Albufiera Travel Guide

While Pine Cliffs resort certainly has a lot to offer, more intrepid holidaymakers will be tempted to explore further afield. Albufiera, one of the largest towns close to Pine Cliffs, is known as an incredibly popular tourist destination all over Europe. It’s definitely one of the nearby destinations that visitors to Pine Cliffs should think about exploring.

Until the rise of mass tourism in the Algarve, Albufiera was just a small fishing village. While many parts of the town are now well developed, the old town retains some of its sleepy charm. An incredibly pleasant way to spend an evening is to walk through the cobbled streets, admiring the architecture and gazing out at the ocean. This is especially beautiful at sunset, with a multitude of colours from the sky reflected in the sea. If you’re interested in the history of the region you might enjoy exploring the museums in the area. The Museu Municipal de Arqueologica showcases some of the more interesting archeological finds in the Algarve from over the years, and the Sacred Art Museum is full of fascinating religious artworks.

The main attraction in Albufiera is undoubtedly the pristine sandy beaches, which stretch along the entire coastline close to the town. Of course, in the summer months, these beaches tend to be absolutely packed with tourists. If that isn’t your idea of a relaxing time, or you are travelling with particularly young children, then you should consider visiting one of the quieter beaches nearby. Praia de Coelha is particularly good if you have toddlers, as the rock pool formations let kids enjoy the sea without any risk. Almost all of the beaches in the area are patrolled by lifeguards, and many of them have opportunities for watersports. If you’re interested in adrenaline pumping thrills then parasailing and jet skiing is on offer, which is perfect for older teenagers.

The Algarve is well known for cuisine, and Albufiera is no exception. Of course, like any area that experiences high tourism, you’ll need to be selective about the restaurants you choose to frequent. The general rule is that the places closest to the beach tend to offer poor quality food at inflated prices. The good places tend to be in locations further from the main throng. It’s worth bearing in mind that if a restaurant has a tout outside enthusiastically trying to get you to come in, the food probably doesn’t speak very well for itself.

The dishes worth trying tend to be seafood based, and the better restaurants serve up fantastic prawns, lobster and crab. Many and varied preparations of cod are also available, as well as traditional Portuguese dishes like Cataplana, which is a kind of long-simmered stew, usually containing clams with sausage or other seafood. You should also try the peri-peri chicken, which is far superior to the insipid imitation served in high street chains in the UK.