About the Algarve
Our luxury villas in the Algarve include both expansive, standalone family villas and resort homes with access to restaurants, bars, shops and all the activities you’d expect. The Monte da Quinta Club offers elite facilities, including golf, riding, tennis, watersports, restaurants and beach bars, alongside its luxury resort villas. Independent gems include Jardim a Vista, an impressive villa that stands on its own hilltop with sweeping views, and Casa Abelha, right beside the Pestana Gramacho championship golf course.
Yet if you can drag yourself away from your villa or the beach, there's plenty more to see here. Time seems to have stood still in some of the Algarve’s inland villages. In many of the traditional fishing villages on the coast, restaurateurs still queue at the quay to select the evening’s menu from the day’s catch.
Faro, Algarve’s capital, dates back to prehistoric times and wears its Roman and Moorish heritage with pride. Albufeira’s whitewashed houses and sandy beaches tempt visitors to its stylish bars and restaurants. Lagos flourished as a naval port during the Age of Exploration and its pretty 18th- and 19th-century buildings still inspire.
And there’s more than port on Portugal’s menu. From fresh-grilled sardines on the waterfront to flaky pasteis de nata from your local bakery, this is one of the Mediterranean’s most unjustly overlooked cuisines.
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Time zone
GMT +1 hour
Language
Portuguese
Currency
The official currency is the Euro (€). Major credit cards are widely accepted (though American Express less so) and ATM access is widespread. Travellers cheques however might not be accepted everywhere.
Tipping suggestions
Like most European countries, tipping in restaurants is common, with a recommended 10% on a discretionary basis according to service. Check that a service charge has not been added to your bill before deciding whether to tip. Taxi drivers do not usually expect a tip but it is common practice and considered polite to round up taxi fares.
