A Tourist Guide To Albufeira

By Author: Bonny Kominek
Total Articles: 230
Comment this article

Albufeira is a town on the Algarve, in the central region, and is a popular holiday destination for thousands of tourists who stay in Albufeira hotels every year. The old town of Albufeira is a good-looking, cobbled street affair that is packed with restaurants and cafes that serve some excellent seafood - grilled sardines are a local favourite and a bit of a signature dish of the area. In addition, there are plenty of bars and shops to explore during the day, with the many of the bars open well into the small hours, and complemented by a good selection of nightclubs.

Albufeira has plenty of other local cuisine specialities besides grilled sardines, such as fish stew and the cataplana of steamed shellfish. Albufeira can also boast a Michelin starred restaurant called Vila Joya, which is set upon a cliff top and offers fantastic food with spectacular aerial views. The main nightlife area of Albufeira is called Montechoro, also known as The Strip. At night, this peaceful area turns into a buzzing hub of dancing, drinking, and all round merriment.

As well as the ubiquitous grilled sardines, there are several gastronomic ...
... treats that it would be a crime to miss out on, including the cataplana of steamed shellfish, and another local delicacy, fish stew. There is Michelin-starred restaurant in Albufeira called Vila Joya, which is located on a cliff-top and offers spectacular views (as well as top class food).

The part of town that is the centre of the nightlife is called Montechoro, and is known as ''The Strip'', an area which transforms from a sleepy daytime pace of life to come alive at night.

Albufeira has been inhabited for thousands of years, and was known as Baltum in the time of the Roman Empire. Indeed, the remains of a Roman castle just about survive, and are now home to the Torre do Relogio, the clock tower of the town, which is built on the ruins of one of the former castle towers.

There are the full range of water sports on offer as you might expect of an area well developed for tourism, including paragliding, windsurfing and scuba diving; as well as plenty of small boats which can be chartered to explore the many inlets and caves dotted round the coastal cliffs. For longer sightseeing trips, including fishing and diving excursions, Albufeira marina is to the west, on the outskirts of town. This guide to holidays in Albufeira was written by Bonny Kominek. For great deals on Albufeira hotels, go to the Octopus Travel website.