Package Holiday Delight: The Algarve
The Algarve is a region of Portugal, famed for its tourist scene and the local fishing. The region is renowned for its sardines; they are a local delicacy, and available to be enjoyed almost fresh from the ocean. A popular tourist pastime in the Algarve is to sail out with a fishing ship and catch their fish, then take it to one of the numerous dockside cafes and have it cooked immediately. These trips are relatively inexpensive, and can be a fun day out for all the family.
The Algarve is a tourist haven more than it is a Portuguese home. The area is populated by masses of huge hotels, each whitewashed building seemingly higher and more impressive than the last. The landscape is dominated by lagoon-deep swimming pools, bars, clubs and restaurants. The region is also famed for its beaches, which can become crowded during the peak season, but are always fun to visit due to the last amount of watersports available.
The enjoyment of the Algarve begins the moment the plane lands. The main runway leading into the nearest airport, Faro, is built right off the sea and until the last moment the runway itself isn’t visible. This has lead to more than one panicked passenger, who – incorrectly but understandably – assumes the plane is ditching in the water.
The Algarve is not an ideal destination for people who want their holiday to involve sightseeing or visits to historical sites. Most of the region was primarily Portuguese residential homes until the tourist boom, and there is very little in the way of historical places to visit. There are a few charming churches to visit, which also serve the purpose of providing welcome relief from the scorching sun. However, the area is best suited to those who are in search of the proverbial S-holiday: sun, sand and sea.
Visiting the Algarve is a wonderful beach resort holiday, and it also has the benefit of being relatively cheap. This is the land of the package holiday, and even in high season – traditionally from June through to September – the prices tend to remain reasonable. This makes the Algarve an ideal destination for a cheap week in the sun, any month of the year.
