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 fascinate from the first minutes and make you come back here again and again.
In this southernmost Portuguese province there are at least three hundred sunny days a year, the average temperature in summer is at +25 C °, and in winter it rarely drops below +18 C °. Thanks to such a mild climate, travelers from all over Europe and other parts of the world come here on vacation year-round. Everyone has different goals: to relax at sea, to visit historical sights, to taste local cuisine and wines, but all of them will take away from here an indelible impression of the resorts of the Algarve in Portugal.
How to get to the Algarve
Due to the close distance from Russia, it is best to get to the Algarve by plane. The resort itself has only one airport, which is located in the city of Faro. Three direct flights depart from Moscow here weekly. The flight takes about seven hours. At the height of the season, a return ticket for one passenger costs 320 euros. From St. Petersburg a direct flight to the Algarve is possible 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.
Even cheaper, you can fly if you take advantage of connecting flights in many European cities.
You can also get from Faro to Moscow by bus, making one change in the capital of Switzerland, in Bern. But this route is not popular, as it costs a lot, almost 400 euros, and it will take four days to go. A flight to Lisbon will be more budgetary, 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 late April to mid-October. In the summer it can be very hot, 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 helps maintain a fairly temperate climate in the region throughout the year, it still has its seasonal characteristics:
- Winter. This 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 ° C ... + 17 ° C.
- Spring. In our understanding of the word, she comes to Portugal in mid-February. At this time, the water of the ocean near the coast warms up to +17 ° C, which attracts many water sports enthusiasts, such as surfing, for example. The warmest regions of the country at this time are Madeira Islands and Algarve resorts: +19 ° C ... + 20 ° C. At this time, everything begins to blossom 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 know that this is the best time for swimming in the ocean, as the water warms up to +18 ° C ... + 20 ° C.
- Autumn. It is best to come to Portugal in October. 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 begins in November.
Tours and visas for Russians
Spring is an ideal season for a budget family trip, when you can combine relaxing on the beach with interesting excursions to the surrounding castles and medieval cities.
Among the many varieties of tours from Moscow to Portugal, offered by tour operators, vacationers distinguish three main:
- Beach vacation. Leading agencies offer tours from 7 to 14 days to the Algarve province on its amazing beaches. Departure time depends only on the flight schedule.
- Sightseeing 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 resorts of the Algarve to celebrate a wedding or spend a honeymoon. For them, as a rule, eight-day tours with accommodation in hotels or in villas are provided.
In order to travel to the Algarve, you need a Schengen visa. For Russians in Portugal, it is drawn up at the consular section of the embassy of this country.
Holiday Prices
Portugal is one of the few countries in Europe where most people with average incomes can afford to relax. Even at such an expensive resort as the Algarve (Portugal), prices for vacations are often very pleasant.
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. 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 relax, hiding from the hustle and bustle of the city.
Numerous cafes and restaurants also make it possible to choose where and for how much to dine. You can, for example, find an institution where a good lunch will cost 15 euros, or you can, by ordering the menu of the day, generally pay only 10 euros for several dishes.
Major Attractions
The Algarve province is famous not only for its popular fashionable resorts. It is also widely known for its many attractions, both natural and cultural. According to tourists, in the Algarve (Portugal), first of all, it is necessary to highlight the following few places to visit:
- Cape Sao Vicente is located in the very southwest of the European continent. It houses a lighthouse with a wide viewing platform, from where tourists enjoy a fantastic view of the vast ocean distances.
- The town of Loulé. 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 well-developed folk crafts. In the town you can get acquainted with the work of potters, chasers and how baskets are woven from the vine.
- 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 castle of Castelo dos Muros, dozens of churches and temples, as well as beautiful 18th-century mansions.
Beaches
Speaking of the beaches in the Algarve, you can immediately clearly divide them into two types: some are in the zone of famous and large resorts, they are crowded, they have a well-developed infrastructure. Others are deserted, sandwiched on all sides by picturesque cliffs. And it’s very difficult to single out any 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 large 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 have been built here from 2 * to 5 *. Some of the most popular hotels are presented below:
- Cascade Wellness & Lifestyle Resort 5 * (Lagos). This hotel complex is located in a picturesque place, surrounded on all sides by a garden. The hotel has an outdoor pool, spa. All air-conditioned rooms come with satellite TV, a kitchen and a private balcony with wonderful ocean views. Free parking is also available.
- Hotel Quarteirasol 4 * (Quarteira). The hotel offers guests deluxe and double rooms with one or two beds. It offers panoramic sea views. The hotel has a restaurant, golf course, conference room, bath complex, parking area.
- Dom Pedro Lagos 3 * (Lagos). The hotel offers guests rooms of different categories. Here you can stay in apartments, suites or studios. The hotel has a restaurant.
Algarve: holidays with children
In Portugal, you can safely go on vacation, even with young children. Here they are always welcome, and in many hotels they even have special beds for their rooms.
There are also many activities for children, such as a water park, a visit to the zoo. For them, special mini-golf courses and others have been built.