Algarve golf course

Portugal is well known for its great choice of golf courses with a number of courses designed by the 3-times British Open champion Sir Henry Cotton who lived in the Algarve. Most courses are found in the Algarve but there are good golf courses all over Portugal including the Lisbon area.

Mainland Portugal and its islands offer more than 500 miles of coastline making it a popular destination for water sports enthusiasts. Windsurfing, surfing and sailing are extremely popular with the more experienced surfers heading to the Lisbon Coast. Away from the sea Portugal’s rivers are becoming more and more popular with kayakers and canoeists.

Portugal offers every type of resort you could wish for, from laid-back fishing villages to purpose built resorts like Vilamoura, there is something to suit everyone and to suit all budgets.

The Algarve is located in the south of Portugal and is the most touristy area of the country. Here in the Algarve you will find over 100 miles of

Algarve beach

beaches which vary from long stretches of open sands to small secluded coves. Lapped by the Mediterranean Sea, the east is the more popular side as it is slightly warmer than the western coastline. The resorts to the north of the Algarve are excellent for beach holidays and water sports at any time of the year.

The Lisbon Coast and the Costa Verde in the north of the country have a unique charm. These areas are more popular with visitors looking for culture and exploration. History plays a big part in these areas with the historic cities of Lisbon on the Lisbon Coast and Oporto on the Costa Verde. However, they still offer beautiful beaches, lots of countryside to explore, plenty of sport and lively nightlife. For those people wanting the best of both worlds this is the place to visit.

Peneda-Geres National Park

Portugal’s interior is just waiting to be explored. The Peneda-Geres National Park is Portugal’s only national park and along with the Park Natural de Montesinho offers amazing scenery, villages that seem to have stood still in time and protected species such as the royal eagle and wolves.

Horse lovers will not be disappointed when visiting Portugal. With a long equestrian tradition and famous for the Lusitano horse, the country offers a range of equine facilities including famous riding schools where you can improve your dressage skills to stables where you can take a horse out and discover the beauty of the surrounding countryside.

The Portuguese people eat 10 times as much fish as they do meat therefore fishing is very important to them. Restaurants offer tasty freshly caught fish on their menus, perfect for an evening meal accompanied by a glass or two of wine while looking out over a white sandy beach. Along the Algarve and the west coast visitors will find charter boats and guides who will take you out to try your hand at catching mackerel, marlin, tuna, ray, salmon bass and swordfish. Portugal’s lakes and rivers also offer peaceful fishing opportunities.

The weather in Portugal varies greatly from area to area. Summer temperatures on the Algarve reach the low 30′s with clear blue skies and around 12 hours of sunshine a day. The further north you travel, the temperature will drop to around 25C with more chance of rain, especially from December to March. You will also notice a considerable drop in the temperature of the sea as you move further north.

Check out this website for some great affordable offers to Portugal.

Here is some useful information;

Portugal and the UK are in the same time zone.

Currency is the Euro.

Flying time from the UK is approximately 2-3 hours, depending on where you are flying from and to.

Useful phrases are por favour or agradar (please) and obrigado (thank you).

The islands offer a very slow pace of life in a romantic atmosphere, tiny hamlets full of character, quaint old towns, intriguing churches and amazing festivals. As you wander through the beautiful farmland you will come across isolated farmhouses, fruit orchards and vineyards.

Along the dramatic coastline there are secluded bays and coves where the crystal clear calm waters are perfect for swimming or just relaxing under the beautiful blue skies.

The Azores appeal mainly to walkers, nature lovers and outdoor activity enthusiasts. Walking or hiking on the islands will leave you with lasting memories of some unforgettable landscapes, especially the volcano on the island of Pico which reaches a staggering mile and half. Diving (mainly on the island of Pico), cycling, horse riding, golf, lake fishing, big game fishing and sailing are also widely available on the islands. The islands have quite recently gained a great reputation for paragliding, swimming with dolphins and whale watching.

Pico

Pico
The island is the second largest of the Azores islands and home to Portugal’s highest mountain. Pico makes an ideal base for island hopping with ferries to the islands of Sao Jorge, Faial and Terceira. Diving holidays to Pico are becoming increasing more popular with more than 30 easily accessible dive sites on offer. Located in the south central Azores, Pico enjoys warm to hot weather all year through with temperatures varying from 16C in the winter to 25C in August.

