Almancil Holidays

Almancil Holidays – A gem set between luxurious stones

It’s probably fair to say that Almancil owes its success to its proximity to its two luxurious neighbours, Vale do Lobo and Quinta do Lago, but nonetheless it is a delightful destination in its own right. Some of the gilding of the up-market resorts has rubbed off on this pleasant Algarve town, and Almancil is known for its excellent shops and chic boutiques, including its antique shops where you can find an unusual souvenir. Or you may prefer to take home a piece of the beautiful local pottery, which is famous throughout Portugal.

The restaurants in Vale do Lobo and Quinta do Lago are said to be some of the most expensive in Portugal, but Almancil has become equally well known for the quality of its dining, particularly its traditional cuisine – at a lot less than you would pay just up the road.

Nearby San Lorenzo golf course, which runs past lakes, through pine trees and alongside Atlantic beaches, was voted Continental Europe’s second best golf course by Golf World magazine. It is a course to test all levels of golfing skill.

For a great family day out, the full-size karting track at Almancil, said to be an exact copy of the Brazilian Formula 1 track, should tick all the boxes, particularly as there is a dedicated race track for kids and a Western theme park to shoot the bad guys (and those that beat them at karting) when they hand in their crash-hat.

When to visit

Almancil is a small town that mainly serves the needs of visitors to its up-market neighbours, and almost any site you visit on the internet about Almancil will give you more information about Quinta de Lago and Val do Lobo than Almancil itself. So taking that into consideration, and working in reverse, both resorts offer such an enormous amount to do, from simply flopping on the beach to horse riding, tennis and almost every kind of water sport you can imagine – and, of course, the chance to play a round on one of the four championship golf courses nearby – there will always be something for you to do nearby, even if Almancil has a quiet night off.

Weather in Almancil

Warm shorts-and-T-shirt weather in spring and autumn, between 19-23º during daylight hours, 9-14º during the cool of the night. Summer temperatures can top 30º in full sun – and there are around twelve hours a day of cloudless blue skies in high season, so make sure you pack a good sun-screen if you intend to spend the day on the beach. Unless you go between December and February, the closest you will get to a rainy day will be a bit of dampness in the air, although it’s probably a good idea to take a light coat from mid-November to mid-April, just in case.

Getting the best deal

Avoid Easter and the school holidays and you might be on to a good thing, as far as deals are concerned, at least with flights. Low-cost airlines Jet2, Ryanair and EasyJet all fly to the Algarve from a number of UK regional airports, so it’s worth checking out train and bus fares in the UK to see if there are any overall savings when you take into account travelling to a departure airport. You may have to shop around a bit for flights, as some airlines have limited dates, mainly during the winter months.It’s worth having a look below to find some great deals, but make sure you keep up-to-date with our late-booking offers.

Airport and transport need to know

A well as the low-cost airlines mentioned above, Monarch, British Airway, Thomson Fly and Air Berlin have routes to Faro International Airport from more than twenty airports in the UK, including Belfast, Dublin, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Manchester, Exeter and Leeds and Bradford.

Faro airport is well serviced with car hire companies, but you will probably get a better rate if you book on-line before you arrive. The Algarve has a very good transport network, with both the national rail company, Comboios de Portugal, (www.cp.pt) and the regional bus service, Eva Transportes (www.eva-bus.com) offering fast, regular and efficient services. But as Almancil is barely a twenty-minute drive from the airport, which is how long it would take you to get from Faro airport into the town centre bus and train stations, it’s worth taking a cab, which will cost around 45-55€ (£36-44) depending on whether you want a four- or eight-seater vehicle. If your flight gets in between nine at night and six in the morning or at weekend, add another 20% to the fare.

Best beaches in Almancil

Almancil beaches include Praia do Ancão, Praia do Garrão, Praia da Quinta do Lago, Praia do Trafal, and Praia do Vale de Lobo, all of them perfect examples of the golden sand for which the Algarve is famous. Although none of them are in the actual resort itself, they are only a brief walk, or at the most a ten-minute ride, away.

It’s worth the short trip to Praia da Quinta do Lago, if nothing else for the stroll across the long wooden walkway that takes you to its glorious beach. It may not be exactly a desert island, but it feels like it, particularly at the eastern end, where you can spread your towel knowing that you will barely hear the sound of your nearest neighbour chatting. Two kilometres long, it has plenty of sun beds for rent, cafes to take a cold drink at and restaurants if you want a full sit-down lunch. It is just the job for families and couples, and anyone who want as sleep the afternoon away in the soft white sands.