Travel to Albufeira

Travel to Albufeira

Albufeira, in the heart of the Algarve on Portugals south coast, attracts many visitors each year, with the main attraction here being the fine beaches. There are 23 beaches in the area, with seven situated close to the town. The most popular is Fishermans Beach, which can get very busy in the high season. The town also has plenty to offer people who want some time off from the beach, with a number of interesting churches and some good water theme parks for a fun day out.

Transportation to Albufeira

Although Albufeira doesnt have its own airport, it is only 25 miles from the airport at Faro and it has good rail and road links with other major cities in Portugal and beyond. Most people fly here via Faro and there are flights from many European destinations, with connections to 20 different UK airports serving Faro in the summer, and around 14 daily flights.

Portuguese roads tend to be of mixed quality, but there are some excellent toll roads connecting Faro and Lisbon, and from Lisbon onwards to Spain. Hiring a car is a popular thing to do here and allows you to explore the surrounding area and in particular, the beaches outside of the town.

Portugal also has good train services and Albufeira is easily reached by daily trains from Faro (20 to 35 minutes), Lisbon (3 hours) and Oporto (7 hours).

What to see

Like elsewhere in Portugal, Albufeira has some fascinating old churches, which help you to explore the rich culture. The main church is the 18th century neo-classical Igreja Matriz, with its imposing bell tower. The church has some interesting statues and a painting by local artist Samora Barros. SantAna Church is small, but quite beautiful, with an intricate ceiling design and some wooden sculptures. There are numerous churches in the vicinity and some of the other most visited ones include the Misericordia Chapel and the Church of So Sebastio.

Daytrips

The most popular daytrips are to the water theme parks Zoo Marine and Slide and Splash. Slide and Splash has numerous slides and swimming pools set in attractive gardens, suitable for picnicking, while Zoo Marine also has a water park with swimming pools, with the main attraction here being the dolphin and seal shows that take place three times a day.

Activities and leisure

Most of the leisure activities here are centred on the beaches. For many visitors, these mostly include sunbathing and swimming, but if you want something more active, the busy beaches have water sports and there are facilities for volleyball at Fishermans Beach. The evening entertainment tends to revolve around the strip with its bars, clubs and restaurants. There is also the chance to see some live music and local Portuguese folk music and dancing as well as some good shopping options.

Safety issues

Visits to Albufeira are usually trouble-free, but as with any very popular tourist destination, it is important to take particular care of your belongings in busy places. The smaller roads in the Algarve are of a varying standards, so take care when driving.