Here are therefore 5 Reasons to spend Christmas in Algarve.

Reason # 1: The weather is lovely in the Algarve, making its sandy whitewashed shores a perfect year-round destination. Even in winter, the weather is mild and sunny and temperatures rarely go below 10 degrees Celsius, with averages of around 16-18 degrees Celsius.

Reason # 2: You are setting yourself for a beautiful traditional Christmas. Like all Catholic countries, Portugal loves giving a laic and personal touch to all religious celebrations. Christmas is the most important celebration in Christianity, so all the elements that make the season bright and cosy will be present. Among others, don’t forget to ask for some “Bolo Rei”, the traditional, sweet Christmas Cake.

Reason # 3: The Portuguese are among the most welcoming people. Without being extremely open or imposing their style or presence on you as a tourist, the Portuguese are the perfect mixture of quiet kindness and hospitality. They will make you feel at home and want to return.

Reason # 4: The Algarve is an outstanding family destination. You can take your kid to the Marina in Faro or to Zoomarine in Albufeira and spend some family quality time there together.

Reason # 5: Algarve is a very accessible destination, particularly outside of the months of high season. You can find lodgings, Faro airport transfers and Lagos car hire options online for really low rates. Only one pro tip worth mentioning, though: it is best to book everything online as soon as possible, because availability is still limited, even in low season during Christmas time.

Each region of the country has its own calendar of more or less unique festivities, whether religious or not so religious. These types of events tend to normally showcase all manner of traditional culture, processions, fireworks and such, but there are also many of them that are deeply rooted into the modern.

Those interested in the religious aspect of the region may want to schedule their Algarve holiday to coincide with such a celebration, such as the Festa das Chouriças em Sao Luis. This festival takes place in late January in Querenca, it is the day of the patron saint of animals which is rather paradoxically celebrated with a smoked sausage auction and cultural fair. We should note that all the proceeds of the auction are donated to charity.

One important religious event in the Algarve is a two-part festival held in Loule in mid-April. The first part of the festival takes place when the 16^th century statue of the city’s patron saint is brought down from Ermita do Alto do Cerro to the Church of Sao Francisco.

The second part of the festival takes place two weeks later when the statue is returned to its resting place

There are other types of Algarve festivals and events of course, which we’ll talk about in a future article, till then keep in mind that you can visit these locations and many others with the help of our Algarve car rental services.