The city of Albufeira is situated in the beautiful Algarve, on the south coast of Portugal. It is a very popular destination for tourists to visit and is nicknamed the "tourist capital of the Algarve". Despite the many annual visitors, Albufeira has retained its historic identity and charm. The Romans built a castle here and the town prospered for centuries under Arab rule which the old Moorish architecture gives testament to. The old city has typical narrow streets lined with whitewashed houses, often decorated with local tiles.

Although the town has just 13,600 residents, the area accommodates thousands of visitors throughout the year. Albufeira also draws huge crowds for its New Year celebrations. Faro Airport is just 40 minutes drive away. Although Albufeira is busy in the summer, the weather remains beautifully warm into late summer and winters are a balmy 17C(61F) in the day. Outside the peak season it is possible to find quieter beaches and the marina is always a relaxed place to stroll and dine.

Along the coastline from Praia de Sao to the west to Praia da Oura in the east there are a chain of more than 20 small sandy coves, separated by outcrops of ochre-coloured rocks. The coastal scenery with its sandstone cliffs and rock formations is stunningly beautiful. As well as the gorgeous sandy beaches there is a marina, golf courses and a wide choice of restaurants and bars varying from authentic Portuguese cafés to lively Irish pubs. Local cuisine is understandably based on the daily catches of fresh fish, sardines and seafood. Cataplana is a popular platter of steamed shellfish and Caldeirada is a tasty fish stew.

Those looking for a lively nightlife should head for "The Strip" near the Montechoro district. Further afield, Vilamoura is 18km to the east and is set to become Europe's largest leisure complex. It has plenty of shops, cafés, restaurants and bars around the large modern marina.