Albufeira is located in the Algarve province, the southernmost and clearest part of Portugal (up to 300 days of sunshine a year). It seems that nature itself wanted to create the perfect resort here: the Algarve is protected from the cold northern winds by the mountains, while in the south you can feel the influence of the warm Atlantic currents.
Albufeira's climate is characterized by a small range of temperatures: in winter the thermometer rarely drops below +16°C, while in summer it stays at +26-27°C. As in many other European resorts, the full winter is replaced by a sort of 'rainy season', with Albufeira experiencing drizzle at least once a week from late October until March.
The vegetation and fauna of Albufeira
Albufeira's climate has left its mark on the nature of the resort: almost all year round the air is filled with the scent of herbs. However, the city itself is not very green due to the nature of its buildings - there are hardly any flower beds or trees in the streets of the Old Town. The most common types of vegetation in Albufeira are palm trees on the promenades, incense bushes in parks and along the beaches, acacias, orange trees, magnolias and oleanders, and pine plantations around the city.
Albufeira's animal life is primarily the city's hundreds of cats, and wild foxes and rabbits are often seen. If you go into the mountains, you can spot goats and deer. Albufeira's underwater life includes plaice and sea bass, mackerel and merlusa, starfish and crabs.
