The beauty of Albufeira is almost disarming: a maze of white houses clinging to ochre cliffs above golden beaches and clear sea. The name comes from the Arabic al-Buhera, meaning "castle on the sea". In the last half century this fishing village has become the largest resort in the Algarve, with a huge range of hotels, restaurants and nightspots, and it is about 40 minutes from Faro airport, served by countless low-cost flights. The municipality has about 44,000 inhabitants, a number that multiplies in summer.
A little history
Before the Arabs the area had a Roman settlement, of which some archaeological traces remain. Under Moorish rule the town was fortified and farming flourished thanks to new irrigation techniques. It was reconquered in 1249, under Afonso III, and entrusted to the knights of the Order of Avis. The 1755 earthquake largely destroyed it, and in 1833, during the civil war, it was sacked and burned by Miguelist troops. Revival came first with fishing and then, from the 1960s, with tourism, which completely transformed its economy.
The old town
The old town keeps the charm of the former village, with steep lanes, arches and white houses. The town's symbol is the Torre do Relógio, the clock tower topped by a wrought-iron cage shaped like a crown. Close by is the Igreja Matriz, the mother church, rebuilt in neoclassical style at the end of the eighteenth century after the earthquake.
The church of São Sebastião, with a fine Manueline portal, houses a small museum of sacred art. Also worth seeing are the Capela da Misericórdia, one of the town's oldest buildings, with a Gothic portal, the Arco do Castelo, one of the old Moorish gates, and the Municipal Archaeology Museum, in the former town hall, with finds from prehistory to Roman and Islamic times, including rare pieces from the Arab period. In August the feast of Nossa Senhora da Orada, patron saint of fishermen, is celebrated with processions through the streets and on the sea.
The beaches
Right below the old town is Praia dos Pescadores, once called Praia dos Barcos, where you can still see the fishermen's colourful boats, linked to Praia do Peneco by a tunnel cut through the rock and a panoramic lift. To the west comes a string of coves between the cliffs such as São Rafael, Castelo, Galé and Coelha, among the finest on the coast. To the east are lively Praia da Oura, full of facilities, Olhos de Água and spectacular Praia da Falésia, a six-kilometre beach beneath red and white cliffs that runs all the way to Vilamoura.
Nightlife and food
Nightlife is one of Albufeira's main draws: it is concentrated mainly along the Strip, Avenida Sá Carneiro, in the Areias de São João area, and around the main square of the old town, Largo Engenheiro Duarte Pacheco, with bars, clubs and pubs open till dawn. Those looking for a quieter atmosphere will find good restaurants in the old town and along Albufeira Marina, with its pastel-coloured houses. Local cooking is based on fish: seafood cataplana, caldeirada fish stew and grilled sardines.
Surroundings
About 12 kilometres inland is Paderne castle, an Arab rammed-earth fortress on a hill above the Quarteira river, taken in 1248 by the knights of Paio Peres Correia; by tradition it is one of the castles shown on the Portuguese flag. Inside are the remains of the chapel of Nossa Senhora da Assunção. In Guia is Zoomarine, a marine park opened in 1991 with dolphin, seal and bird shows, pools and family attractions, which is also a rescue centre for marine animals. The village of Guia is famous for its piri-piri grilled chicken.
Getting there
From Faro airport you can drive along the A22 (Via do Infante) or the N125 national road, or take buses and transfers. Albufeira-Ferreiras railway station, on the Algarve line, is about six kilometres from the centre and linked by bus; timetables and tickets are on the Portuguese railways website, CP. The single emergency number is 112.