Albufeira has two centres about two kilometres apart. The Old Town is the original fishing town on the cliffs, with its beaches right below it. The Strip, up the hill to the east, is the newer, louder half, where the nightlife is. Which suits you depends on what you want from your evenings, and how much you want to walk to the sand. Our apartments are in three complexes: one in the Old Town, one near the Strip, and a private, gated one on the beach between the two.
Whitewashed streets wind down to the sea, around the square at Largo Engenheiro Duarte Pacheco. Escalators at Pau da Bandeira take you down to Fisherman's Beach (Praia dos Pescadores), which runs on to Tunnel Beach, Inatel Beach and Praia dos Alemães, so there is room to spread out even in August. In the evening the Old Town is busy with restaurants and bars, but it keeps a town's character rather than a resort's.
Best for: a first visit, beaches you can walk to, and doing without a car. The Marina, with more restaurants and the boat trips, is about half an hour's walk west, and Albufeira Terrace, the town's big shopping centre, is on this side of town too.
The Strip is Avenida Sá Carneiro, in the area also called Areias de São João and, at its top end, Montechoro. It is a long avenue of bars, clubs, restaurants and shops that comes alive late and stays up later. At its lower end the road drops down a steep hill, known to every guest as Cardiac Hill, to Praia da Oura.
Best for: nightlife, groups of friends, and somewhere open whatever the hour.
| Complex | Beach | Old Town | The Strip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clube do Monaco | About two minutes' walk | In it, about 10 minutes' walk to the square | About 30 minutes' walk, or 5 by taxi |
| Quinta da Barracuda | A private gate onto Praia dos Alemães | About 35 minutes' walk, or 5 by taxi | About 10 to 15 minutes' walk |
| Parque da Corcovada | Praia da Oura, about 25 minutes' walk | About 10 minutes by taxi | About 15 minutes' walk |
A few minutes from the beach, with sea views from most apartments, its own pool and sun terrace, and the Old Town's restaurants and shops on foot. One- and two-bedroom apartments sleeping up to five. There is no lift, and parking nearby is limited in summer; a municipal car park about 200 metres away sells weekly tickets.
See the apartments at Clube do Monaco →A closed condominium behind its own electronic gates: only residents and their guests come in, so the pool, the gardens and the walk down to the sea are yours rather than the town's. A private gate leads straight down to Praia dos Alemães, and there are sea views along the coast to the Old Town, a large pool and a children's pool, lifts and secure parking in the courtyard and underground. Inside it is quiet, yet the Strip is a short walk up the hill and the Old Town a short taxi ride, so you can choose your evening without living above either. Mostly one-bedroom apartments, with a two-bedroom and a three-bedroom penthouse.
See the apartments at Quinta da Barracuda →A residential complex on the Montechoro side of town, set around a pool and gardens, with a lift and street parking, and an Aldi supermarket 400 metres away. Close enough to walk to the Strip, far enough to sleep. Two-bedroom apartments sleeping up to five.
See the apartments at Parque da Corcovada →Uber and the local taxis cover any trip in town in 5 to 10 minutes. There is also the Giro town bus, and the tourist train loops past both centres. Walking from the Strip to the Old Town takes about half an hour, much of it downhill on the way there.
For beaches, things to do and where to eat, see our Albufeira guide. Arriving by air? Here is how to get from Faro Airport to Albufeira.