Frequently Asked Questions

  1. Why the Algarve?

    Obviously, Portugal has a great climate, but the Algarve is a special area within Portugal. It is separated from the rest of the country by a mountain range that reaches up to 902 meters (in Foia near Monchique) and thus its always warmer than the rest of Portugal. In the months from November up till April, the Algarve has almost 3 times as many hours of sun as London or Amsterdam and only half… Read more.

  2. Is living in the Algarve cheap?

    Generally speaking: Yes! That is, if you compare overall cost of things to the cost in the U.K. Really much cheaper is dining out, you will start wondering why bother to cook a meal at home. Drinks in bars, pubs and cafés are also much cheaper. A good quality Portuguese coffee costs about £0.50 and a beer about £1. A pint will set you back £2 ! The supermarket is also quite a bit cheaper,… Read more.

  3. Are distances big in the Algarve?

    The distance from the Spanish border to the utmost western point with the landmark lighthouse is only 170 km / 106 miles, so it is really not a very large area. You will always be within 10 or 15 kilometers from a supermarket, regardless how rural you go. Roads are generally very good, and the airport in Faro well located so that almost every holiday home can be reached within an hour of driving. Read more.

  4. ​Which region in the Algarve should I choose?

    This depends very much on your personal preference, because all regions have their advantages. In general, there are more facilities closer to the coast and life is quieter and more rural away from the coast. Also, nature around the beaches gets rougher and more rocky the more you go to the west. But the differences between the regions are really not that big and it is easy to pay visits… Read more.

  5. Is the Algarve only about sun and beaches?

    Heavens no! The region has been inhabited since ancient times and thus are there many historical sites to visit. For walking, the Algarve is also great not only along the beaches but also in the interior. And we should mention golf, there are over 30 golf courses. Furthermore, there are lots of things going on, induced by the growing community of pensioners and sunlovers from the north of Europe… Read more.

  6. ​Is the air in the Algarve cleaner than in the north of Europe?

    You bet it is! In the Algarve, we profit from the proximity of the ocean which constantly refreshes the air.  Plus we have little or no industry nor traffic jams. Read more.

  7. How is Winter rental different from Summer rental?

    Many of the well known big holiday homes websites treat winter rentals the same as summer rentals. They will give guests a discount for the long stay but otherwise they do not treat this special season differently. We suggest that home owners do treat winter guests differently, because of some simple reasons: Winter guests are usually couples over 50, that take very good care of their “winter… Read more.

  8. What does a winter rental agreement look like?

    Base price: We suggest to agree on a base price per month or per week, just for the rental, just for an occupation of only two persons. That base price should be at its lowest for rentals of 3 or 4 months and over. If the rental is shorter, it is fair that the home owner asks a surcharge. But of course this depends very much how your desired period fits in the agenda of the house. The flexibility… Read more.

  9. What are the usual costs of electricity, water and gas?

    Electricity and water is usually charged based on the meter, gas is usually charged at a fixed price per person per week/month, or it is agreed that you simply buy a new bottle of gas once the old one is empty. No worries, the home owner will help you with that! Electricity costs on average about €0.22/KwH (prices can vary a bit depending on the provider). This is a bit more expensive than in… Read more.

  10. Do I need a car?

    That depends very much on the location of your winter home. Public transport in the Algarve is good and there are good and affordable transfer services and taxis. Having said that, bear in mind that the Algarve is a large province with many rural areas. If you want to profit fully from the biodiversity and see all the beautiful areas, mountains, beaches and so on, having a car is really the best.… Read more.

  11. Should I bring my own car?

    By all means yes. Though rental cars can be surprisingly cheap in winter, it might end up being cheaper to bring your own car. And you can bring a lot more stuff from home than you could by plane. Also it might just be more comfortable to drive the car that you are used to. In fact, most of the winter guests in the Algarve that will stay over two months come by car, and make a few stops during… Read more.

  12. What routes do people drive from the UK to the Algarve?

    Very popular is taking the Channel tunnel and drive down through France, either via Paris and Barcelona (2400 kilometers from London) or via Normandy, Bordeaux and Salamanca (2.700 kilometers). Also, lots of sunlovers drive to Portsmouth and take the ferry to Santander. From there it is only 1050 kilometers to the Algarve with a nice stop in Salamanca halfway. Read more.

  13. ​Do I need heating?

    As winters are very mild in the Algarve you rarely need heating during daytime. But in the night, temperatures can drop with the average minimum temperature being 14C degrees. Quite regularly though, we have temperatures of only 7C or 8C degrees in the middle of the night. That freshens up the area quite a bit and therefore we advise to always have some sort of heating. It just more comfortable in… Read more.

  14. ​What kind of heating do people use in the Algarve?

    Most common is a fireplace, almost every Portuguese house has one, even apartments. Firewood is sold in supermarkets and specialised shops on main roads from December to February. Also very popular is heating by hot air through the air conditioning system. This is a very cost effective and environmentally friendly way of heating, plus it is fast. When coming home after dinner, you probably don't… Read more.

  15. Which TV channels can I get in the Algarve?

    Some houses will have only the 7 free Portuguese TV-channels available, other will have a full subscription to a foreign TV-provider, usually through satellite or internet. Thus it is possible you have more channels available than at home. We know that you will want to watch your favorite programmes so we created a special field in the ads where home owners can list the channels they offer. For… Read more.

  16. Buying a house in the Algarve.

    Half of the people on holiday in the Algarve dream about the idea of owning their own holiday-home here, and probably even about one day moving here for good. We estimate that there are over 100,000 foreign home-owners here, mainly British, Dutch and German, but also Belgian, Swedish, Danish and more. Almost all of them started off as tourists, just like you.Buying a house in Portugal is not… Read more.

  17. What to do and see in the Algarve.

    There are many activities, waterparks, jeep safaris, boat tours, and so on. You will find leaflets and selling points everywhere, be sure to pick up the leaflets as they will usually give an immediate discount. Here are some options:Paderne Castle is about a 1 hour walk from the centre of Paderne as it gives spectacular views.  So it's worth while on a not too hot, and preferably dry, day.… Read more.

  18. What to do and see further away.

    Lisbon: what can we say... One can argue that Porto is older or that Coimbra is more authentic.  The fact is that Lisbon is one of the top-10 most visited cities in Europe. That says something. It's about 245 km from the Algarve to the centre of Lisbon. So if you have the time, go out early, pay the tollway A2, cross the spectacular 5km long Vasco-da-Gama-bridge, and you can have a great day… Read more.

  19. Is it difficult to advertise on this website?

    We tried to make it as easy as possible. Creating the advertisment takes you less than 10 minutes, though we do suggest you take some extra time to write a good and detailed description. Also don't forget to add photos; to get a feel of a house, photos are as important as the description. Read more.

  20. What does advertising on this website cost?

    You can create a usercode and an advertisement for free. After you have done this and you are satisfied with the result, click on “Publish”. You will then receive an email with the payment information. As soon as we have received your payment, the advertisement will be visible on the website. An advertisement for 12 months costs €79 including 23% IVA (tax). Special promotion: 24 months… Read more.

© Winter in Algarve 2023