Albufeira

Albufeira - Albufeira visitor guide showing a virtual tour of 'Albufeira' linked to an interactive map with local and travel information. 360° panoramas from Algarve.

Albufeira sells itself as a gateway to the Algarve in southern Portugal. The town is named after the Arabic for lagoon (al-Buħayra). Previously a fishing village, Albufeira is now one of the leading tourist resort destinations in the region and therefore full of all kinds of hotels, hostels, holiday apartments and villas as well as marina, golf courses, bars and restaurants.

This panorama shows the scene overlooking the beach at sunset, when tourists are getting ready to go out to the restaurants and the Albufeira 'strip'. Nearby is the Old Town area, also full of restaurants where many buildings pre dating the 17th century stand.

Around Albufeira are numerous beaches, all of the popular and lined with hotels. The most popular beaches on the list include:

• Beach of Bryn
• Fisherman's Beach
• Marina e Bryn Beach
• Praia de Balaia
• Praia de Castelo
• Praia de Falésia
• Praia da Galé
• Praia da Oura
• de Olhos d'Agua
• Praia de Maria Luisa
• Praia de São Rafael

Within the town is a small small museum of 15th and 17th century Ming ceramics and a municipal art gallery that holds regular exhibitions. There are also numerous places of interest nearby for those wanting more than just a beach holiday. These include:

• Armação de Pera
• Boliqueime
• Guia and Paderne - small village with a ruined castle ontop an isolated hill which was liberated from Moor occupation in 1248 by Dom Paulo Peres Correia.
• Ponte Grande - impressive caverns with large arches.
• Grutas do Xorino - underwater caverns.

Flight: Faro Airport, a 40 minute drive away.
Train: Albufeira station is about 7km north of the beachfront.
Road: Albufeira is almost half way between Portimao and Faro, just south of the IC4 / A22.