Friendly Rentals Blog

Considered to be the largest event of its kind, 50 national and international artists transform more than 40, 000 tons of sand into amazing, but temporary, works of art. The International Sand Sculpture Festival is based on a different theme every year, last year was Idols, this year it is Music. Expect to see sand sculptures up to 12 feet tall of your favourite rock, folk or pop group or maybe even sculptures representing dance and classical music.

The southern most region of Portugal, the Algarve is blessed not only with innumerable days of sunshine but also to the delight of surfers, year round waves. A West coast and a Southern coast means wherever the waves are coming from you are guaranteed to get a surf in the Algarve. Starting from the west coast and heading south we will have a look at some of the best surf spots around Sagres and Lagos.

The beaches of the Algarve, starring in advertisements, posters and summer photographs are well known by the vast majority of travellers. What many of you don’t know as well are the excellent world-class golf courses and this isn’t because they are hidden…

There’s moments in life when you need to relax, get away from the daily grind, kick routine in the ass and dedicate yourself completely to enjoying life. If, by chance, you’re in one of these moments now, we recommend that you take a look at our apartment of the week.

Albufeira, the Algarve’s largest resort town, is somewhat surprisingly also one of its most attractive. A seaside town with a picturesque old quarter and miles of sandy beaches, Albufeira’s quaint centre belies a vibrant nightlife and thoroughly modern new town. What with the added bonus of being under 45 minutes from the Algarve’s main Faro airport, Albufeira is often seen to be the ultimate holiday destination by families, couples and singles alike!

Today, we decided it was time to help you discover some of the best restaurants in the Algarve, because Portuguese cuisine is a delicacy, and because no holiday is complete without trying the local food.

After the success of our article on the best beaches in the Algarve, Portugal, we decided it was time to run a variation on the same theme. In today’s slightly more specialist niche, we’ll turn to the best nudist beaches in the Algarve. The Algarve benefits from sun 300 days of the year, so if you’re after a spot of skinny dipping in the sunshine, you’ve come to the right place!

Slide & Splash, Aquashow and Aqualand were not the authors of the song “Barbie Girl”. They’re some of the largest waterparks in Europe, and all found in the sunny Algarve, Portugal. With over 300 days of sunshine a year in the Algarve, you might find that Slide and Splash, Aquashow and Aqualand provide a (literally) refreshing change from another day at the beach. In this comparison, we give the lowdown on the Algarve water parks.

Nature is on the side of Algarve holidays. Hidden in the most south-westerly point of Europe, the clear Mediterranean beaches attract flocks of visitors each year. Offering more than 300 days of sunshine a year, a variety of activities in a safe environment and above all a high quality of life; the Algarve is perhaps the best place to take a family in the world. You’ll find plenty here that’s entertaining for children, as well as stimulating and relaxing for adults (don’t forget that it’s your holiday too!).

Welcome to the Algarve, a region boasting 5000km of stunning landscapes, unspoilt beaches and an enormous cultural wealth. It thus comes as no surprise that it is the most popular tourist destination in Portugal. However, the region is also famous for being the leading golf destination in Europe thanks to its excellent climate and rich, green terrain making it perfect for practising this relaxing sport all year round. There is more than 30 golf courses distributed along its beautiful coasts alone so golfers seeking a pleasant little winter getaway will find themselves spoilt for choice. We have therefore listed some golf courses in the Algarve featuring amongst the best in the world and which set the highest standards for golfing holidays. Take a look and see what you think.

In the Algarve there aren’t your typical tourist attractions but a rich natural, historical and cultural diversity distributed throughout the small towns occupying the region. Our suggestions thus comprise different places dotted around the Algarve where you can appreciate and enjoy this wealth. Take a look and see if something inspires you.

It’s Thursday and just like every week, here is our apartment of the week this week. This time in the Algarve!