Faial
Known as the ‘blue island’ due to its summer hydrangeas, most Faial holidays are based around the island’s principal town and port, Horta. Faial is regarded as having the best beach and swimming options of all the islands with plenty of rock pools waiting to be explored by all

Sao Jorge

the family. However the spa region of Varadouro is becoming increasingly popular for its naturally formed spas which bubble away  at temperatures of 36C.

Sao Jorge
Sao Jorge enjoys a hot sub-tropical climate all year round with water temperatures between 17C and 23C throughout the year. The island offers some of the best walking and hiking opportunities of all the islands which focus on coastal plains (fajas) which are formed from flowing lava. Walking on the island offers a variety of different elements including volcanic peaks, amazing cliffs, green forests, waterfalls, vineyards, coffee and banana plantations and fruit orchards.

Terceira

Terceira
This is one of the larger of the Azores and one of the most popular. Terceira offers amazing walking opportunities featuring the dramatic mountains of the Serra do Cume, verdant green countryside and beautiful volcanic lakes. The island is also very popular with paragliders, cavers and golfing enthusiasts. The old capital of Terceira, Angra do Heroismo, is a UNESCO World Heritage site featuring baroque palaces, a cathedral, quaint old churches, 17th century forts and a charming harbour.

Santa Maria
This small island offers peace and tranquillity on the driest and sunniest island of the Azores. Santa Maria beaches are considered to be the best in the Azores, offering not only white sands and clear waters but also an array of water sports. The harbour town of Vila do Porto is the oldest settlement in the Azores and has an interesting historic centre and 16th century port. Santa Maria is popular with birdwatchers, cavers and big game fishing enthusiasts.

Sao Miguel

Sao Miguel
The largest of the Azores, Sao Miguel offers visitors a taste of real Azorean life. The island attracts golfing enthusiasts to its Batalha Golf Course and the scenic Furnas Golf Course. The highlights of any holiday to Sao Miguel are the amazing chain of emerald green lakes in the craters of Sete Cidades, Furnas and Fogo and the hot sulphur springs at Vale das Furnas and Ribeira Grande.

Flores
The isolated island of Flores offers a rugged coastline, vast cliffs, tiny coves, volcanic

Flores

landscapes with amazing crater lakes and verdant green countryside. Visitors to the island can enjoy excellent coastal walks, walks through nature reserves, green countryside and forests, diving, sea and crater kayaking, dolphin and whale watching trips, bird watching, cliff and lake fishing and much more.

Elvas in Portugal

The town was originally re-captured from the Moors in 1230, withstanding a multitude of attacks from Spain during the following 3 centuries. During the war of Independence between Portugal and Spain from 1640-1668 the town was defeated by the Spanish but was later relieved by the Portuguese. In more recent years the town was used by the Duke of Wellington as his headquarters in his siege of the Spanish town of Badajoz.

The town’s star-shaped walls which completely surrounded the town and provided protection from all angles of attack and forts are among the most complex and best preserved military fortifications which still survive in Europe. The magnificently preserved 17th century Fort de Santa Luzia to the north of the old town and the Amoreira Aqueduct are perhaps the two best preserved sites in Elvas. The towering Amoreira Aqueduct is 4.5 miles in length, over 100ft high in some places, took more than 100 years to complete and still carries water to the town.

Amoreira Aqueduct

Originally built in 1226, the Cathedral Nossa Senhora da Assuncao has been made bigger and had lots of alterations in its lifetime. The Church of Nossa Senhora dos Aflitos may have a very plain exterior but this Templar church has a magnificent interior lined with 17th century tiles that reach high into the cupola (dome). Nearby is a Manueline marble pillory with metal hooks which serves as a reminder of the punishment metered out in older times. Located in the bastion of Sao Joao da Corujeiro is the oldest British military cemetery in Europe. Here you will find regimental plaques which record the deaths of soldiers serving with British Regiments during the Battle of Albuhera in 1811 and the sieges of Badajoz.

