Beaches by Day, Clubbing by Night: Make the most out of your Portugal Holiday
If you’re longing for a warm holiday destination, sandy beaches, and crystal blue water, the answer is typically Spain or Portugal. Now, all you have to do is look for a location that has bustling nightlife as well. The Algarve is the southernmost area of Portugal and the most important tourist location, which makes it our prime target today.
The Algarve – Covering the Basics
The Algarve is famously one of the world’s best places to retire. Now hold on, we know the word retirement does not necessarily sound like a party, but there are a couple of good reasons why people are looking to settle and retire here. It’s mainly a sign that the area is safe, has good weather conditions, a sound infrastructure, and access to good healthcare services. There’s a high quality of life here.
Accommodations in The Algarve
Accommodation in the Algarve comes in many forms. You will find high-rise resorts and beautiful holiday lettings like holiday rentals, guesthouses, or hostels in all sizes and shapes. You can camp or check out the Golden Triangle, a high luxury tourism spot right outside the capital, Faro, where you find expensive high-class resorts and Michelin star restaurants.
The Weather in The Algarve
The temperatures in the region, based on data collected in Faro, can reach 44 °C in July and -1 °C in January. There are 3.044 hours of sunshine a year, around 170 hours a month in the winter and 350 in the summer. The average is only 91 days and 20 inches of precipitation a year.
When we look at the same data at Heathrow Airport, we’ll see some differences.
| Highest Temperature Average (month) | Lowest Temperature Average (month) | Sunshine hours (year) | Sunshine hours (winter) | Sunshine hours (summer) | Average Precipitation (year) | |
| Faro | 29 °C (July) | 8 °C (Jan) | 3.044 | ~ 170 | ~ 350 | 26.68 inches |
| Heathrow | 23.5 °C (July) | 2 °C (Feb) | 1.632 | ~ 60 | ~ 200 | 20.03 inches |
Nightlife Destinations
Some of the most frequented locations are Albufeira, Portimao, Faro and Vilamoura. Naturally, a capital city like Faro will have a wide variety of clubs and bars. The other prime party locations are usually located in or around a resort in the many resort towns in the Algarve.
Albufeira
Albufeira is one of these coastal resort towns. It is about 40 minutes from the Faro airport, so the location is easy to reach for travellers.
You have two choices when you want to party in Albufeira:
- The historic old town centre is more laid back and has many bars, pubs, and restaurants to choose from.
- The Avenida Sá Carneiro is the town’s bustling strip. Here you find bars and restaurants, but also discos and clubs where you can dance your heart out.
Portimao
Portimao is another resort town on the coastline and home to the Praia da Roche resort. Most of the nightlife activities in Portimao can be found here, so everything you can do is within walking distance. There are plenty of bars, clubs, and restaurants to find.
If you want to do something special: the resort has a casino with gambling and live performances.
Faro
As a capital, Faro has a high population count and many of them are students who visit the University of Algarve in the city. Many establishments want to entertain the younger folks, so there is everything you can think of and plenty to choose from.
Many locations have rooftop bars for you to enjoy the view while partying.
Vilamoura
If you want a more high-life experience, visit Vilamoura, the Monaco of Portugal. The city has one of the largest marinas in Europe and attracts many wealthy visitors. That’s why you will find many high-end venues across the city. Most of them are located on or close to the marina.
You will need a decent spending budget if you want to party here.
Conclusion – The Perfect Party Holiday in The Algarve
If you want to party in Portugal, you have plenty of places to choose from: from cities full of student bars and clubs to resorts with entertainment shows for the guests to high-end luxury venues surrounded by yards and the super-wealthy. Most of them are in resort towns and are specifically made to easily combine a beach and party holiday. There is no need to worry about spending your nights bored in the Algarve.