Sun, Sea and the Beach are the main attractions that the Algarve is commonly known for. Whether you come here on a quick holiday to get away from your daily lifetime routine or whether you stay for a long time, I can surely say that the Algarve will cater for your individual needs. This Mediterranean Paradise is incredibly diverse in the things and leisurely activities you can undergo. Just a short flight out of most destinations in Europe, this location is easily accessible.

I often stay in my second home in the Algarve, located in the "Golden Triangle" near regional capital Faro and resorts Vale de Lobo and Quinta de Lago. This is the region where most tourists generally stay or spend most of their holiday at. This gives me a good/valid view on how tourists can spend their time.

Weather

The weather of this part of the Algarve is incredibly warm in the summer with temperatures ranging from around 25 ºC to 37+/- ºC. In the time after and leading up to the summer, the weather can be extremely diverse and unexpected. For example, 2 weeks ago, on a Thursday is was extremely warm and I was able to sunbathe in the blazing heat. The following day we had one of the largest rainfalls that I have personally seen in a long time. This is just one example of the diversity the Algarve's weather delivers in the "off season".

Restaurants and Night Life

The Algarve is known for it's excellent quality fish, and it's traditional cuisine, which I must add is a personal favourite of mine. Chicken is also very popular amongst tourists with the local restaurant "Sr. Frango" (Mr. Chicken) being the default place to go. It doesn't stop there, there are literally hundreds of places to visit with different International cuisines that will surely appeal to everyone's unique taste.
Night life in Portugal is adequate with many different places to visit. In Vale de Lobo, you have Monty's bar where you can enjoy some drinks whilst also listening people going crazy on the karaoke available. If this isn't for you and you prefer a place where you can just sit and have a drink with some mates, why not try the Quinta Shopping's bars, Cubo, Melting Pot, or de Barra. Perhaps you like to go barhopping?? Well then Vilamoura or Albufeira are definitely your places to go. Gecko's, BlackJack's, Kadoc and Trigonometry are definitely the places to visit if you like loud music and to dance your heart out. The clubs here are fairly expensive with a beer or drink costing from 5-6 euros. Finally, I personally consider the Algarve as being a fairly safe place to go out.

Things to do

There are loads of things to do here. In the summer you can visit the nearest water park "Aqaushow" to cool down and enjoy a day in the water. Obviously, the beaches are a popular location for tourists. Any can be visited along the kilometres wide stretch. Owing to the sheer amount of beaches, they do not become too congested with people and so you still retain some sort of privacy rather than being squashed together near hundreds of other tourists. At lunch, you can simply leave your towels on the beach and move up to the beach bars and restaurants that are located on every major beach. Fancy something more adventurous?? An adventure camp located in the hills behind Loulé, will cater for your needs. Quad biking treks are also available along with paint ball games at the same site. Movies can be watched and shopping can be done at the Forum Algarve in Faro and Algarve Shopping located in Guia. Inside Almancil, you can find "Karting"; the only place to race carts this side of the Algarve.
Perhaps you prefer to see a more cultural, historical side to the Algarve. If this is the case, then you can head west or north further from the coast and visit the small Portuguese towns and hamlets that dot the landscape. Culture shines from these locations.

Conclusion

You definitely will not be disappointed if you pay for a holiday down to the sunny Algarve. The lovely landscapes, stunning beaches and the multitude of things to do, will definitely get you your value for money. You should definitely not miss out on an opportunity to visit this spectacular place.