Vilamoura marina

Further info

Thomsonfly, easyJet, Ryanair, Monarch Scheduled and Aer Lingus are among low-cost carriers with flights to Faro.

Portuguese Tourist Board, tel: 020 72016666; UK brochure line: 0845 3551212.

www.portugal.org

www.algarvenet.com

www.algarve-portal.com

Some singles
like it very
hot!

Lazy days, crazy nights . . . Christina Hippisley (on the left) and friends found that the Algarve in August isn’t just for families

It was early spring and several of my single girlfriends and I sat in a wine bar on London’s King’s Road discussing our holiday plans – or lack of them.

We talked about sailing in Greece, camping in the Dordogne and hill walking in the Scottish Highlands, but failed to get a unanimous vote.

“What about a villa holiday in the Algarve?” I piped up. The faces around the table looked aghast. “But it’ll be packed full of happy families in August,” Alix said.

But it was clear that the Algarve’s guaranteed sun, golden beaches, golf and tennis facilities and huge range of restaurants and nightlife appealed to all of us. I got busy organising flights, and I found a roomy villa with a pool in the hills behind the new Albufeira marina.

View from the villa to the sea

It was clear we had made the right decision. Albufeira – originally a fishing village – has become one of the Algarve’s main centres for visitors, thanks to its picturesque old town centre and Praia dos Pescadores, or Fishermen’s Beach.

The villa, a few miles outside the town, had beautiful views down to the sea, a large terrace for al fresco meals and a barbecue which became the preserve of the single men who we’d dragged along to make up numbers. Each bedroom had an en suite bathroom and terrace, allowing the privacy which, when you’re part of a noisy house party, is often sorely needed!

In order to keep costs under control, we agreed to eat breakfast and dinner in the villa most days, and to lunch at the beach or out and about. We bought provisions at the nearby Alisuper supermarket and at the Continente hypermarket in the town centre. We also used local food markets – Albufeira has one every morning, and Loulé, a 15-minute drive away, has a Saturday market which sells regional produce, clothes and shoes.

Albufeira Town Centre

Breakfasts got later each day. Dinners were lengthy, lazy affairs. Fresh lamb, pork and chicken were all grilled under the stars, consumed with copious amounts of Portuguese vinho verde (a light sparkling white wine), espumante (Portuguese champagne) and some of the famous red wines from the Dao region north east of Lisbon.

We spent our first two days around the pool, swimming, sunbathing and catching up on sleep. Then we began to make more elaborate plans.
First came our exploration of the local beaches. The Algarve has a necklace of sandy beaches stretching for more than 80 miles. Around Albufeira, you can take your pick of small coves, approached down rocky ravines and paths, or long expanses of rolling sand.

We particularly liked Praia do Castelo, a sandy cove with a Brazilian-themed beach bar and gentle waves. Another nearby favourite was Praia do Gale, a long beach with several excellent restaurants.

Golf practice (Pine Cliffs)