Chapel Capelo dos Ossos

To the north-east of Elvas is the town of Campo Major (bigger field). Here you will find the morbid Chapel Capelo dos Ossos that dates back to 1766. The entire face of the chapel is covered with human bones which serve as a reminder of the 1500 people killed when lightning struck the castle here where gunpowder was stored. Occupied by French troops during the French invasion, the town was soon relieved by Lord Beresford who led an Anglo-Portuguese attack on the French occupiers. Although the town has a sad history it is now a happy place where the townsfolk celebrate with a festival every year. During the festival the narrow streets are covered with a roof made from thousands of paper flowers under which the people enjoy parades and dancing. Every street of the town secretly decorates their street hoping to win a prize. This yearly event attracts people from all over, especially from Spain.
To the north of Campo Major, nearer the Spanish border, is the small fortified town of Ouguela. It is believed that during the Battle of Toro it was decided that the ownership of the castle here would be decided by a duel between the two opposing leaders. Sadly both leaders died from their wounds!
Other historic towns around Elvas which are worth visiting include Arronches and Monteforte to the north and the small village of Juromenha to the south. The once fortified garrison of Juromenha now lies in ruins but was once a very important fortification. It is said that a local Lord of the town was so embarrassed by his sister’s amorous conquests that he locked her in the main tower of the castle here until she went insane and eventually died.

Today Elvas is a quiet town with a restored central square lined with cafes, steep cobbled streets and mansions. The surrounding countryside is famous for producing delicious plums which are conserved in a honey mixture. Visitors to Elvas will find much to explore along with stunning architecture, informative museums, top-class restaurants and shops.

Walkers, hikers and cyclists can wander along the quiet roads and paths that are little-used and offer a tranquil break from the more visited areas of Portugal. Then there are the olive groves, cork and oak forests where you can take in the fragrant smells of the citrus trees and marvel

Porto Covo

at the fields of beautiful sunflowers. Running along the Alentejo/Algarve coastline are two walking trails, the Fisherman’s Trail (approximately 75 miles) and the Historical Way (approximately 142 miles). These routes will lead you through the most beautiful and unspoilt part of Portugal and are ideal for hiking, mountain-biking, horse riding and donkey trekking. The Fisherman’s Trail will take you from the cliffs of Cape St Vincent (Algarve) to the sleepy little fishing village of Porto Covo. On the way you will come across lots of rocky coves, golden sands and amazing sunsets. The Historical Way takes you along part of the ‘Way of St James’ pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela in Spain. Starting at Cape St Vincent the trail takes you along the coast, passing ancient villages and beautiful countryside along the way, to Santiago do Cacem just to the north of Porto Covo.

Mertola is the southernmost town of the Alentejo and is well worth a visit. This walled town is located on a hilltop at the edge of the Guadiana National Park, overlooking the Guadiana River and the Oeiras River and is as if time has stood still. The narrow streets lined with majestic buildings lead up to the ruins of a 13th century castle. There are several museums in the town which are well worth a visit, especially the Islamic museum. There are many more cultural attractions in the region including the UNESCO World Heritage site of Evora with its amazing palaces and marble buildings, Estremoz with its hilltop castle, the village of Arraiolos which is famous for its tapestries and carpets, the medieval

Alentejo

village of Evoramonte and many more.

Photographers and artists will be in their element with the many opportunities to practice their art. From quaint old white-washed villages to castles perched on the hill-tops, fields of flowers and distant views, there is no end of choices of photogenic scenery to choose from.

For water sports enthusiasts there is surfing on the Atlantic coast. Covering an area of 250 sq kms, Alqueva Lake is the largest artificial lake in Europe. For a totally relaxing break you can stay onboard a houseboat on the lake and leisurely explore the waterside villages, enjoy a meal in the local restaurants and marvel at the amazing bird life.

With row upon row of leafy vines, don’t forget to visit one of the many vineyards in the Alentejo region. Many of these vineyards still press the grapes in the traditional way by foot. Although the region has only been a major producer since the 1990′s, there are more than 250

Vineyard

independent wineries in the region, many of which offer tours of their vineyards and tasting of their award-winning Portuguese wines!

Don’t forget to sample some traditional Alentejo food which is served in the regions many great restaurants. Try the fresh locally caught fish, the locally reared lamb and beef, the creamy sheep’s milk cheeses and not forgetting the world famous ham from the black pigs fed on acorns from the cork trees. Named after saints, are the regions delicious traditional sweets which are not to be missed on your visit to the area. Sample Elvas da Serica served with ripe plums and Pao de Rala which is a cake made with almonds and pumpkin, delicious!

