Hi Friends!
We are meeting up with my twenty something daughter and her friend down in the Algarve... somewhere... between Dec. 10- 30, 2021. We've been around Portugal before, but not the south. I know it's winter and can be coldish, windy, etc., but this is our chance to get south and see what we can see. We will likely Air bnb or VRBO for a week at a time, so looking for a couple of good bases.
We like the coast, or at least to be within 15 min. drive for our base might be good. Was thinking to base ourselves around Lagos, or maybe further west (my daughter and friend surf - and we like that crowd, too) And then maybe picking a town further east , towards Faro direction. We don't really like the resort vibe. Local is more our tune. Any seasoned folks out there that can give me some ideas for a couple of good base towns that would be great! Thank you all so much!!
Nelainey and Co.
Posted by
Vienna, Austria
5382 posts
If you don’t like resorts and you know it’s going to be cold, why are you going to the Algarve? We were there in winter and left because it was horrible. Everything (shops, restaurants) catered to English and Dutch tourists, but it was nearly all closed. We stayed in an AirBnB in a desolate apartment complex - musty and dank. The towns of Lagos and Faro were far from special, in our opinion. I can think of dozens of other places to go in December...
Posted by
Cascais, Portugal
1669 posts
While the Algarve isn’t my favorite place in Portugal, I did spend a couple of weeks in Lagos in February. Most things were open. I think your idea of Lagos is a good one as you do want a larger city that time of year. For a more eastern city, you might look at Tavira.
And, yes, do expect rain and cool temperatures. But, there also could be some very nice days that time of year.
Posted by
Tunbridge Wells
6113 posts
I have stayed in the Algarve several times in February and March and numerous times between May and September and have never had a damp, mouldy apartment. You will need heating at that time of year as it will be cold and possibly rainy.
Lagos old town has character and is bustling, but has seen significant high rise development around it over the past 25 years. I have had many good summer holidays based near here. The surf around Lagos and along the Algarve is beginner level surf. The more experienced head up the west coast around Carrapateira, although there isn’t much here other than the beach and a couple of cafes. More advanced surfers head even further north around Peniche. The water is glacial even in summer! Don’t follow RS’s advice and head to Salema - it’s dead in winter. I would avoid the soulless resorts of Vilamoura and Praia da Rocha.
Tavira would be my other choice, as it’s less overdeveloped than Lagos and has some beautiful architecture. It’s not a surfing destination. There are some good walks around. It tends to be warmer and less windy at this end of the Algarve. The train station in Tavira is in the town centre (some stations on this line are some distance from the action) and gives access to Faro and VRSA to the east, from where you can take a boat across the river into Spain for lunch.
Nothing is closed in Lagos, Tavira, Cabanas, Fuseta and plenty of other places I could mention on the Algarve at that time of year, you just need to do the right research.
The weather isn’t reliable enough in the Portuguese winter, so these days I head to the Canary Islands, where it’s usually much warmer. There’s plenty surfing there too!
Posted by
OP
2 posts
Thank you for your replies. We are a very laid back family and really can be happy just hanging out. We have been all through Portugal, except the Algarve, including all the surf spots like Peniche, Navarra, etc. December is our only time off and we are happy to check out the Algarve area during the non-tourist time of year, even if it could be cool/rainy. We are from WA State and quite hardy souls when it comes to winter weather!
I was looking into Tavira, as you suggested - it seems somewhat middle coast, so that might work good for us. We also plan to hang out for a bit on the west side small towns. We will have a car, so inland and coastal destinations will be fine.
Thank you all!