Ofir Holidays
Ofir Holidays – Just peace and relaxation
Ofir is a resort for relaxing, taking a stroll through the pine forests that run down to the beach, or simply lazing the days away on the beach itself. Although, if you are a lover of water sports, this is a very popular area for sea canoeing, surfing, windsurfing, fishing and snorkelling. There are plenty of places to take an evening drink, but it’s not the place for partying till dawn.
For culture, the fascinating city of Oporto is only half-an-hour away, where you can wander the ancient medieval streets of the Ribeira or climb the zigzag stairways to the cathedral, before visiting on of the city’s wine producers and picking up a bottle of its most famous export – deep, rich port wine. You can also sample the excellent Vinho Verde wines by taking a wine tour to one of the local producers.
Fao, a three-kilometre stroll up the estuary of the River Cávado from Ofir, set in a river valley with the mountains as a back-drop, dates back to Roman times. Try the grilled sardines at a quayside restaurant for the typical Portuguese experience.
When to go to Ofir
If you like bright sunny days to relax on the beach but without excessive heat, Ofir is an ideal place for your summer holidays. But at any time of the year there is plenty to see and do in the surrounding area – although the main reason you probably choose Ofir in the first place is for its laid-back ambience. You would be best to try and go outside the months of July and August if you don’t want the crowds that inevitably occur because of school holidays, which begin towards the end of June in some European countries, and don’t forget that Portugal is as popular with other Europeans as it is with the British.
The weather in Ofir
Summer highs of 25º with ten hours of sunshine a day make for comfortable days during July and August, and even slightly lower temperatures of June and July are still warm enough for bathing in the Atlantic, which have average temperatures of 18º during the four summer months.
The high-teens temperatures of April will rise to around 22º in May, comfortable during the daytime, but you might need a light jacket or jumper for an evening stroll. Rain can be quite heavy during the winter months, but there will only be an occasional light shower during summer.
Getting the best deals at Ofir
As ever, getting a deal will depend on the time of year you would like to go. Ofir is not the sort of high-volume tourism-orientated resort that you get on the Algarve, where hotels have a lot of bedrooms to fill off-season, so you might not find a deal as easy to get as you would in the larger resorts. In which case, it would be better to book early to make sure you get the holiday you want, rather than wait too long hoping for a deal and not finding one. Obviously if you are happy to be somewhere close to Ofir without actually being in it, you may get a good last minute deal.
Look below for our best deals in Ofir, and keep checking our late offers.
Airport and transport need to know.
Three airlines from the UK to Oporto (officially known as Francisco Sa Carneiro Airport); Ryanair from London-Stansted (STN) and Liverpool (LPN), and TAP, the Portuguese national airline, and easyJet from London-Gatwick (LGW). There are a variety of bars, cafes, restaurants and duty-free shops to while away your departure time, and there are facilities for disabled people, including toilets, adapted lifts and easy-to-operate telephones.
Oporto airport is thirty-two kilometres from Ofir, which should take about an hour, and will cost around 55€ (£44) but taking into account that it will cost twenty percent more if you hire between 9pm and 6am and at weekends. If you a large family or group it might be worth looking at booking a transfer, which can be done on-line. If you intend to visit Oporto and the surrounding area during your stay it could prove more economical in both time and money to hire a car – around 200€ (£160) a week for a Ford Fiesta in high season.
There is no direct train service to Ofir from the airport and only a limited bus service.
Best beaches near Ofir
Part of the Litoral de Esposende Protected Landscape, Ofir Beach, south of the mouth of the River Cávado, is surrounded by dunes and pine trees, and is one of the most beautiful beaches on the north Portuguese coast. At low tide a set of rocks emerge, known as the Horse of Fao.
A very busy beach during the summer, the big waves to the south are a magnate to surfers, while swimmers tend to stay in the central section. The beaches are beautiful and have disabled access, but children and inexperienced swimmers need to take care in the sea. There is a life guard during the summer season.
Esposende, just over the water from Ofir and connected by a bridge at Fao, has a number of Blue Flag beaches with excellent bathing conditions, which stretch for eighteen kilometres, with their names changing as they head north. Cepaes, Apulia and Suave Mar, like Ofir, all have life guards and disabled access. The beach area around Esposende, Fao and Ofir is all protected landscape.
If you take a ride into Oporto and want to spend a bit of time at the beach, Foz do Duouro is an up-market suburb and a very popular bathing resort, and is known as being one of the most expensive and prestigious beaches around the city. Vila Nova de Gaia, the town just over the river from the city has more Blue Flag beaches than any other Portuguese municipality.
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