The region has a diverse climate of hot summers and cold winters.

Lagos

Lagos has a wide range of beaches ranging from small secluded cove to the vast expanses of the amazing Meia Praia. The main Meia Praia beach, to the east of Lagos, is a magnificent stretch of sand and shingle which can be reached by ferry or bus. There are many beaches found on the promontory to the south of the town. This coast offers a mix of tiny coves, caves, grottos and strange rock formations. Visitors should try the beautiful cove at Praia do Pinhao and the picturesque Praia de Dona Ana. If you are looking for seclusion then head to Praia da Dona Ana with it’s many little grottos and coves. Holidays to Lagos offering a range of water sports including sailing, canoeing, windsurfing, jet-skiing and scuba diving at both Meia Praia and Porto de Mos. Meia Praia is a busy two mile stretch of sandy beach, the longest in the Algarve.

Exploring the area surrounding Lagos is a must on your travel deals to Portugal, including visits to the intriguing villages in the low hills to the north of Lagos. There are plenty of other excursions to take, including trips to the Monchique Mountains, Cape St Vincent, Barao de Sao Joao National Park, Silves Castle and the interesting town of Loule. Explore the Algarve coastline on a champagne cruise or dolphin safari with many excursions on offer from the harbour area.

There is plenty on offer for children in Lagos including Lagos Zoological Park and the Lagos Slide and Splash which is one of the Algarve’s best

Town centre

water parks with something to keep all ages entertained.

Away from the beach there are some excellent golf courses which offer amazing sea views.

Holidays in Lagos would not be complete without a spot of shopping. The town has a popular monthly market, chic boutiques and lots of opportunities to purchase fine lace, jewellery and copperware.

You will be spoilt for choice when it comes to dining out in Lagos. A good selection of restaurants serve traditional and International cuisine and some delicious fish and seafood dishes on outdoor terraces where you take in the amazing views across the Atlantic Ocean. Many restaurants and bars can be found in the large marina.

Lagos offers some exciting nightlife including some great nightclubs and a good choice of cocktail bars. Mix these with the many trendy bars, late night jazz bars and pavement cafes and you have something to suit everyone.

Marina

With flight time of less than 3 hours from the UK and over 3000 hours of sunshine a year, Lagos is the perfect choice for a beach holiday in Portugal. During July and August temperatures reach around 30C, with winter temperatures still hovering around 17C. The summer season from May to October sees temperatures never dipping below 20C with 12 hours of sunshine a day from June right through to August. Holidays to Lagos are popular with Brits looking for some warmth and sunshine during the winter months. Spring sees temperatures around the 20C mark with 10 hours of sunshine a day and winter months see temperatures around 17C with 6 hours of sunshine a day and very little rainfall.

Povoa de Varzim

towns origins. The town boasts historic churches, museums and a beautiful harbour which is protected by an 18th century fort and is where the local fishing boats land their catch of sardines, hake, sea bream and seaweed which is dried and then sold as fertilizer. Povoa de Varzim is an attractive, sophisticated town with traditional black and white mosaic pavements, beautiful gardens and a town hall where a monument to the town’s most famous resident, the 19th century novelist Eca de Queiros, stands.
About 20 miles inland you will find the intriguing town of Braga (the Portuguese Rome) which is famous for its superb Italianate churches, 18th century houses and wonderfully landscaped gardens. The town also holds spectacular torchlight processions during Easter Holy Week which are not to be missed if you are lucky enough to take one of the travel deals available at this time of the year.
Not to be missed is a visit to Oporto, home to the famous port wine, Romanesque cathedral and the Ribeira. Explore the heart of the city which is a UNESCO Heritage Site. Wander along the narrow cobbled lanes lined with traditional houses, restaurants and bars. There is a choice of

Eca de Queiros Monument

ways to explore the town, on foot, by boat on the River Douro or by the tram (electrico) which runs along the coast. Take a leisurely stroll across the Dom Luis Bridge and view the Ribeira on one bank and the Vila Nova de Gaia where the famous port cellars are located on the other bank.
Explore the Douro Valley which is another UNESCO Heritage Site. With an absolutely stunning backdrop of old terraced vineyards and towns, the valley can be explored by boat from the River Douro, by steam train, road or by hiking along the many trails.

