Being the tourist capital of the Algarve, Albufeira is a hive of activity throughout the year. The town is situated midway along Portugal's south coast. It consists of two parts, the Strip and the Old Town. The residential area is not in the tourist heart of the town but in the quiet suburbs to the east and west. Interested property buyers also look for property among the villages and countryside within a radius of 20km inland from Albufeira.

Property on offer includes apartments in low-rise blocks with superb sea views and townhouses in small, tasteful developments. The nearby vicinities of Boliqueime, São Bartolomeu de Messines, Paderne and Algoz mostly offer traditional farmhouses and rustic property. Also scattered throughout these areas are villas with gardens and pools, from £250,000 upwards.

Albufeira stretches all the way from Falésia beach and the fishing village of Olhos d'Água in the east to the coves of São Rafael and Castelo in the west. Its diverse beaches draws in the crowds during the day. Albufeira has sandy straights right in front of the Old Town and also more intimate little bays and coves. At night, the crowds will frequent the countless cafes, bars and restaurants, and then on to the late-night dance bars and discos

For the golfers there are two golf courses in the Albufeira area – Pine Cliffs and Salgados. A brand new marina has recently been built on the western side.

The coastal area of Albufeira stretches for a few scenic kilometres past glorious, sandy, cliff-backed coves and eventually opens onto the sand-duned beach at Galé, just to the west of Albufeira. There is limited access to the beach because of the dunes, but this makes the beach even more appealing to those who like plenty of elbow room, or people who enjoy long leisurely strolls by the sea

Armação de Pera is just down the road and boasts one of the Algarve's most glorious beachfronts, where the characteristic low cliffs rise. Armação's most exclusive holiday accommodation lies on the western outskirts, where the beach rolls into a series of coves indented into the rocky coastline.