1. Algarve Chefs Week – Mid to Late April 2026
Spring in Faro starts with a celebration of flavor during Algarve Chefs Week, a regional event that highlights the Algarve’s culinary identity.
Restaurants across Faro and nearby towns offer specially curated menus focused on seasonal ingredients such as fresh seafood, local produce, and regional wines. It’s a great opportunity to experience both traditional Portuguese dishes and more modern interpretations in a refined yet accessible setting.
For visitors, this event goes beyond dining- it’s a way to connect with local culture through food, while exploring different venues across the city.

2. Festival Internacional de Jazz do Algarve – Mid-April 2026
Music lovers will appreciate the relaxed elegance of the International Jazz Festival of the Algarve, which brings a sophisticated cultural atmosphere to Faro.
Performances are typically hosted in smaller venues, creating an intimate connection between artists and audiences. The lineup blends international talent with Portuguese musicians, offering a diverse musical experience.
Combined with Faro’s scenic evenings, the festival becomes more than just a concert- it’s an opportunity to enjoy live music in a laid-back, atmospheric setting.

3. Semana Académica do Algarve – Late April to Early May 2026
As April progresses, Faro becomes more energetic with the arrival of Semana Académica, organized by students from the University of Algarve.
This lively festival includes concerts, parades, and themed nightlife events that transform the city into a hub of celebration. While rooted in student traditions, it attracts a wider audience and offers visitors a chance to experience Portugal’s youthful and social side.
Expect a vibrant atmosphere, especially in the evenings, with large open-air events and a strong sense of community.

4. Ria Formosa Nature Festival – Late April 2026
For a quieter and more natural experience, events around the Ria Formosa Natural Park provide a refreshing contrast.
This festival focuses on the region’s unique ecosystem, offering activities such as guided walks, birdwatching, and boat tours through lagoons and islands. It’s an excellent way to explore one of Portugal’s most important natural areas while learning about its biodiversity.
The combination of scenic landscapes and educational experiences makes it ideal for travelers looking to balance culture with nature.

5. Faro Cultural Spring Events (Cidade Velha Series) – Late April 2026
Throughout late April, the historic Cidade Velha hosts a variety of smaller cultural events that showcase the city’s creative side.
These include live music, art exhibitions, and local performances set against the backdrop of Faro’s old town. The intimate scale of these events allows visitors to engage more closely with local artists and traditions.
They offer a more authentic and relaxed cultural experience, perfect for those who prefer discovering a destination beyond large festivals.

Spring in Faro offers a well-balanced mix of gastronomy, music, youthful energy, and natural beauty, without the intensity of peak season. With events spread across the city and surrounding areas, planning your transport in advance can make your trip far more enjoyable.
For convenient and reliable travel, you can book professional taxi services and airport transfers with Faro Transfers, ensuring a smooth, door-to-door experience from arrival to destination.
If you prefer more flexibility, renting a car through Lagos Car Hire allows you to explore the Algarve at your own pace, from coastal spots to natural parks and nearby towns.
With the right balance of planning and spontaneity, Faro in spring becomes an easy and memorable destination to explore.

So if you need a commercial van, a pickup truck, a duty cab or any other type of cargo vehicle, you should rest assured that there is indeed an option available and renting a commercial car in the Algarve – and throughout the entire country, actually – is easier than you might think.

So what is Portugal Commercial Car Hire and how can I book it? It is a special type of car rental, that offers you the possibility to hire a commercial car for one or more days. This is useful if you have business and you need to carry cargo or if you are moving to Portugal, for instance, and you have things to transport.

The Portugal Commercial Car Hire fleet contains new cars of different types, from trucks to duty cabs and large commercial vans.

Booking with Portugal Commercial Car Hire is as simple as possible: all you need to do is make an online reservation (by taking a few minutes to complete the online form on the website with details about the rental, car type and client information). We will send you a confirmation via email as soon as possible. Afterwards, your booking will be confirmed and you will be invited to come pick up the vehicle on the agreed date and time.

Payment is done on pickup, by credit card, and the prices include VAT, CDW and TP subject to excess. You also get road assistance inside Portugal 24/7 and the mileage is unlimited. So there are ample advantages to using the services of Portugal Commercial Car Hire. Use with trust!