Povoa de Varzim has over a mile and a half of beautiful sandy beach where visitors can relax in the sun, take a dip in the crystal clear waters and even try their hand at surfing. At the northern end of the beach there are hotels, restaurants, bars, beach bars, a casino, water sports facilities, water slides and tennis courts. The resorts busy harbour stands at the south end of the beach. Outside the town there are two excellent surfing beaches, Salgueira and Agucadoura. The quieter Rio Alto Beach is where naturists go to laze in the sun between the sand dunes.

A visit to the neighbouring fishing port of Vila do Conde is a must on your direct holidays to Povoa de Varzim. The town is famous for its

Douro Valley

beautiful lacework and scrumptious pastries, including its sweet cakes, pasteis de Santa Clara. This quiet town also has a lace-making school and museum which are well worth a visit. Nearby Guimaraes was Portugal’s first capital and is a World Heritage Site. Here you will find a well preserved medieval quarter with some amazing Gothic, Baroque and Romanesque architecture. In the town of Rates there is the interesting 12th century church of Sao Pedro.

The resort has a vibrant nightlife with lively clubs and discos along the beachfront. Evenings in Povoa de Varzim can be spent dancing the night away in the clubs, having a flutter at the popular casino which is the biggest in Northern Portugal or just relaxing over a meal at one of the resorts restaurants. Delicious locally caught fish and seafood dishes are served at the towns restaurants, don’t forget to sample the tasty traditional fish stew, Caldeirada a Povoa.

Albufeira

to Portugal. The resort has plenty of restaurants serving a choice of traditional Portuguese and International cuisine, cafes and bars. Try some traditional fish and seafood dishes at the restaurants around the Fisherman’s beach for a taste of the real Portugal. Along the seafront, towards Praia da Oura there is no-end of lively music bars which stay open until the clubs and discos open at night.

A 20 mile long coastline and 20 excellent beaches, 7 of which are in Albufeira, are waiting for visitors to explore when visiting the Algarve. Each of these 7 beaches is separated by amazing coloured cliffs. Close to the resort centre are the two main beaches: the wide golden sandy Albufeira beach and the sheltered Praia da Oura beach. There are more secluded beaches at Santa Eulalia, Maria Luisa, Sao Rafael, Castelo and Olhos d’Agua.  Albufeira offers a wide range of water sports, including windsurfing, jet-skiing and sailing.

Away from the beaches there are some great cliff top coastal paths which run all along the coastline of the Algarve and some beautiful countryside to explore where you will find quaint villages, market towns, peaceful orange and olive groves, and fig trees to shade under. The Algarve offers some first class golf courses for golfing enthusiasts, including the popular courses at Vilamoura and Quarteira. Golfers are

Praia da Oura Beach

particularly attracted to Albufeira during the winter months when the courses see plenty of warm sunny days with temperatures rarely dipping below a pleasant 15C. For culture vultures there are lots of Roman ruins along the Algarve to explore, along with historic towns like Lagos, Tavira, Silves and Monchique.

The whole family, especially the children, will love the Zoo Marine Centre at Guia, just 15 minutes from the resort. Here you will see sharks, turtle, alligators and beautiful tropical birds. Then there is Krazy World which offers hands-on animal attractions, fairground rides and swimming. Not to be missed on your holiday packages to Albufeira is a day out for the family to Aqualand, one of the best water parks in Portugal. Enjoy the thrills of the Congo River, white-water rafting, the Kamikaze and the Anaconda Corkscrew. The Slide and Splash in Lagos also makes a great day out

The Old Town

for the whole family.

Of course the main attraction of Albufeira holidays is the magnificent beaches but make time to visit the resorts old town with its narrow cobbled streets, traditional fisherman’s cottages, traditional Portuguese bars and interesting churches.

Albufeira enjoys hot, dry, sunny weather which is the best in the Algarve. Although the beaches are lapped by the Atlantic Ocean, the Albufeira climate is typically Mediterranean. During the summer months sea temperatures reach over 20C and coupled with the constant gentle sea breezes makes ideal conditions for water sports.

