Sports and leisure activities
At hotel receptions and various travel agencies and specialized stores you can find a wide range of programs that include excursions throughout the entire Algarve, jeep safaris, off-road rides and magnificent boat crossings along the coast with visits to the emblematic caves.
Thanks to the beaches’ great conditions, there are various alternatives for nautical sports, from windsurfing to sailing, scuba diving, jet ski, water-skiing and parasailing. If you want to enjoy these activities, you’ll find them in greater number at the Praia da Oura, Praia dos Pescadores or Praia da Galé. However, almost all the beaches offer some water activities.
The Albufeira Marina has widened the range of water activities offered within the council. So if you like the sea, you can also choose to do a cruise and go along the whole coast in an enjoyable atmosphere, go out to sea to look for the sweet dolphins or go scuba diving.
Throughout the year, there is a variety of sports events going on in the entire council. You can watch a show of the very best sports people in the world in their field. The Almond Blossom International Cross-Country Race is still a world benchmark in its field. The Foot Volley World Challenge is one of the most surprising and spectacular of the summer tournaments. At the beginning of each pre-season, the Albufeira City Cup brings us the first excitement of football, the king of sports.
But there are also sports events which bring together thousands of participants and which are also a great way of spending your leisure time. The Christmas Hike, which is part of the Albufeira Christmas Athletics Grand Prix, brings together hundreds of participants, all properly dressed for this great fun and sports day.
Throughout the year the municipality, the parishes and the associations within the council organize various hikes and bicycle rides for hours of healthy socialising. On a more radical note, there are the off-road rides, also organized by associations within the council, which are also an excellent way of getting to know the Albufeira that rarely appears on post-cards, but just as captivatingly beautiful.
GOLF
If you are a golf fan, Albufeira has three courses that integrate top quality resorts, offering an enjoyable environment with distinctive landscapes.
SALGADOS GOLF CLUB
This 6,080-metre course is located at the far Western side of the council of Albufeira, in a lagoon area. It has 18 fairly well-balanced holes, each one of the two halves of the course has two par 5 with approximately 500 metres, and two par 3 with over 170 metres. In total, the course makes par 72.
PINE CLIFFS
This has 9 holes and a course of 2,274 metres of spectacular views of the cliff and sea. It is a group of four par 3, four par 4 and one par 5, the latter in reality being a par 4 with its 400 metres, although it is still an excellent hole. However, the highlight of Pine Cliffs is the number 9 hole, played over a ravine a few dozen metres high with a breath-taking view of the vast stretch of sand.
BALAIA GOLF VILLAGE
This is located between Albufeira and Olhos d’Água and has 9 holes and a 984-metre course.
This is the ideal course for testing each player’s ability, regardless of their handicap. You can play 9 holes or choose to leave and play 18 holes in order to concentrate on a short game without the discipline that is sometimes necessary on the practice range.
SPAS
Albufeira has some of the best and most complete spas in the country. They are real temples of health and well-being and the ideal place for re-invigorating mind and body.
There is a whole world of techniques and products that are handled by the best specialists in order to improve your quality of life. You’ll find various techniques and treatments in Albufeira. From thalassotherapy to beauty parlours, with whirlpool bath, air bath or thalasso. From acupuncture to algotherapy, or chocolate therapy.