The Escola de Hotelaria e Turismo do Algarve (EHTA) based in the capital city of Algarve, Faro, will host the first edition of their event, Tourism Trade Show Algarve 2015. Under the motto “Uma marca, um destino” (“One brand, one destiny”), the event, which follows the success of the homonymous forum, is expected to host several forum stages, lectures and tourism-related activities.

The targeted regions are Algarve, Alentejo and Andalucia, and the main players in the domain will be present to help promote the Portuguese brand and the Algarve brand. The Southern region of Portugal has gained a fair amount of popularity in recent years due to the affluence of Western European tourists who come here to spend a seaside vacation and even to settle here, in a quiet house by the shores of the Atlantic Ocean, after they retire.

Nevertheless, the Algarve is not just a network of seaside resorts. Lagos, Portimao, Aljezur, Lagoa and of course, Faro, are symbols of the “fun in the sun”, but the Portuguese living in the South of the country wish to impose their home as more than that. Influenced historically theoughout the centuries  by the Moors, the Spaniards and Western Europeans alike, their visible influence in the local architecture, cuisine and traditions is fascinating and worth the attention of an outside observer.

This and, naturally, boosting the local economy, is what the Escola de Hotelaria e Turismo do Algarve have in mind when they set out to promote the Tourism Trade Show Algarve 2015. So if you are in Portugal these days, you are welcome to rent a car and come to the show!

The world’s most generous Christmas shoppers take their task seriously. They enjoy lavishing their affections upon their family and friends through beautiful – and sometimes expensive – tokens. Let’s see who they are!

Consumerism is a cult in the United States of America – actually, it has come to represent it. And as the ones that are expected to set an example, the Americans don’t really disappoint. In 2011, for instance, researched showed that the average American spends around 700 Dollars per person on Christmas gifts. That is around 570 Euro – a significant amount, come to think of it. But the first on the list according to the same poll is a small Eruropean country with a big heart (and GDP): Luxembourg. Its population of less than half a million nevertheless spends around 600 Euro per person on Christmas gifts.

At the other end, among the “rich, Western democracies”, the most stingy are the Dutch.

This year, the world’s most generous Christmas shoppers proved to be the Irish and the Brits. The reported spendings during this Irish Christmas season has been nearly 1000 Euro per person. The British shopper spends somewhere in the vicinity of 860 Euro. The Americans strive to remain on top, spending around 625 Euro per person on tokens that can bring a smile on the faces of their loved ones.

Meanwhile, the Portuguese also love to shop – within the limitations of their more modest income. Notwithstanding, traveling to Portugal for the winter season can be a beautiful experience, one you can make even better if you rent a car.

Well, indeed, Portugal is a world renowned seaside destination, a “summery” place where the warm season is expected to last indefinitely. But this does not mean, unfortunately, that winter is precluded. Portugal is, after all, a European country – which is conveniently set in the Northern hemisphere – where warm weather and the cold season mingle.

This week started the beginning of (calendaristic) winter with a rather unwelcome touch of cold, as temperatures dropped across the entire country of Portugal putting an end to a “springy” pleasant autumn, with temperatures well above 20 degrees Celsius. The drop in temperatures has been caused by a polar wave that has touched southern Europe.

At present, the average temperatures in Portugal are around 15 degrees Celsius. And they are decreasing. By the end of the week, Northern Portugal (Porto and its surrounding area) may experience a drop in temperature values to 2-3 degrees below freezing. Central Portugal, Lisbon and the southern region of the Algarve will enjoy milder weather – generally above 10 degrees Celsius.

However, by mid-December, warm weather will most probably return to Portugal and the shores of the Algarve will regain their sunny glow.

Will there be a white Christmas in Portugal this year? Hard to say, though the fog, rain and cool may very well turn to snow, as has been the case in the past.

All things considered, despite the cool weather, Portugal remains an appealing destination and people who have booked a vacation in the Algarve will not be deterred by a few degrees below the average – on the contrary, experiencing a Portuguese winter inspires many people to travel in Portugal and explore the lovely Algarve region.

Getting into the village from the west will have you pass a large car park where you should actually park your car – in case you have a rental vehicle – and then proceed on foot uphill into the village. Employing some form of Algarve car hire service is actually suggested if you wish to explore these lesser  known and smaller locations in the region, but you should be aware that the main road more or less circles this small village.

