When planning your Algarve villa holiday or Algarve apartment holiday, you first have to consider your budget and the length of your stay. You then need to look at the size and age range of your party. Are you holidaying as a couple, as a family with one or two children, or as a group of friends? The answers to these questions will largely decide upon the size and/or type of holiday accommodation you need.A family with two children will require very different accommodation to that required by a couple and a couple’s requirements will be different again, to those of a group of friends who are holidaying together.
Your next consideration is the area. Is your party drawn to western Algarve with its rugged coastline, cliff faces and fast and furious surfing action or is there a pull to the more family-centric, central Algarve, with its calmer waters, sandcastles and pedaloes? Or would you prefer instead somewhere quiet and romantic, somewhere in eastern Algarve perhaps? Read on for more information on each of these Algarve areas.
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West Algarve
The principal towns in Western Algarve are Lagos, Luz and Sagres, with Sagres almost at the Algarve’s westernmost point. The further west you go, along the coast towards Sagres and beyond, the more rugged and exhilarating the coastal terrain becomes. Here, you’ll find groups of fit young adults with four wheel drive vehicles, climbing equipment and/or surf boards, with never say die glints in their eyes.
As you come further east to Luz and Lagos, the choppy, sometimes rough seas give way to calmer, gentler, more pedalo friendly waters. The town of Lagos is situated on the edge of a bay, which is protected from the elements by large rock formations. There are five different beaches all within walking distance of the town centre, which is itself, enclosed within 5th century walls. There’s a modern and well equipped marina on the sea front which has gone some way to making Lagos the tourist centre it is today.
Holiday villas and rental apartments are in plentiful supply in the area, many of which take advantage of their proximity to Meia Praia, the beach which runs from the west of the town’s marina, right along the coast to Alvor. Other fine beaches, together with some lovely restaurants can be found at Dona Ana and Porto de Mos.
The once small fishing villages of Rocha Negra, Burgau and Salema are now firm favourites among holidaymakers for their many Algarve holiday villas and apartments. Development in these areas however, as with most of the Algarve, has been sensibly controlled so as not to spoil and over-commercialise the area.
Central Algarve
Further along the coast into Central Algarve and the situation calms still further. Here, vast expanses of golden sand, give way to crystal blue waters, ideal for those with lilos and rubber rings. Watersports here are plentiful still but they are of a different kind. The waters are warmer and calmer, perfect for splashing around in and for petrol powered sports like waterskiing and jet skiing. Banana boats and huge rubber rings regularly carry hoards of screaming kids, twisting and turning as they go, in an attempt to dump their loads, unceremoniously into the bath like warm waters as parents watch on from the safety of their sun loungers and beach parasols.
East Algarve
The eastern Algarve is altogether more sedate, more relaxed, quieter and romantic. The wide soft sanded beaches here are a haven for couples who wish to spend some quality time alone together. The coastal town s of Olhao, Tavira and Vila Real de Santo Antonio, cater for those who would rather not hop on a jet ski but, instead, spend their time in each others company or buried deep in the pages of a good book.
The town of Tavira itself is still very fishing oriented and there are many more reminders of the old ways here, than there are of the new. As time goes on of course, this situation is changing but in general it is quieter and more gently laid back part of the Algarve, a part that continues to move at its own pace. Fishermen still land their hauls here and the many good quality fish restaurants that seem to have been here forever, even if they haven’t, delight in serving the very best of the day’s catch.
With the area roughly sorted and the size and type of accommodation decided, it’s now time to consider some of the other variables. Do you want your own private pool or would you be happy to share? Do you want to be high up in the hills with a great view of the coast or surrounding countryside or do you need to be on the flat? Would you rather be close to town for all its amenities and nightlife or somewhere a little more remote for the peace and quiet or privacy? Will you be hiring a car or motor scooters during your holiday? The answers to these questions will help you to narrow down your search for your ideal Algarve apartment, help you to zero in on your perfect Algarve villa and help you to enjoy a wonderful Algarve holiday.
Here at Villa in Algarve we offer a wide range of holiday accommodation including luxury villas sleeping from 5 to 16 people and beautifully appointed holiday apartments accommodating from 2 to 4 people. We have Algarve holiday accommodation available in all parts of the Algarve from western Algarve into central Algarve and eastern Algarve, including villas and apartments in Sagres, Luz and Lagos, Alvor, Portimão, Albufeira, Carvoeiro, Quarteira, Vilamoura, Olhao and Tavira as well as the golf resorts of Vale do Lobo and Quinta do Lago.
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