Things to do on your Next Vacation in Albufeira Portugal

3K Shares

Albufeira is easily one of the most popular destinations in all the Algarve coast of Portugal. Home to many activities, scenic beaches, a beautiful old town, and wild nightlife, this city is sure to charm everyone. I’ve put together a list of the top things to do in Albufeira and I encourage everyone to go explore that amazing city.

Discover the Beautiful Beaches of Albufeira

The Algarve coast is known for its incredibly scenic beaches. Praia dos Pescadores (Fisherman’s beach) is the beach where we spent most of our time during the trip. It is situated right in front of Albufeira’s old town.

Back in the days, before Albufeira got a marina, local fisherman used to operate from that beach (hence its name). Fun fact: you can take an escalator down the cliffs to reach the beach!!

To the west of Praia dos Pescadores, you will find Praia do Túnel. This beach can be reached via a man-made tunnel through the cliffs, coming from the old town. You can also reach the beach by stairs or even by elevator!

Another stunning beach is Praia de Oura. This beach is one of the area’s best Blue Flag beaches and is located a few kilometers east of Albufeira’s old town. There you will find many cafés, bars, and restaurants. It is an extremely lively area that attracts a younger crowd!

Beaches like Praia da Coelha, Praia de São Rafael, Praia de Peneco, and many others are also worth checking out (Albufeira is close to so many stunning beaches). If you are willing to venture out a little further, you can find amazing hidden and private ones. Some of them are so remote they can only be accessed by kayak or boat!! This is a total paradise for beach lovers.

: Praia dos Pescadores. In the background, you can see the elevator to Praia do Túnel.

Take a Cruise Down the Algarve Coast

One of the most popular attractions is definitely a cruise down the Algarve coast. A lot of different tours are offered: dolphin watching tours, cave cruises, party cruises, sunsets cruises, and many more.

We decided to take a half-day tour on a large catamaran! The cruise left from the marina early afternoon and came back right before sunset. The catamaran tour brought us all the way to Benagil cave and we even jumped in the water at one point! We ended the day sharing a nice glass of champagne with the 20ish other people on the boat.

Funny thing is that we actually missed our boat (oops!) but the company was nice enough to put us on a little boat and bring us to our catamaran!! This made for a pretty funny and unforgettable day! If you plan on taking a boat tour or a cruise, I suggest arriving about 30 minutes in advance (so you don’t make the same mistake we did haha!).

READ: 24 HOURS IN ROME

Eat Some Local Food

Portuguese food is amazing. One of the main things I remember from my trip is how good everything was. If you like seafood, you need to travel to Albufeira ASAP. We literally ate seafood every day.. no shame!

Another local specialty you absolutely have to try is Cataplana. It’s a rice stew prepared with a combination of seafood and shredded pork or sausage and it is designed to be shared (kind of like a Portuguese paella). It’s cooked and served in a copper pan and it’s delicious!

Portugal is also famous for its Feijoada (bean stew) and many other dishes that you will discover while traveling there. Local wine and beer pair perfectly with any nice Portuguese dish!

Walk Around the Old Town of Albufeira

Albufeira’s Old Town is one of my favorite places in the world. The name Albufeira comes from “Al-buhera” which actually means “Sea Castle”. Many many years ago, there was indeed a castle in Albufeira. Unfortunately, little remains of it after the 1755 earthquake. You can find some artifacts in the town museum.

The Old Town is full of restaurants, bars, and souvenir shops. The streets are very narrow and have a very old Portuguese style! Wandering around the old part of Albufeira for hours was definitely one of our favorite things to do.

: Walking through the Old Town

: Old Town

: Famous Portas da Vila bar

Go Party on The Strip

Albufeira is probably as famous for its nightlife as it is for its beaches! The Montechoro is the area of Albufeira known for the nightlife. All the bars and clubs are located around the 2 km Strip.

Begin your afternoon drinking and eating on a patio and finish the night at a club. Partying in Albufeira is definitely something you need to try at least once in your life (even if you’re not the biggest partyer ever). You will meet incredible people and have the time of your life!

Albufeira is such a lively city with so many things to do! Other popular tourist attractions include Zoomarine Park, water sports, dolphin and whale watching, Jeep excursions and safaris, bike tours, and many more.

If you are looking for the perfect destination for your next vacation, this is it! Travel to Portugal and discover the beauty of the Portuguese culture while respecting a realistic budget! It truly is the perfect getaway!

albufeira, Portugal, beach, Europe

Share31

Pin3K