Despite its size, as we mentioned earlier, the place is quite popular with a variety of travelers and one thing to visit is surely the rather imposing main church which is located on the steep cobbled incline which looks over the village. Near the rather impressive doorway of the church you’ll find a plaque that outlines the church’s history.

The river that crosses through the city is popular with both locals and tourists because it is home to wild ducks and geese. In the area of the bridge you’ll find the fresh running spring water coming out of two clay pipes, make sure to join the locals in filling your bottles of water.

The village has quite a few bars, cafes, restaurants and several shops as well as a supermarket, so it’s quite a great destination for self-catering holidaymakers.

There are also jeep safaris going through the village, but it’s actually a shame to drive through the place since you can only truly enjoy it by going on foot and spending a few days exploring its riches.

Many holidaymakers return to Albufeira city Portugal when they’re looking for a specific type of atmosphere which mixes great climate, lovely beaches and a plethora of eating establishments.

There are some who call Albufeira the St. Tropez of Portugal, while one must maintain the proportions in mind when making such a comparison, one also has to acknowledge that there are some similarities between the two. Our Albufeira city guide won’t talk about all of them however we will focus on a general outlook of the city.

The ex-fishing village is situated in the central part of the Algarve region, at about a thirty minute drive from Faro Airport, thankfully there are many Albufeira transfers from Faro Airport available for those interested in getting there quickly and in safe comfort.

Albufeira city

For those who have visited a bit of North Africa, coming here will offer a very interesting experience seeing as how Albufeira looks quite a bit like a village from that region. The city is home to one of the greatest beach-side tourist developments in the entire country, not only the region, however you don’t have to stay here if you don’t want to, the nearby locations of Quarteira and Almancilalso offer some great accommodation options.

On the other hand you could have a wonderful vacation and never leave the town or its surroundings, in such a case considering some Albufeira car hire services might prove to be a great idea, especially if you’re planning on cooking your own meals and if you wish to have the same flexibility of movement that you have at home.

Being the largest resort in the Algarve, Albufeira didn’t get that reputation for nothing, the wide variety of attractions, sights and activities that the place offers is appealing to a wide range of travellers, of all ages.

The city is split into two entities, the ‘old’ and the ‘new’, the first offering history and tranquillity while the other a constantly humming nightlife. Add to this some of the finest beaches on the continent, and couple it with the great weather, plus the local culture, one can understand why the atmosphere here is much sought after by travellers and holidaymakers of different ages and backgrounds.

Of course, considering the resort’s size and the plethora of offerings it has, one cannot think that it does not cater to those who love to shop while they’re on vacation. For those looking for some ‘retail therapy’ after a few days of lounging on the beach, rest assured that Albufeira’s main shopping street of Rua 5 de Outubro has pretty much anything that you may want or need, from a new outfit that you can wear on a night out in Albufeira to presents for your family and friends back home.

The resort doesn’t only offer great beaches, and wonderful eateries, golfing enthusiasts will also have a chance to play a solid number of holes at the Pine Cliffs or again, can take a ride to one of the top notch courses around Quarteira, like the Vila Sol and Vilamoura Old Course.

Albufeira guide – Albufeira beach Art

As far as the more traditional idea of an attraction goes, Albufeira has a few interesting places that will be ideal for a large percentage of visitors. For instance those who are traveling with their children will surely have to visit the Zoo Marine and the variety of water parks which can be found in and around the city.

More adventurous adults may want to visit Monchique and Foia, which are the highest points in the region, the views from here amaze every time, without fail. While on this trip make sure to check out a few local specialties, such as Medronho – a traditional alcoholic beverage – and Honey Cake, both of which are worth trying.

This has been just a quick look at what Albufeira has to offer its visitors, rest assured that once you’re there, you will surely find many more things to see and do.

Just like the rest of the region, Tavira spent quite a few centuries under Arab rule, in this case it was between the 8^th and 13^th centuries, after which it was conquered by the Knights of the Order of Santiago in 1242. Then between the 16^th and 18^th centuries, Tavira was the main trading port in the region. As you can plainly see, a very rich history, and we’ll try to give you a general overview on the place with this short Tavira guide.

