On the southern coast of the Iberian Peninsula is one of the most beautiful places on the European continent - the Algarve (Portugal). According to tourists, its snow-white beaches, picturesque landscapes, ancient castles and orange groves captivate from the first minutes and make you come back here again and again.
This southernmost Portuguese province has at least 300 sunny days a year, with an average summer temperature of +25 C° and winter rarely falling below +18 C°. Thanks to such a mild climate, travelers from all over Europe and other parts of the world come to rest here all year round. Everyone's goals are different: relax by the sea, visit historical sites, try local cuisine and wines, but all of them take away indelible impressions from the Algarve resorts in Portugal for a lifetime.
How to get to the Algarve
Because of the distance from Russia, the best way to get to the Algarve is by plane. The resort itself has only one airport, which is located in the city of Faro. From Moscow to herethree direct flights depart weekly. The flight takes about seven hours. In high season, a round-trip ticket per passenger costs 320 euros. You can get to the Algarve from St. Petersburg by direct flight only once a week. The ticket price is much higher than from Moscow - about 450 euros.
There are other, cheaper ways to get to the resort, which tourists write about in reviews. You can get to the Algarve (Portugal) by flying first to Lisbon. From the capital, in just a few hours, you will reach Faro, from where you can get to anywhere in the region by bus or train.
You can fly even cheaper if you use flights with transfers in many cities in Europe.
From Moscow to Faro you can also get by bus, making one transfer in the capital of Switzerland, in Bern. But this route is not popular, as it is not cheap, almost 400 euros, and it will take four days to travel. A more budgetary flight will be to Lisbon, and from there you can get to the Algarve for only 30 euros and three and a half hours.
When is the best time to go
If we talk about the tourist season as a vacation at sea, then its duration is about six months: from the end of April to mid-October. In summer it can be very hot here, so sunbathing on the beach and swimming in the sea, according to tourists, in the Algarve (Portugal) is best in May or September.
Although the proximity of the ocean contributes to maintaining a fairly moderate climate in the region throughout the year, it still has its own seasonal features:
- Winter. Thisthe season in Portugal is the rainiest, although in the south of the country, in particular in the resorts of the Algarve, it is quite possible to sunbathe. The average air temperature is kept at +15 С°…+17 С°.
- Spring. In our understanding of the word, she comes to Portugal in mid-February. At this time, the ocean water near the shore warms up to +17 ° C, which attracts many lovers of water sports, such as surfing. The warmest regions of the country at this time are the Madeira Islands and Algarve resorts: +19 С°…+20 С°. At this time, everything begins to bloom and bloom.
- Summer. From mid-June to mid-September, the high season begins in the Algarve. This is the period when a hot and dry climate is established. It rains very rarely. Those who plan to spend their holidays in the Algarve in the summer should be aware that this is the best time for swimming in the ocean, as the water warms up to +18 C°…+20 C°.
Autumn. October is the best time to visit Portugal. The weather is still reminiscent of spring, but the influx of tourists is much lower. There are still many sunny days. The rainy season in Portugal starts in November
Tours and visas for Russians
Spring is the perfect season for a budget family trip, when you can combine a beach holiday with interesting excursions to the surrounding castles and medieval towns.
Among the many varieties of tours from Moscow to Portugal offered by tour operators, vacationers distinguish three main ones:
- Beach vacation. To the province of Algarve on heramazing beaches leading agencies offer tours from 7 to 14 days. Departure times are subject to flight schedules only.
- Excursion tours are usually designed for 7-8 days and are associated with moving from one attraction to another. Sometimes, if the flight schedule allows, these tours can be combined with beach tours. The best time for such excursions is the month of May.
- Wedding tour. Very often, newlyweds come to the Algarve resorts to celebrate their wedding or spend their honeymoon. For them, as a rule, eight-day tours with accommodation in hotels or villas are provided.
To travel to the Algarve, you need a Schengen visa. For Russians in Portugal, it is issued at the consular department of the embassy of this country.
Vacation prices
Portugal is one of the few countries in Europe where most middle-income people can afford to relax. Even in such an expensive resort as the Algarve (Portugal), vacation prices are often very reasonable.
If we consider the cost of housing, it depends on the locality where you settled, and on how far from the beach your hotel is located. On average, a double room will cost you from 90 to 150 euros. In neighboring Spain, prices are much higher. In addition, many tourists are attracted by the fact that the hotels in the Algarve all have their own green areas, where you can have a great rest, hiding from the hustle and bustle of the city.
Numerous cafes and restaurants also make it possible to choose where and forhow much to eat. You can, for example, find a place where a good lunch will cost 15 euros, or you can order the menu of the day and pay only 10 euros for several dishes.
Main Attractions
The Algarve province is famous not only for its popular fashionable resorts. It is also widely known for its numerous natural and cultural attractions. According to tourists, in the Algarve (Portugal), first of all, the following few places to visit should be highlighted:
Cape Sao Vicente is located in the very southwest of the European continent. There is a lighthouse with a wide observation deck on it, from where tourists have a fantastic view of the boundless ocean distances
- Loule town. Located near Faro. It is famous not only for the fact that here you can see a well-preserved fortress from the time of the Arab conquerors, but also for the developed folk crafts. In the town you can see the work of potters, chasers and how baskets are woven from vines.
- Tavira is a small town located on the border with Spain. It was founded by the Arab conquerors. Here you can see the beautifully preserved Castelo dos Muros, dozens of churches and temples, as well as beautiful 18th-century mansions.
Beaches
Speaking about the beaches in the Algarve, you can immediately clearly divide them into two types: some are located in the area of famous and large resorts, they are crowded, they have a well-developed infrastructure. Others are deserted, squeezed from all sides by picturesque rocks. And it is very difficult to single out some of them that can be said to be the best. After all, each vacationer may have their own preferences.
But regardless of whether it is a big or a small beach, they are covered with soft golden sand, the entrance to the sea is gentle everywhere, they are all equipped with umbrellas and sunbeds.
Hotels
The ever-growing popularity of the Algarve annually attracts a huge number of tourists from both Europe and the CIS countries. For them, many hotels from 2to 5have been built here. Some of the most popular hotels are listed below:
Cascade Wellness & Lifestyle Resort 5 (Lagos). This hotel complex is located in a picturesque place, surrounded by a garden on all sides. The hotel has an outdoor pool and spa. All rooms have air conditioning, satellite TV, a kitchen and a private balcony with wonderful ocean views. Free parking is also offered to guests
- Hotel Quarteirasol 4 (Quarteira). The hotel offers deluxe rooms and double rooms with one or two beds. The windows offer panoramic sea views. The hotel has a restaurant, a golf course, a conference hall, a bath complex, a parking area.
- Dom Pedro Lagos 3 (Lagos). The hotel offers rooms of different categories for guests. Here you can stay in apartments, suites or studios. The hotel has a restaurant.
Algarve: holidays with children
You can safely go to Portugalvacation even with small children. They are always welcome here, and many hotels even provide special cots for them, which are provided in the rooms.
Here there are also many entertainments for children, such as a water park, a visit to the zoo. For them, special playgrounds for mini-golf and others have been built.
