Climate Algarve

The climate year of Algarve

It is the southernmost region of Portugal, the Algarve with an area of 4,989 square kilometers and about 440,000 inhabitants. The region is divided into three parts, in the north is Serra, further south is Barrocal and in the very south is Litoral. The Serra is a hilly area, the highest point is Pico da Foia with 902 meters. The Serra is quite sparsely populated and hardly developed for tourism. In the south of the Serra is the Barrocal, a foothill area where agriculture is the main activity. The southern coast, the littoral, is where most of the tourist destinations are located. This area is again divided into the Sotavento, which means downwind, and the Barlavento, upwind.

General information about Algarve

Touristically, in the Algarve, especially the south with its coasts and great beaches is a great attraction for holidaymakers from all over the world. Especially the towns of Faro, which is also the provincial capital, Albufeira, Portimão, and the elegant Vilamoura are popular with tourists. On the west coast, on the Atlantic Ocean, are more quiet destinations, a vacation destination for the whole family. Small towns, such as Ljezur with its long secluded beach or the fishing villages of Olhão and Alcoutim invite you to visit. The sights of the Algarve are more in the coastal hinterland. There you can find Roman villas, like the Abicada or the megalithic necropolis Alcalar with its restored facilities. The castle of Silves with a Roman bridge and museum is also worth seeing, as is the Roman villa Milreu-Estói.

Tourism Algarve

The Algarve counts the most sunny days in Europe, although the summer can be quite hot. Even in winter, the temperature hardly drops below 10 degrees, a mild climate that allows for a vacation all year round. The average hours of sunshine in summer are between 10 and 12 hours. Strong summer heat always occurs when the Levante from Africa, replaces the cool winds from the Atlantic, but this always happens only for a few days. Nights are quite pleasant in the Algarve and hardly fall below 17 degrees in summer. In winter it can rain on up to eleven days, but even in the cooler season the sunshine hours predominate with at least five hours a day. The water temperature is pleasantly warm and the special thing, it is still possible to swim in October, then also the air temperature is still above 20 degrees. A winter in the Algarve can sometimes be more beautiful than a summer in the north of Europe.