What makes the town of Tavira stand out from most of the other Algarve towns is that it managed to somehow stave off the influence of mass tourism and preserve its unique traditions and handsome character. Part of this character is the seven arch bridge which spans the Gilao river; while its current appearance dates from the 17^th century, the bridge itself is believed to have been built by the Romans. Severe floods affected the bridge back in 1989 and ever since it has only been open to pedestrian traffic, so you can still get to cross it, only you’ll be doing it on foot and some might argue that this is a much better way.

The river is a major part of the town, Tavira’s river front being populated with a plethora of shopping, dining and other types of opportunities. For instance the market hall present here was re-vamped a few years ago and now plays host to many shops, cafes and restaurants with its central area being reserved for exhibitions and other special events.

The entire river front is a great place for a walk or for a sit at one of the cafes and enjoy the incredibly quiet and picturesque setting. The gardens located near the bridge are a particularly great place to sit down and relax in the shade and usually you’ll see quite a few groups of older men chatting away the day or playing some dominoes.

Before we go any further we should mention that the town isn’t very far away from Faro and in fact you can quickly reach it by using some Tavira transfer from Faro Airport services.

Back to what sets the town apart, the place has some of the finest churches that you’ll see in the entire region of the Algarve and that’s saying something. Not only are they very beautiful, but there’s also quite a few of them, more than twenty in fact, which can be found in and around the town.

The church that is usually mentioned to be the finest in town is the 16^th century Igreja da Misericordia; this might be largely due to its blue and white azuejos, and wonderful carvings and scenes from the life of Christ. Close-by you can find the older Igreja da Santa Maria do Castelo which dates back from the 13^th century; this is where you’ll find the tombs of seven Christian knights of the Order of St. James who were killed by the Moors during the many battles that raged in the region in medieval times. This church is called ‘do Castelo’ because it is located near the 13^th century castle which was rebuilt by King Dinis from what were Moorish fortifications. Nowadays it is used for tourist visits and to offer fantastic views across Tavira.

The churches, while there’s quite a few of them, are only a part of the architectural heritage of Tavira, the town showing signs of defensive structures dating from the Phoenician, Islamic and Portuguese eras of leadership and you can find out where yo look for these things in a booklet printed by the Tavira Municipal Council.

The have been only a couple of the major sights to keep in mind when visiting the town of Tavira, rest assured that there are many more than these, of a much greater variety as well. The best way of seeing the town and enjoying your vacation at the same time will be with the help of some Tavira car hire services, so make sure to keep those in mind when you budget for your trip to the Algarve.

This rather interesting town is located at about sixteen kilometers north of Faro and its main feature is the landmark church of Nossa Senhora da Piedare – interesting enough, as opposed to pretty much all other towns in the region, this church is a modern building with a dome shape that makes it look a bit like a space ship. A bit larger than many other Algarve resorts and towns, Loulé offers all the amenities that you may expect including many shops, banks, art galleries and many other, we’ll try to cover as many of them in this short Loulé guide.

Loulé is well-known in the region for hosting each a Saturday morning a gypsy market, located at the end of Rua da nossa Senhora da Piedade, in fact there are special trips that are available from many Algarve resort in order to get here, however you can also employ some Loulé transfer from Faro Airport and get here straight from the airport.

While the city is relatively big, when compared to most other Algarve destinations, the part of town that will offer interesting places to visit will be rather small, however it would be a good idea to get a map if you’re on your your first visit, the street layout makes it rather easy to turn down the wrong street and walk much further than you’d want.

The main church of the city, Igreja de S. Clemente can be found in a small town square, alongside a small but peaceful garden, the Garden of Sulks – Jardim dos Amuados – which is an ancient Arab cemetery.

From the back of the church you can follow Rua Martic where once you turn left you’ll arrive at the market building which is great to visit in the mornings as the produce selection is quite excellent, especially for those who are into fresh fruit and vegetables.

The Loulé castle can be found just a bit of distance down the road from the market. It was built sometime between the 13th and 14th centuries, and uses as foundation the old Roman settlement. The castle itself doesn’t exist per se, there are three remaining grey stone towers that are well preserved as well as the archway and the living quarters of the castle garrison.

Going past the castle you will eventually find the Convent of Espirito Santo which also houses the municipal art gallery.

