Portugal

Portugal is a very popular choice with international property buyers. It's a beautiful country of contrasts where tradition and innnovation live side by side. Especially the Algarve attracts more and more people, seeking for a quality lifestyle and safety. The country offers great variety in both landscape and climate from north to south. In the North is the Douro valley, where the famous port wines come from. South of the Douro there is a mountainous area called the Serra de Estrela, where it is even possible to go skiing in the winter. Further south stretches the Alentejo, with its farms, vineyards & cork trees.

The southernmost region in Portugal is the Algarve.

The Algarve, Europe's best kept secret

click here to enlarge map of the Algarve

The Algarve is best known for its sub-tropical climate, with 300 days of sun, beautiful beaches, nature reserves, picturesque villages, innumerable variety of restaurants, outdoor activities and award winning golf courses. The name Algarve originates from the Arabic “Al Gharb”, which means west, or more precisely, west of the Iberian Peninsula or west of Andalucia, where the Arabs first settled.

However, there is more to the Algarve than first meets the eye...

Of course, it's a great place for holidays, but more and more people choose the Algarve to live on a permanent basis. The Algarve is a safe place, it's a healthy place and you get great value for money. There is a wide choice of high standard medical care as well as private and public hospitals. There are several international schools, which provide a variety of education and as a result there has been an influx of young families, who prefer the Algarve quality of life.

Framed by a 200 km coastline the Algarve is informally divided into a West, Central and Eastern region.

West Algarve

This is a quiet and rural part of the Algarve with unspoiled nature, spectacular dramatic cliffs, clean and hidden beaches and a laid back atmosphere. But it also includes the more lively places like Portimão, Sagres and Lagos with its well reputable marina. The best surf spots can be found in the West and the region has most of the Blue Flag beaches. Blue Flag is an ecolabel award for beaches and marinas with good practices in terms of water quality, environmental management, safety & services, and environmental education. The countryside of the West Algarve is pure and rough and the Monchique mountains are the highest of the Algarve.

Central Algarve

Along the whole coastline of the Algarve you will find cosmopolitan and luxury resorts and properties as well as the best golf courses in Europe. But in the centre of the Algarve you will find the most of them. The countryside is a bit more cultivated than the rest of the Algarve, but there is definitaly much to be enjoyed and discovered, with its beautiful nature and small villages where time has stood still. The beaches in this part are very diverse; the famous yellow rock formations and small bays transfer into elongated red rocks that end into broad and stretchy beaches with friendly golden dunes. In this area you can have long walks and enjoy great food at one of the numerous restaurants by the sea.

Golden Triangle
Within the Central Algarve lays the "Golden Triangle", which includes Quinta do Lago, Vale do Lobo, Dunas Douradas and the Almancil area. Historically the Golden Triangle was the first area to develop property in the Algarve and as such still leads the way, especially in the more exclusive, luxury segment. Most of the Algarves golf courses and luxury holiday resorts and residences are located here. Seven Quintas Property Search is located in this area and can lead the way in search of your wished-for property.

East Algarve

This more and more popular area begins at Faro end ends at the Spanish border. It offers a high quality lifestyle in a pure and friendly environment. Its coastline is dominated by the Ria Formosa (Natura 2000 protected area). Most famous are the islands with their beautiful white sandy beaches and calm waters, perfect for swimming, the Lagunas with rich flora and fauna and the splendid seafood and oyster banks. It goes without saying that water sports are very popular in the East Algarve, from kite surfing to fishing, from sailing to kayaking. Coastal town Olhão has specially developed a new leisure marina. The hilly countryside is very authentic with small villages and weekly markets and the gastronomy in this part is of high standard. If you are looking for an investment or a property for a very good price; now is the time to buy in the East Algarve!

Golf

The Algarve is Golfers paradise! Currently there are in excess of 36 golf courses throughout the Algarve, Portugal. Among the very best: São Lourenço (San Lorenzo), Quinta do Lago, Vale do Lobo, Monte Rei, Vila Sol and Vilamoura courses. Because of the excellent standard of golf facilities in the region, golf property for sale in the Algarve, Portugal represents a wonderful buy to let investment opportunity. If you would like us to provide you with a short list of current buy to let investment properties for sale in the Algarve, please contact us today.

Beaches

Along the 220 km of Atlantic coastline there are many stunning and unspoiled beaches, all with their own atmosphere and looks. Of the more than 200 beaches in the Algarve almost half of them are entitled to carry the Blue Flag award, which is a great achievement. Some beaches are perfect for (kite) surfing such as the Arrifana & Carrapateira beaches or the Olhão area, and some are excellent for swimming in more calmer waters, especially in the East Algarve. More glamorous beaches can be found in the Golden Triangle area in Central Algarve. But whatever beach you prefer; they are all pure and no beaches in Portugal are privately owned. The land owned by property on the coast stops where the sand begins… this is part of Algarves charm.

Marinas

The four main marinas in the Algarve are Vilamoura, Albufeira, Portimão and Lagos. They also have achieved the Blue Flag award. More and more marinas are being exploited in the Algarve, like the marina in Olhão. All of them offer modern facilities and the opportunity to practice water sports or to moor your boat.

Flight connections

Faro airport has very good connections with main airports in the whole of Western and Eastern Europe, with an average of 2.5 hours flying time. In the future it's to be expected that infra structure continues to be developed.

For more in depth information about the Algarve, please consult the official site of the tourism board: www.visitalgarve.pt.