Faro

on their bargain holidays often miss out on this fascinating town by rushing off to the beach resorts of the Algarve.

Faro has an array of restored buildings of varying architectural styles which are surrounded by crumbling medieval walls. The historic old town, the Cidade Velha, has charming cobbled streets with white-washed buildings, a town square lined with orange trees and surrounded by elegant buildings including the Bishops Palace, a cathedral, the 16th century Convent of Nossa Senhora Assuncao, museums such as the Museu Infante Dom Henrique and the Museu Etnografico, and beautiful churches, including the amazing Igreja do Carmo. The old town is reached via the Arco da Vila, an 18th century arch where storks nest, built on the site of a medieval castle gate. Visitors

Faro Cathedral

can take a relaxing wander through the many gardens and pedestrianised streets to discover this vibrant town.

A great feature of Faro is its atmospheric harbour which is lined with attractive waterfront cafes. The traditional restaurants and bars of the town offer visitors the chance to sample authentic Portuguese food and hospitality. With an excellent choice of shops and a daily market, this is the place to pick up your souvenirs and gifts at bargain prices.

You will be spoilt for choice when it comes to entertaining nightlife as Faro offers a vibrant nightlife scene with trendy clubs, music bars and street entertainers. Faro plays host to many colourful festivals, hopefully you will be on your holiday packages to Portugal when they are taking place.

Although Faro isn’t a beach resort, there are still plenty of beaches to visit in the surrounding area. Just a short bus ride from the town is the

Praia de Faro

long sandy Praia de Faro which is backed by dunes with plenty of restaurants and bars. To the west of Faro are the beach resorts of Albufeira, Vilamoura and Quarteira with Tavira to the east. Quarteira is a bustling town with an attractive seafront, busy fish market and gypsy market where you will get the chance to haggle over the goods on sale. Tavira, famous for its Roman bridge over the River Gilao, is just half an hour from Faro. Here you can take the short ferry ride to the quiet unspoilt golden sandy beach and enjoy a relaxing break before returning to the town where you can enjoy a seafood meal at one of Taviras excellent restaurants.

There is so much to do and see in the area surrounding Faro. Rich in olive groves, fruit orchards and almond trees, the surrounding countryside is just waiting to be explored. The Ria Formosa Nature Reserve, a haven for migrating birds, is a major attraction for birdwatchers. Discover the villages of Almancil and Estoi with its palace and Roman ruins. For golf enthusiasts there are more than six golf courses with amazing views of the sea and the surrounding countryside within a thirty minute drive from the town. The whole family will love a day-out at the Atlantic Park. Located close to Faro, the park is set in subtropical gardens with huge ‘water-coasters’ and numerous other water rides.

The Algarve enjoys a mild climate with long hours of sunshine. During June, July, August and September Faro enjoys temperatures around 26C, often rising to 30C in July and August. Between December and January Faro still enjoys temperatures around 20C but with more risk of rain.

Alvor

is slightly less developed than other resorts on the Algarve, mixing the old with the new. The narrow cobbled streets are lined with the original traditional fisherman’s cottages which are a focal point of the town. Alvor has much to offer everyone on their cheap holidays to Portugal, including a vast sandy beach, a fishing harbour, riverside square, waterfront promenade, the ruins of a 13th century castle and a 16th century church. Portimao and Praia da Rocha are easily reached by bus which runs from Alvor to both resorts.

Alvor has a magnificent 4 mile stretch of sandy beach which has good facilities and is less crowded than other Algarve beaches. A variety of water sports are available at the beach in Alvor. There are

Alvor Beach

lots of beaches to visit between Alvor and Portimao, including the beautiful beach at Praia da Rocha. If you are looking for more secluded beaches there is the beautiful cove of Praia dos Tres Irmaos which nestles under the red cliffs, the quiet beach of Praia do Vau and the small cove of Prainha beach.

Away from the beach there is plenty for the whole family to enjoy including golf, horse riding and the local water park to name just a few of the activities on offer. The Alvor climate makes it possible to play golf in 2-month seasons. Often referred to as ‘golfer’s paradise’, there are more than 30 top class golf courses in and around Alvor. There are several riding centres around Alvor which offer lessons for beginners and experienced riders.

