The Best Holiday Home Rentals in the Algarve, Portugal

Faro is the largest urban centre in the Algarve and offers a gateway to the rest of the region along with a range of cultural attractions such as the Ria Formosa Natural Park, Cathedral of Faro and Estói Palace. Faro Central Holiday Apartments sit within easy reach of all these sights. There are a basic one-bedroom apartment, a larger one with a sofa bed and a two-bedroom suite with room for eight guests. Essential self-catering amenities such as a cooker, a microwave, a washing machine and an espresso machine ensure a comfy stay.

Albufeira is home to one of the best beach strips in the Algarve, tracing a line from São Rafael to Praia dos Salgados. The resort-style apartment block of Monte dos Avós Apartamentos is a great spot to drop anchor. Choose from seven holiday apartments, sleeping up to five – all with access to a big pool area with sun loungers, massage beds and spa treatments available to order. There’s also a garden with a barbecue area in case you’d rather cook in the open air than utilise the fully equipped kitchens. Rooms are bright and airy, with balconies and living rooms providing ample space.

Set right in the middle of Albufeira Old Town, this classic Portuguese townhouse offers up dreamy views over white houses with their sandy roof tiles, as well as a private pool and spa tub on the patio from where to enjoy those views. There’s enough room for four, thanks to two large double bedrooms, and you’d only be a short walk away from the beachfront and castle walls beyond the Old Town.

Odiáxere is a small village just outside of Lagos, offering an ideal compromise between proximity to the city and escape from the crowds. It’s home to the beautiful Ribeira de Odiáxere cove, which separates miles of beach from the rest of the Med. A stay at this apartment will put you right beside one of these beaches – Meia Praia, so you can wake up to ocean views every morning. It’s a one-bed rental, so best suited to couples and solo travellers, but it’s still generously sized, with a pool, a garden and a big terrace.

Apartamentos do Parque is a few minutes on foot from Praia dos Olhos de Água, one of the smaller and quieter beaches in the area, known for its gentle tides and rock pools that are great for exploring at low tide. The complex boasts two outdoor pools, and each apartment has its own walled garden, so you can sunbathe in private. Choose from studios and two-bedroom apartments that sleep five. There is a bar area for slurping poolside cocktails and room service if ever you don’t feel like cooking.

Lagos is as popular for its nightlife as it is for its historical architecture, and a stay in this three-bed rental allows you to enjoy the best of both worlds. Two double bedrooms and a third twin room are all ensuite, and they share a balcony overlooking the town and the communal pool. Getting to the beach is a matter of following the marina until the concrete gives way to sand, and the same route leads past São Sebastião church and several other Lagos attractions.

East of the Albufeira Strip, Alfagar Village feels like a basecamp for the ultimate Algarve experience – within walking distance, you’ll find a beach, a golf course and a winery that offers guided tours. The complex itself gives you plenty of reasons to hang around, though: two onsite restaurants, tennis courts and two large swimming pools with inflatables for hire. There is also a spa with outdoor massage therapy, an indoor pool, a fitness centre, a sauna and a steam room for unlimited self-pampering. Bring your friends or extended family – the 216 suites sleep between four and eight guests.

Pontalaia, in Sagres, a municipality on the southernmost tip of Portugal, is famous for its surfing community. The cape offers some of the best scenery in the country, and the bustling port is both a historical institution and a great place to watch the world go by. Pontalaia offers 24 apartments across two floors, sleeping between two and six. You’re walled off from the town with a private outdoor pool, a fitness centre, a sauna and a common area to enjoy yourself. Pets are also welcome here, but there’s a surcharge of €8 (£7) per day.

Vilamoura is one of the largest tourist complexes in Portugal, and home to self-catering holiday home rentals like this three-bedroom apartment, which sleeps six. The huge space boasts beautiful rooms decorated in a modern art-deco style, a balcony and a separate kitchen with modern appliances and its own balcony dining area. When you’re not lounging around the outdoor communal pool, wander down the road to the Roman ruins for an afternoon of exploring – and stop off at the marina for a fresh seafood lunch on the way.

Alfagar Cerro Malpique lies north of the castle wall ruins and Fisherman’s Beach, so if you’ve come to Albufeira to see the sights, this holiday home rental is ideally located. Choose from studios, one- and two-bedroom apartments and superior three-bed suites – all have warm and homely touches such as fresh fruit and flowers. The lounger-lined pool has its own bar, and when you’re ready to venture out, the staff at reception can advise on the best sailing trips, cave tours, diving and other aquatic activities in town.