# Is algarve that bad?



## Brightblue

We have been looking to buy in Portugal and had planned to spend our holiday time in 2020 looking at areas but covid put an end to that. The place would be a holiday house initially and we would then move over in about 5 years. 
we are after space (bit of land, views, pool, etc) somewhere not far from the coast (20 min drive). 
i like the idea of loule in the algarve but reading this forum I see many folk are anti algarve due to the tourists. 
I like caldas da raina too but worry about the weather in winter and would like to be able to swim in the sea and the ocean on that side looks like it may be too chilly. 
so is there anywhere on the algarve that would fit the bill for quiet and sunny or does algarve not offer quiet


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## hktoportugal

This is a very personal choice. We first came to Portugal thinking we would buy a) in Lisbon or b) in the Algarve. In the end we fell in love with Porto (and the people in Porto) and bought our residence close to the city in a quiet area by the Douro river. People warned us at that time that Porto would be very wet and windy.... well .... compared to the places we lived before it is perfect. Sure, a bit cold in the winter but in the summer we have months on end of wonderful weather (blue skies, no rain). The best is really to go and stay in the Algarve (both in summer and in winter) to experience first hand if you like it. We felt the Algarve was too much geared towards tourists and as a result in off season you drive through residential areas where nobody seems to live but again, that is very personal. So can't really advise you where to look in the Algarve but as with the weather in Porto: don't be put off by people that say it is too touristy, experience it yourself.


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## MrBife

I live in the Algarve but travel regularly to Lisbon, Porto and other Portuguese cities. Pre-covid they were all busy places and certain areas in all those places are busy with tourists all year round. Algarve is quite a big place and whilst the coastal strip is busy for ten weeks a year (kids school holidays) the impact on the towns and villages back from the coast is much less significant. So I guess it depends really on what you want to do with your time. If you intend to play golf daily then it will be harder to get a booking in July and August, if you want to eat out in swanky tourist area restaurants then you are are going to find them busy. But when you learn the quieter/better/off the beaten track places then you will rarely want to go to the others anyway.

Try to get a quiet lunch in the 'historic centre' of Lisbon, Coimbra or Porto and there will be tourists all around you - it's a part of being in Portugal but please don't write off Algarve because someone on a forum had a bad opinion - both Portugal and Algarve are some of the best places in Europe to live or spend time.


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## Eliora

I love the algarve area. In particularly Olhao and Tavira also a small village, Santa Caterina. We are tea tottelers so I can't give much advice about night life. There are some really lovely apartments with all the mod cons and really beautiful modern architecture with good airconditioning as well as a lot of older townhouses for sale around Olhao and surrounds. Plenty of places to rent while you house hunt. The beaches are varied and sometimes you have to drive to get to them but most apartment housing areas have their own lovely pools with lawn grounds and plenty of sun bathing decks. 

The winters on the coast are so mild we didn't have to use heating in Olhao at all. A great savings. The fresh food available is wonderful and the people are my favorite in europe. Life is relaxed stress free and peaceful. You can get everything you need for renovating and remodeling in Olhao. I recommend going there, I can'timagine what people find negative about the algarve. I haven't been to Albafuiera however, so there is that perhaps. 

Faro is a good place. An ordinary town with good shopping center and hundreds of apartments on offer. Again the people are helpful and sensible down there. Definately have a go. The south of Portugal has warmer winters than the central or north and it is far sunnier. Central and north Portugal for winter? one may as well be back in Scotland or France.


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