Alvor is a popular destination with walkers and hikers, especially for holidays in December when the sun still shines and temperatures are just right for exploring the surrounding area. Walkers can take in the views across the estuary as they take a leisurely stroll alongside the river,

Marina at Portimao

wander along the sandy beach or explore the towns and villages around the resort. Nature lovers should visit the Quinta da Rocha nature reserve which is an important site for wading birds. There are some great excursions which the whole family will enjoy on their direct holidays, including the caves and grottos at Joao de Areus and the quaint little village of Abidaca. Other excursions include the Monchique Mountains, Silves Castle, historic Lagos, Cape St Vincent and the town of Loule. Boat trips from Portimao and Praia da Rocha are also very popular with families on their holidays to Portugal. A great day out for the whole family is a trip to one of the areas water parks where children and adults alike can enjoy the swimming pools and water slides before relaxing at the restaurants, cafes and bars at the parks.

Due to the fine year-round weather cycling is very popular in Alvor, especially with those on their winter sun holidays. The quiet roads and flat landscape make cycling very pleasurable and an easy way to explore the surrounding area.

Nightlife in Alvor is relatively quiet with a disco and some bars. Those looking for more lively nightlife can take the short trip to the neighbouring resorts of Portimao and Praia da Rocha which also has a casino.

Alvor plays host to lots of different events throughout the year including golf tournaments, cycling events, power boat racing and festivals and exhibitions for music and art lovers.

From May till October Alvor enjoys bright blue skies and average temperatures in the mid 20′s. With 12 hours of sunshine a day during the summer season and 5 hours of sunshine a day in the winter, Alvor is not only the perfect choice for a summer beach holiday but also for winter sun holidays.

Funchal

squares. Now a vibrant, bustling town, Funchal is home to nearly two-thirds of the islands inhabitants who share the areas natural beauty, exotic tropical vegetation and beautiful gardens with the people who choose one of the many cheap package holidays to this amazing island of Madeira. The town’s hotels offer a high standard of accommodation along with small quintas (country houses) and guest houses. The old-fashioned port here in Funchal is a popular stop-off for cruise ships sailing the Mediterranean. The port attracts many large cruise ships including the great Queen Mary II.

Funchal is divided into three areas; the historic downtown area which is home to the marina and the business district, the Lido which is the main tourist area and the residential area which is set in the beautiful green hillside. Due to the towns compact nature it is very easy to explore by foot. Wander along the cobbled streets and discover

Funchal Town

the 15th century cathedral, churches and elegant colonial houses. Visit the towns Botanical Gardens where nature lovers can marvel at the exotic flora including cacti and orchids. On your holiday deals to Funchal why not take a boat trip from the marina where you will spot dolphins, whales, sea lions and turtles. To explore the amazing underwater world there are deep sea scuba diving trips which are also available from the marina.

On your holiday deals to Madeira don’t forget to visit the Funchal Market, also known as the Workers Market, where you can purchase all kinds of fresh local produce. Situated on three levels, the market has been operating since the 1930′s and is where local producers sell their wares. A major attraction in Funchal, the market is open everyday except for weekend afternoons.
Compared to the rest of Funchal, the Lido area is very flat and is home to restaurants, cafes, bars, shops and hotels. There is a lovely promenade running along the coastline which is lined with palm trees and backed by beautiful tropical

Funchal Botanical Gardens

gardens. Funchal offers three public lidos, perfect for sunbathing and swimming. A great way to see Funchal is from the air either by a helicopter ride from Funchal Harbour or by the more relaxed Madeira balloon ride from Funchal Marina.

The Funchal seafront is lined with restaurants and bars where visitors can sit-back and relax over a quiet meal and a drink or two. The black pebble beach at Praia Formosa is just 10 minutes from Funchal. Awarded a Blue Flag for cleanliness, the beach offers a range of facilities including life-guards, cafes and a kindergarten.

Funchal comes to life at night when the town’s restaurants and bars stay open until late, many are open until the early hours of the morning!

Funchal enjoys a subtropical climate with temperatures averaging 22C all year round. The summers (July to September) here are hot with temperatures reaching the mid 20′s and only slightly cooler in the winter (December to March). Waters are at their warmest in late summer and at their coolest in March.