Earlier this year, International Living’s annual survey of retirement destinations crowned Portugal as the world’s best location to retire to. But there’s far more to Portugal than simply enjoying the sunshine in your golden years – particularly when you head to the Algarve.
Portugal’s Algarve runs along the entire southern edge of the country, with around 155 km of coastline to the south and a further 50 km to the west. It is home to more than 100 beaches, from tiny coves accessed by seemingly endless wooden steps that wind their way down sheer cliff faces, to huge flat expanses of sand covered with rows of sun loungers and parasols and home to enterprising locals with sea pedalos and banana watersleds for hire. During the summer months, you can grab cold drinks and fresh, custard cream-filled doughnuts from the sellers who rove the shoreline.
The Algarve doesn’t just tick all the right boxes in terms of its beaches. It is also known for providing holiday experiences to suit all budgets. Data from Numbeo shows that the cost of living in Portugal is 26% cheaper than it is in the UK. Taking the family out for dinner can be surprisingly affordable, with restaurants ranging from beachfront cafés serving rustic seafood dishes to fine dining establishments proudly displaying their Michelin stars. Head to the tiny establishment on Praia de Dona Ana if you prefer the former, or to Al Sud, which overlooks the Bay of Lagos and the Alvor Estuary, if something more upscale suits your taste.
With 300 or so sunshine-filled days per year, the Algarve is a popular destination with families who like to spend time outdoors. It is home to stunning golf courses, riding schools, tennis and padel courts, waterparks and more. For quieter family moments, you can take languorous boat tours to discover caves along the coastline or admire the incredible sand sculptures on display in Pêra.
Accessing the Algarve from the North of England is easy, with regular flights to Faro airport from Newcastle, Doncaster Sheffield, Liverpool and Manchester airports. In Scotland, routes run between Faro and Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow. Birmingham Airport and a selection of airports further south also provide Faro flights year-round.
Property in the Algarve is also surprisingly affordable, which combines with regular flights to open up the region’s potential as somewhere to own a second home. A spacious duplex apartment at Amendoeira Golf Resort, for example, costs from €475,000. Owners have access to two outdoor swimming pools, two 18-hole golf courses, a nine-hole course, a golf academy, a driving range, a putting green, six tennis courts, two padel courts, two five-a-side football pitches and a fully equipped gym. There’s also a new clubhouse on-site complete with restaurant and sports bar. At Palmares Ocean Living, meanwhile, buyers with bigger budgets can choose an ultra-luxurious apartment costing from €600,000 or a plot of land on which to build a villa from €1.25m.
For those who like to spend their holidays discovering new places, flying into Faro opens up a wealth of options. Not only is the Algarve home to some wonderful locations (seek out the hidden waterfall near Tavira and the river beach at Alcoutim for days in the sunshine with a difference), but the A2 motorway leads straight up to Lisbon for a city break with oodles of charm. Alternatively, a two-hour drive east is sufficient to reach the Spanish city of Seville – the birthplace of flamenco.
Whatever you’re looking for from a holiday this summer, a flight to Faro could be the answer.
