely coastal walks, enjoying the scenery, you can explore by car or even by boat. What better way to properly appreciate the drama of the Algarve coast than from the deck of a boat you’ve hired for that very reason. If you want to stick to the shore, why not enjoy a lovely picnic together or go for a meal at one of the very fancy local restaurants. Alternatively you can enjoy lovely meals in very reasonably priced local bistros or cook up a feast of your own back at your Algarve villa.

This part of Portugal is famed for its fresh fish and meat dishes and the towns and villages of the area celebrate this fact, by regularly holding fresh produce markets. These markets feature stalls offering every kind of fruit and vegetable imaginable and a range of fresh meats and fish that will have your taste buds working overtime.

Every kind of fish is available here including Halibut, Salmon, Swordfish, Sole, Sea Bass, Sea Bream, Mullet, Turbot and Tuna. In fact the area has a centuries old tradition of tuna fishing, which is still alive today. The fishermen would lie in wait for the tuna schools as they made their predictable way from the open Atlantic, to spawn in the Mediterranean during May and June and if they missed their catch on the way in, the fishermen could always await the Tuna’s return journey, which would happen in July/August.

You can still see the fishermen of today, hauling their catch up onto Fisherman’s beach in the old part of Albufeira. There is a frenzy of activity as each boat comes ashore, the fishermen quickly unload the catch and get it into safe, cold storage as fast as possible and its good to know that within a very short time, one of those fresh finned fancies will be gracing a barbecue or a dinner table near you. On your travels, particularly around Tavira you will see the huge but now derelict fish canning factories, many of which will over time be levelled or converted as part of the future regeneration of this part of the Algarve.

Booking your Algarve holiday

It is not too late to book your Algarve villa holiday for 2011! Browse our web site now to search for Algarve villas and apartments to rent.