These are the major historical sights that you may want to visit while in Loulé, however there are obviously other things to see and do while in the city. The winding network of cobbled streets and alleys is populated with a plethora of cafes and shops all of which want to attract your business.

Loule carnival dancer

Loulé carnival is very famous in Algarve where a great festival is taking several days at the beginning of each year that happen usually in the month of February .  Those who employ some Loulé car hire services, but also pedestrians, will notice that the main street, Jose da Costa Mealha Avenida is usually busy with cars as well as people going about their daily lives while on either side of the central gardens you can take a while to rest on benches under trees and kiosk which can help refresh you after walking the street’s length.

Loulé is also very well-known in the region for being the host of one of the biggest events in the region, definitely one of the biggest in Loulé. The Loulé Carnival takes place in the month of February and lasts for three days, the third one being Shrove Tuesday.
The carnival is a colorful affair made up of music, dancing and just a general partying atmosphere which is very reminiscent of Brazilian carnivals. Just as it is with the carnivals in Brazil people from all across the region to see the processions and join in with the party in the streets.

As we mentioned earlier this couldn’t be a total guide of the city, but hopefully it did offer you enough of a general idea about the place, so that you can decide whether or not you’ll want to visit there.

The history of this once tiny hamlet isn’t very well known till around the middle of the 13^th century when the Moors conquered it and placed it under the control of the larger nearby Silves. The hamlet later become an official town, only for it to be mostly destroyed during the earthquake of 1755. however the settlement continued on, becoming an administrative town in the area which lived off agriculture, in the past. This is a very short Lagoa guide, meant to give you a better idea of the place’s history as well as present.

One of the main attractions of modern-day Lagoa comes from the start of the 19^th century when the parish church was inaugurated, however there’s an older church, the Igreja de Misericordia which dates to the middle of the 18^th century. The parish church features a very pleasant Baroque facade which is enhanced during the months of May and June when the surrounding jacaranda trees blossom. There also a war memorial erected nearby which pays tribute to the Lagoan soldiers who fell during the African colonial wars.

One other interesting building in the city is the Convento do Sao Jose which was built in 1713 and managed to survive the 1755 earthquake. Nowadays the building is used as a place to exhibit various art collections as well as house a small theater for cultural events. The building has an intriguing little feature in the style of a turn-box door, which was used to pass unwanted babies to the nuns in the convent. The mother would place the baby and any other small possessions on a shelf in the box and talk through a small aperture with the nun on the other side. The revolving door meant that the baby would reach the nuns without the mother having to show her face. Just a little piece of the curious history around this building and town.

During the month of August, the town plays host to a major commercial and rural produce fair named Fatacil. The fair exhibits products from all across the country, not just the region. This turns into a more major event because it offered something of an excuse for national bands and singers to do what they do best.

We mentioned earlier something about wine. During the months of September and October, the country lanes are packed to bursting with trucks and carts which shuttle freshly-picked grapes to the various wine-makers from the fields. The majority of the wine produced here is red and high in alcohol content, usually aged in a solera under a film of flor yeast which imparts a nutty character to the wine, making it taste something like a fine sherry.

The surroundings of the town are very interesting to explore as well, for instance the nearby town of Estombar is an even older settlement. This is where the famous 11^th century Arab poet “Ibn Ammar” lived and is a place of many legends related to subterranean passages stretching for up to twelve kilometers.

The nearby beach of Carvoeiro is located just a few kilometers south of Lagoa and its claim to fame being that it is amongst the most photographed and painted scenes in the entire region of the Algarve. This place too, used to be a simple and small fishing village, but thanks to investment from tourism development in recent years, it has grown into a fully-fledged holiday resort. It now features two golf courses, a tennis complex and even a riding centre nearby. Also close-by is Porches, a small town well-known for its very high-quality potteries and other hand-painted ceramics.

It should be noted that both these destinations can be relatively easily accessed from Lagoa with the help of some Lagoa car hire services. Also a near by is Portimao and Lagos that are very interesting to visit as they have many options for the shopping and for the night life.

Whether you’re planning to spend your entire trip here, or you’re just interested in visiting the place, our Lagoa transfers from Faro Airport can be employed to bring you here and back again, whether it’s to the airport or some other of our available locations, nothing could be easier.