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West of Albufeira - Holidays in Armacao de Pera
Holidays in Armacao de Pera
Armação de Pera is an old and long established Algarve holiday resort. It is situated between the bustling resort of Albufeira and the stylish and pretty resort of Carvoeiro. It is about 12 km west of Albufeira and 45 km from Faro airport (about a 40-minute drive in the car).
It was once a small fishing village, but as tourism has taken hold it has expanded with many high-rise holiday apartments and hotels being built, particularly to the west. Not so pretty, but that’s the price it has paid for its popularity. However, the eastern side of town has retained much more of its original character, so it isn’t all bad.
All in all, Armacao de Pera is quite a cosmopolitan town with a lively atmosphere. There are plenty of shops, restaurants and bars to keep you busy (and a few nightclubs for those who want to dance the night away). For beach lovers, there is a very good beach here, very long and rated as one of the best in the whole of the Algarve.
In the summer months, holidaymakers arrive here in droves, and it gets very busy. Its also a popular destination with the Portuguese themselves. Outside of the season however, it is much quieter.
Should you choose a holiday in Armacao de Pera?
So, who takes holidays in Armação de Pera? It is certainly is a popular place with families. It has great beaches, which are gentle and safe for children (always a winner). There is a good choice of accommodation, some in purpose built resorts nearby and within a short drive there are plenty of Algarve attractions, such as Zoomarine and Aqualand (see below).
It is also a popular place with couples, who can spend their days lazing on the beach or wandering round the more romantic old town, with its cobbled streets and charming fishermen’s cottages. Here you’ll find a great choice of good restaurants and bars.
Armacao de Pera beaches
The beach at Armacao de Pera stretches eastwards to Gale near Albufeira. At about 3 km in length, it is one of the longest and probably one of the best beaches in the Algarve. It’s a great for children with the pale sand gently sloping into the sea, making it a safe-haven for young paddlers. It can get quite crowded in the summer, so if you want to avoid the crowds then walk east along the beach until it gets a little quieter.
The beach has a number of beach bars and restaurants and plenty of places where you can hire gear for your favourite water sport. If you want to explore further along the line, then boat trips are available so you can enjoy the magnificent rocky scenery and many hidden coves and caves.
There are some smaller beaches, a short drive to the west that are worth exploring, such as Marinha and Albandeira beaches. At Marinha Beach you can park at the top of the cliffs then walk down the cliff steps, enjoying the dramatic views. Albandeira Beach, good for sufers, is at the end of a a quite long dirt track.
Also to the west is the dramatic Senhora da Rocha headland, with the purpose built resort of Vila Senhora da Rocha situated on top of the cliffs. The resort is a mixture of villas and apartments, set out their own gadens with direct access to the beach.
At the foot of the cliffs is the Priaia Senhora da Rocha beach, which is really two beaches connected by a tunnel through a rocky outcrop. On top of the cliff is the Chapel of Nossa Senhora da Rocha.
Armacao de Pera restaurants
There are a good number of restaurants to tempt you in Armacao de Pera, the majority of them being found in the old town. It is particularly noted for its seafood and fish restaurants, but there is a great choice of both traditional and international style restaurants. In fact, if you fancy an Indian meal, then the Raj restaurant at the Hotel do Garbe, on the sea-front is definitely worth a try.
There are some good seafood restaurants down on the beach (and who can argue with a meal by the sea), where the prices are reasonable and the quality good. One of my favourites, serving not only seafood, but traditional meat dishes as well, is the Restaurant Hera (Tel: 282 312 770), found on the Fisherman’s beach.
Holidays in Armacao de Pera - Nearby Attractions
Although the beaches are fantastic, if you’re on holiday with the kids, then sometimes you need something else to do to keep them occupied. Being in the central Algarve, and near Albufiera, there are plenty of Algarve attractions to visit.
ZooMarine, just outside of Albufeira and is a mixture of a marine centre, zoo and amusement park. With daily dolphin and sea lion displays, and the fun fair for the kids it is a fun day out for all the family...
click here for more information
Krazy World is a children’s park and zoo near Algoz, north of Albufiera. It has a fairground, mini-golf, a petting farm and pony rides for the kids. it is also home to the Algarve Zoo (home to reptiles, snakes and other scaly things)...
click here for more information
Aqualand is a family water park with good rides and areas for all aged children. It is near Alcantarilha in between Albufeira and Armação de Pera on the EN 125 road...
Click here for more information
If you fancy a round or two of golf while on your holiday in Armacao de Pera, then you could do worse than to base yourself here. The nearest course, a few minutes drive to the east is
Salgados golf course
, while Vale do Milho golf course is 10 minutes drive to the west. In Carvoiero you’ll find
Gramacho golf course
and the Vale da Pinta golf course.
There are of course many other Algarve golf courses, both to the east and the west, all easily reachable by car, so the choice is yours.
Algarve Shopping is a big modern shopping mall, on the N125 about a mile east of Guia and 6km north of Albufeira. Here is a great selection of shops, restaurants and cafes. There is also a bowling alley and a cinema there. Click here to view their website.
The charming little town of Porches, is just a few miles inland. It is known as the pottery capital of the Algarve. Here you’ll find a large number of pottery outlets along the main road. If you want pottery, then Porches (and Almancil) are the places to go.
Armacao de Pera Accommodation
There are a number of hotels to choose for your holiday in Armacao de Pera. Probably the best known of these is the
Hotel do Garbe
, located on a small cliff overlooking the beach. It is one of the first hotels to be built in the Algarve. Click the link, for more details on
hotels in Armacao de Pera
. (opens a new browser window).
A lot of accommodation is to be found in is to be found in
apartments
and
villas
in and around the town. A couple of km outside the town are the purpose built complexes of Vila Senhora da Rocha (situated on top of the cliffs) and Quintinha Village. If you have a car, then these may be ideal for your holiday in Armacao de Pera.
Armacao de Pera nightlife
As the sun goes down over Armacao de Pera, the place warms up, with the bars becoming busier and the music starts to pound. There are loads of bars to choose from and a couple of nightclubs. Other, possibly more sophisticated entertainment can be found in some of the hotels.
Armacao de Pera - Things to see and do
There are a number of things worth doing a seeing on your holidays in Armacao de Pera.
The old part of town contains a few historic sights including the Old Church. A few km away on a rocky outcrop above the Senhora da Rocha beach is the 13th Century chapel Nossa Senhora da Rocha.
Worth visiting is the 17th Century remains of the small fort overlooking the sea. Mainly a ruin now, but inside you can still see the remains of the small chapel of Santo Antonio.
For a fun afternoon out, try a boat trip along the coastline of Armacao de Pera, and enjoy the amazing sandstone caves, rock formations and many grottos along the way.
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