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PORTUGAL

PORTUGAL

If you are looking to buy a property in Portugal or the Algarve, here is our guide to the area

From rugged, silent hillsides, to breath-taking cliffs and mountains, pristine golf courses, and stunning beaches, Portugal satisfies all tastes, making it traditionally a top tourist and property location.

Boasting cloudless skies, fantastic golfing facilities, cheap flights and a low cost of living, Portugal has lots to offer property purchasers seeking a safe real estate market with high rental potential.
 
The Algarve
The wonderful golden beaches are naturally one of the leading attractions for the Algarve; however, this region of Portugal is also beginning to be recognised for its truly unique contrast between the stunning coastline and the beautiful rural countryside, as well as its many historic attractions. 
 
As time progresses, there is a generating knowledge that the Algarve holds the potential to be the perfect European holiday destination for interests such as photography, painting, nature watching, walking and other outdoor pursuits.
 
The Algarve is great for sporty personalities, with its accessibility to surfing, golf, tennis, horse riding, kayaking, cycling, hiking, and even extreme sports such as kite surfing, rock climbing and wakeboarding!
 
Faro Airport is only a 3 hour flight (or less) from the United Kingdom, Ireland and many other parts of Europe. Faro flights arrive daily throughout the year, with several arrivals and departures each day from airlines during the busiest summer months of July to September.  Flights to and from European countries and the Algarve can often be purchased at short notice, and at very low prices.
 
West coast Algarve, or the western Atlantic coast as it is also referred to, is the large area which runs from Sagres in the south of the Algarve, to Odeceixe in the north, the last town before the Alentejo. The coastline is admiringly still very much untouched and rugged, more-so than the southern coast. 
 
The Western Coast is also more exposed to the Atlantic weather – which results in its popularity as a surfing spot.
 
The Western Algarve is the perfect location to explore the Algarvian nature; try out surfing, admire the ocean, enjoy bird watching, meet the local wildlife, or explore cliff-top paths from one deserted sandy cove to another.
 
Within the Central Algarve, there are some of Portugal’s world-renowned villages and towns, such as Albufeira and Vilamoura
 
There are an array of beaches with a wider selection of facilities catering to the growing tourism in the area, with a vibrant nightlife, and plenty of shops; but there is also still a large selection of quieter traditional Portuguese areas and villages.
 
Faro, capital city of the Algarve, is a city full of wonderful history, great shops, restaurants and cafes, theatres and art galleries, less-discovered secluded beach islands, and the Ria Formosa nature reserve.
 
The area of the central Algarve between the towns of Quinta do Lago, Almancil and Quarteira, is often referred to as the Golden Triangle of the Algarve. It has an abundance of luxury facilities in beautiful settings.  The Golden Triangle is famous for some of the best golf courses in the Algarve, stunning beaches, and its close proximity of approximately 20 minutes from Faro airport.
 
Albufeira attracts thousands of visitors each year, and it's easy to understand why! Albufeira old town has pretty cobbled streets lined with restaurants, bars, cafes and shops. There is lively nightlife in São João; and the fantastic Albufeira Marina, as well as the gorgeous, sandy beaches. 
 
The Eastern Algarve is seen as a strongly contrasting area, compared with the Central and Western Algarve. Stretching from the central city of Faro, to the Spanish border, the Eastern Algarve is far more relaxing.  It is still very traditionally Portuguese, filling the villages with life and atmosphere. 
 
Secluded beaches can stretch for many kilometres with no one in sight.
 
Towns which are centuries years old – with their winding narrow walkways, whitewashed markets and village square cafés – are beyond quaint. Artistic visitors enjoy the picturesque nature of the Eastern Algarve, with its exquisite mosaic tile-work everywhere you look. 
 
Much of the Eastern area's charm lies in its unspoilt identity, with many towns retaining plenty of old-world character thanks to more rigorous building restrictions than elsewhere on the Algarve. From the cobbled streets and orange-tree-edged squares of towns such as Moncarapacho, Vila Real and Tavira (undoubtedly one of the Algarve's prettiest towns, all white-washed buildings, distinctive rooftops and decorative azulejo facades) to the former fishing villages of Cabanas and Santa Luzia (where octopus is a local speciality), those looking for a more laid-back way of life will find themselves spoilt for choice.
 
The Algarve boasts a fantastic all year round climate, with over 3,000 hours sunshine a year and clear blue skies for most of the year!  Algarve weather averages 12 hours of sunshine a day in the summer and 6 hours in the winter. Despite being on the Atlantic coast, the Algarve has a Mediterranean-like climate with mild winters and long, hot summers. 
 
From December to February, which are usually the coldest months of the year, air temperatures average between 9°C and 16°C but temperatures in the sun are regularly in the low 20's. Night temperatures can drop to between 4°C and 6°C and it does rain from time to time. In January and February the almond trees are in blossom and the wild flowers are starting to appear.
 
In March and April the temperatures in the Algarve rise to around 18°C to 20°C in the shade and temperatures in the sun anywhere from mid-20's to 30°C. By May it's really more like summer with shade temperatures in the mid 20's and sun temperatures staying around 28°C to 30°C. 
 
June through to September are the hottest months, and the chance of rain is very unlikely. June and September temperatures are around the mid 20's in the shade and 30°C upwards in the sun, but July and August are hotter, with shade temperatures rarely dropping below 30°C and reaching over 40°C  in the sun. The Algarve does benefit from light sea breezes in the coastal towns, which cool things down a little! Evening temperatures rarely fall below 18°C and are usually still in the low 20's.
 
October and November are glorious months being just a slightly cooler than the height of summer, but with temperatures in the low to mid 20's in the shade, and from 25°C to 35°C in the sun, which is still very warm.
 
Spoken Languages
The main language used in Portugal is Portuguese, which is the native language of the Portuguese nationals. Portuguese is now one of the world's major languages. It is the language with the largest number of speakers in South America, spoken by almost all of Brazil's population. It is also the official language in Angola, Mozambique, Cape Verde, São Tomé and Príncipe, Guinea-Bissau, East Timor and Macau.
 
English is a strong second language in Portugal, especially in the more popular touristic areas of the Algarve. English is now taught to Portuguese children in school from a young age, therefore the English language is becoming even more widely used within the country.
 
Due to expatriates from all over Europe, Spanish, German, Dutch, and French are all common languages which are used in the Algarve.